Comment to:
http://www.avsim.com/pages/0306/SR22/SR22.htm
First, let me say that the SR-22 appears to be a fantastic, superbly designed aircraft simulation. I might find myself agreeing with everything the reviewer says about the product, had I actually had an opportunity to buckle in and fly it.
Instead, I uninstalled it and am in the process of requesting a refund.
Here's why:
I have enjoyed a few of the more sophisticated aircraft sims on the market for the MSFS platform, and all of them have shipped with rather extensive documentation of on-board systems and avionics. This has always been helpful in understanding how to competently operate the aircraft. They also have shipped with basic operational documents, such as a Pilot's Operating Handbook or Aircraft Operating Manual. These are crucial documents for a pilot keen on learning a new type of aircraft, and how to correctly operate it according to manufacturer recommendations.
The Eaglesoft product ships with neither. Instead, after purchase, download and installation, this new customer was disappointed and rather frustrated to discover that neither of these documents existed. The accompanying readme text file included a dated link to a page on the Cirrus website that no longer exists, where one could have in the past, presumably downloaded either of these documents. Currently, Cirrus requires an aircraft serial number in order to download this documentation.
Bummer. So begins my experience with "Support". Note to CEOs: Don't handle customer support directly. Chances are you'll be pretty bad at it, Ron.
Anyway, I initiate contact with Support, hoping that maybe I've just missed something, and there actually is such a basic piece of documentation somewhere in the product installation. I'm a bit flustered at this point because I'd spent 20 minutes or so looking around the Internet to no avail, and I really want to get this thing airborne.
The first response was to point me to the documentation directory, which I already knew only contained avionics documentation.
Having pointed that out to "Support" in my reply, their suggestion was to "drop over to Cirrus Design for a real world AOM".
I then responded that they do not distribute those documents without a valid aircraft serial number. I'd noted that the link provided in the readme 404d, as I mentioned above in this post.
Support responded that they are "not allowed to distribute real world aviation documents, so my best bet would be the Internet.
Wait, what? Because I don't want to misrepresent anything here, and hide the fact that by now I was a bit hot under the collar, my response to that was:
"Interesting.
Both my PMDG 747 and my FSD Seneca come with detailed operating handbooks. Is this a copyright or intellectual property issue? I would find it odd that, assuming you've obtained permission from Cirrus to reproduce their IP and trade dress in the form of a 3D model, you couldn't also distribute even a basic POH. If it's an FAA issue, the others seem to get around it by including prominent notices in the documents that the information is presented for entertainment and desktop flight simulator use, not for real world operation. Also, in either case, how did you manage to include such detailed documentation for the avionics equipment? What makes a POH so different?
Basically, I purchased a product with the full expectation that it would be well documented. Not including a POH with your product makes it far from well documented. That is a purchase decision consideration that your customers are entitled to prior to purchase.
I have run into a couple of problems that might be answered if such a document were available. After start, cylinder temps go quickly into the caution area, RPM is abnormally high. Running the throttle up even moderately pegs RPM to the red, and the cylinder temps go well into the red. EGT seems normal, but again, how would I know without operating information for the engine? The aircraft will not move at all, even at full throttle. I cannot locate anything remotely resembling a condition/pitch control for the prop. I don't know if this is automatic or fixed in this aircraft, or if I'm missing something. Lacking an operating handbook, I cannot determine if something is wrong with the product, the installation, or if I'm missing something somewhere in the process of operating it.
The Internet would be a good source of information for a freeware airplane that is understandably lacking in detailed documentation. Telling a customer who just payed you $30 for a premium product that they'll have to find documentation for it on their own reflects an extraordinarily poor customer service attitude, and frankly means that this will be the last product I purchase from you."
Well, this set "Support" off. So much so that he didn't really endeavor to actually read what I had written. "Support"'s response:
"Tim, it is obvious that you are not well versed in simulator operation or possibly unaware of throttle operation limitations in the simulated environment. Mixture and Prop levers should be full forward in the sim environment and brakes must be released. Sorry to disappoint but we state clearly that our products, while quite realistic, are aimed at and built for entertainment purposes only.
If dissatisfied for any reason see our refund link and policy near the bottom of our FAQs Page here: http://www.eaglesoft...dg.com/faq.htm"
It just got ugly from there. If the person manning that "Support" dialog was actually Ron, then.. wow.
In fairness, as the conversation escalated beyond this, I myself said things in frustration that I regret having said. I sincerely hope Ron is not actually the pompous I TRIED TO USE A PROFANITY HERE - AREN'T I STUPID! I accused him of being. I, after all, am not the incompetent idiot he accused me of being.
It was just a very unpleasant exchange, and I'd never in more than 15 years of flight simming had such an experience.
Is there no bloody condition lever in the cockpit of the SR2x? If I'd have found it the other night, I'd probably be flying it right now.
Documentation. You can produce the most badass, complete, accurate simulation ever. If your documentation is shoddy, as this clearly is, you're going to from time to time come across people like me.