I was rather disappointed with this aircraft. It is a very basic model that reminds me of what one would have expected to have seen in MSFS FSX. This feedback is based on the aircraft available in build v1.3.7.0 (SU1 Beta)
Flight Model and Aircraft Systems (3)
I don’t mind having an aircraft without all the latest systems - I actually enjoy flying historical aircraft without autopilots, etc. - but I do expect the systems that are modelled to be functional.
Here are a few examples of issues I came across:
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There appears to be no elevator trim. If this is the trim wheel:
Then it is non-functional and so there is no way to determine the current trim value if changed by a keypress or controller button. -
The manual states: “Some features of the aircraft, such as the old-style radio navigation are not functional due to those systems not existing in real world”.
OK, but many simmers enjoy recreating historical scenarios where such navigation is used, e.g.:
[Updated] Arrows Across America: fly the US Air Mail routes 1926 - 1934
So a working set would be beneficial to those trying to recreate flying in a bygone age.
However, since these radios are non-functional:
I’m not sure why they were included, rather than including a fully-functioning set of more modern equipment. There are a number of existing self-contained radio / avionics systems in the sim that could have been “pugged into” the cockpit with very little additional work involved. -
Neither of the fuel gauges shows any fuel, making it impossible to determine (without using the EFB) fuel consumption during the flight. This screenshot shows a “full” fuel tank:
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There appears to be no lighting in the cockpit at all. There are two rotary switches in the switch panel:
But they are non-functional.
The lack of any lighting of the cockpit, gauges, switches or anything else makes night-flights impossible. -
The manual references two cabin lights. The rear light is functional:
But the front cabin light is non-functional:
Interior and Exterior Graphics (3)
The exterior graphics are adequate, but not outstanding. There appear to be three bugs that I have not seen reported, and would asked to be repro’d by any user reading this.
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There is a steel rod that diagonally penetrates the right wing:
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If one checks the Right & Left Ailerons during the pre-flight inspection for correct movement, the ailerons move OK, but the black “rivet straps” (I don’t know what else to call them) are static do not move with the rest of the aileron:
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The wing light points to the ground, while the glass cover points to the front:
The interior graphics are as basic as one can get.
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The chain & sprocket at the end of the yokes are not animated (and the forward bulkhead door has no handle):
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There is a complete lack of any sort of wiring or connections to any of the gauges:
or switches:
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The yokes just punch through the panel. In real life, I’d expect there to be some sort of brushing around the hole through which the yoke passes. The radio & EFB switches are directly “attached” to the panel:
![Grumman G-21A Goose - Lack of Detail (Wiring) RHS|690x388]
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The handles for main & emergency doors inside the cabin are non-functional & so neither exit can be opened from the inside (the emergency exit cannot be opened from the outside either):
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The handle to the door to the restroom at the rear of the aircraft is non-functional, so that door cannot be closed prior to take-off:
Audio and Aircraft Sounds (3)
The sounds are also basic & inconsistent. For example, the light switches “click” with different sound intensities, varying from none to clearly audible (Nav lights)
I have never experienced the G-21A in real-life, so can only compare the sounds to those of the Goose in previous versions of MSFS. In this version, the engines from inside & outside the aircraft - sound “flat”. There is no reverberation that I associated with this type of engine.
Overall Enjoyment (4)
I would rate this as “Fair”. The cockpit interior needs a lot of improvement to make this aircraft one that I would fly on a regular basis. The Grumman HU16 aircraft are far better overall & outperform this goose in every category.