Here is a long list of Bonanza items that are worth considering. Some may have been fixed, but I don’t believe that is the case. (I wrote this up a while back). Since it is so long, I broke it down into sections. Click the arrow to expand.
Systems
When RPM falls below 1800 RPM, a white BUSES TIED annunciator is displayed. It goes out above 2000 RPM. This is part of the pre-flight runup check to make sure it goes out.
Engaging the starter should result in a yellow STARTER ENGD warning annunciator, along with a single chime sound from the G1000.
Gear warning has been improved in the latest release, however in the sim it only comes on when the power lever is all the way back at idle (or flaps full). In the real airplane, it is any time the power lever is below approx. 12” of MP or flaps full. Also I believe it is a beeping sound, not the generic Garmin chime. Yellow “CHECK GEAR” is not accurate. Bonanza only has a red “GEAR UP” message.
Landing Gear Safety Switch not modeled – You cannot retract the gear in flight if the power level is at or close to idle. (switch is set at approximately 17" manifold pressure @ sea level). The only thing that happens if you try to retract it is a red “IN TRANS” light. Gear will not move until you push the power above the microswitch in the throttle quadrant. (#16000)
The Yellow “PITOT HT OFF” annunciator is not on the real G36. Should be removed from the sim. This wasn’t an option on the G36 installation of the G1000 (it isn’t approved for flight in icing conditions). It is slightly annoying to have to turn on the pitot heat when not needed to clear an annunciator that isn’t present in the actual airplane. (#15944)
The G36 modeled has the Digital Climate Control located below the throttle levers.
However, some controls are left over from the old system, and are not present on models with the digital climate control. The following can be removed: Cabin Heat pull knob, Aft Cabin Heat pull knob, Defrost pull knob, A/C toggle Switch, Blower toggle Switch, Vent Blower toggle Switch
Priming engine for starting: When fuel pump is turned to low the fuel flow indicator should barely move up a bit. Currently the low pump setting incorrectly goes to peak. Then when turned to HI it should increase over about a 1 second time span (instead of instantly going straight to the peak setting).
Autopilot
Selecting a vertical mode such as PIT or VS should sync to the current pitch or vertical speed at the time it is engaged. Example, if climbing with autopilot on in PIT mode and change to VS, it shouldn’t go to 0 feet per minute and level the climb. It should sync to whatever the rate of climb is when engaged.
Yaw Damper doesn’t appear to be modeled. (BC switch on Garmin is normally where the YD switch is) Should come on and stay on with autopilot engaged. Annunciated with green YD next to the green AP annunciator. If engaged on ground, it is harder to taxi (more resistance in pedals)
Pushing the red AP DISC switch on the yoke should disconnect the autopilot and Yaw Damper (and flash the AP and YD annunciator for 5 seconds) It should also sound the autopilot disconnect tone.
Go Around button on the throttle not functional. Important to have for instrument training. It should do the following:
- Disconnect Autopilot if on (AP flashes yellow and sounds autopilot disconnect tone twice)
- Engages the flight director in a wings level, 7 degree pitch up attitude.
- Shows GA in both the pitch and roll sections of the autopilot mode line of the PFD
- Arms Altitude Hold Mode
Garmin / G1000
G1000
Active Com frequency should be Green. This is the way the real plane is, and helps eliminate confusion. (Changes when you change from COM1 MIC to COM2 MIC on the audio panel)
Low Speed Cue - When stopped, airspeed indicator should not be red. The red tape starts at 20kts. Also, red and white “barber-pole” pattern not accurate to the G1000 installation on the Bonanza.
Engine Instruments are not an accurate representation of the real G36 Bonanza. (#16001)
• Manifold Pressure should read in tenths (i.e. 27.2 vs 27) and with a scale of 10 to 35 (not 0 to 40)
• RPM and MP gauges should not have a white arc around the outside, but should have “tick” marks
• RPM and MP text shouldn’t change from white to green when inside green band.
• Fuel flow gauge should have a numeric readout on top right of scale.
• Fuel gauge should have L tank on top and R tank on bottom. It is reversed in the Alpha. Also, instead of F it should have a 37 at the full mark on each side.
RPM should NOT instantly turn red when exceeding 2700 RPM at full power. 2755 RPM and above is when you get red digits.
In the real G36 you almost never see red on the RPM, unless you forget and leave it above 2700 for more than 4 minutes after takeoff (or the governor is set incorrectly above 2755rpm).
Normal idle manifold pressure is about 12" at most elevations. Currently seeing 5"
Lots of other issues, but biggest source of frustration is manipulating waypoints in the flight plan. Should be able to accurately add a waypoint, delete one, change destination, and load an approach at the new destination, etc. Should be able to easily select a waypoint in the flight plan page and go direct to it. Not having to type the identifier in.
Sounds
Gear motor sound is very inaccurate. On the real airplane it is a classic, iconic sound familiar to Bonanza pilots. It is a louder, higher pitch electric motor that is right under the seat of the pilot. The default one in the Alpha sounds like a big hydraulic gear in the back of a jet. (#17250)
See the 8 minute 9 second mark in this video: https://youtu.be/EZA-26C7qug?t=488
Or this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLVqEqNK9Xw
The sound used for the autopilot disconnect in the sim is the generic Garmin annunciator tone. This is incorrect. The real airplane has a distinctive alternating tone. You can hear it in the video from Garmin linked below (at the 18min 55sec mark). Note: Even though the video says GFC700, this is the version of autopilot integrated into the G1000 on the Bonanza. (#17237)
https://youtu.be/TnOUxBdM2m4?t=1137
Should get a “TAWS System Test” voice alert when avionics are first powered up, followed by the autopilot disconnect tone.
Fuel pump on low sounds same as on high. Should be a lower pitch “growl” sound when pump is on low, and a louder, higher pitch pump sound on high. Video with sound: https://youtu.be/S0OW7pM7qyk?t=125
(also fuel flow shouldn’t instantly jump to peak)
Visual Model – Exterior
Left wing only has 1 static wick. Should have 3 - like the right wing.
Gear strut on nose and main gear too long. Aircraft appears to sit too high, like a lifted monster truck. Should only be between 3 and 5 inches. (most obvious in a side view, looking at the horizontal bottom of main gear door when on ground)
Any way to make the registration number only on the fuselage, and not under the wing too? The FAA stopped requiring this in the early 60’s, Canada has stopped, and possibly Germany too. Or make it optional under ATC settings to include under-wing.
Without airflow over the elevator (i.e. stopped or at taxi speed on ground) the elevator is naturally in the full nose down position. As speed and airflow picks up on takeoff roll it comes to a neutral position. Not sure how to simulate this, but you practically never see Bonanzas taxing or parked with the elevator neutral (unless the control lock is in)
Visual Model – Interior
When viewed from the inside, should not see the red placard / band when the door is closed and latched. Should see the green placard. Red would indicate the door isn’t latched.
Annunciator test switch should be red, not black. Same with the front of the round Firewall Air Control pull knob. It is red to help find it quickly in a smoke emergency.
Alternate Air Handle needs moved about 30cm left. Pull handle should be positioned under the placard / label, with space between the parking brake handle.
Lower left side of PFD bezel is blank. An additional Altitude selector knob is missing in the lower left corner.
Misc
Aircraft should be properly configured for takeoff when starting on the runway. Flaps should be set to UP, not at the middle “Approach” setting. (Nearly all takeoffs on newer Bonanzas are flaps up, not at the approach setting). This is the method used by Beechcraft, the American Bonanza Society, and FlightSafety’s Bonanza program. Also, trim should be set in the middle of the green takeoff band, not at 3 units. And the Cowl Flaps handle should be set to OPEN.
Flight Model
Seems like it could be a little more nose heavy at speeds below 90 kts. In the real airplane it is not uncommon to land with a bunch of nose up trim. Also, with the trim set at the bottom of the green arc for takeoff it seems to come right off the ground with no input.
Leaning is not accurate. Decreasing the mixture increases fuel flow, until it peaks and eventually decreases. It should just be a linear decrease in fuel flow as you lean the mixture.
This behavior appears mixed up with what Cylinder Head Temp (CHT) should do. CHT should rise until it peaks, then decreases as the mixture is leaned further. But regardless, the fuel flow should decrease at a linear rate. Right now, CHT doesn’t move at all.
Cruise Performance – At 6,000’ ISA temp, book numbers are 164 kts IAS and 176 TAS. In the sim I am seeing 141 IAS and 156 TAS. So about 20 kts slow.
When taxiing on the ground, if you apply full left rudder to turn, the yoke should move left. This is because the Bonanza has interconnected rudders and ailerons (connected with a bungee).
Decreasing RPM should result in a small increase in MP
Cowl flaps should cause a 3-4 kts drag in cruise.
Items above compiled into 1 PDF:
G36 Squawk List.pdf (222.1 KB)