Pixelplanes Piper PA-32

Discussion Hub Aircraft
21

Steer clear of the Pixelplane version of this plane.

I had the Alabeo version of this plane in FSX. I lived in West Caldwell most of my life and lived very near the Essex County airport. The Saratoga was the plane JFK Jr. flew in 1999 when he met his dimise. I would try to simulate his ill fated route to Martha’s Vinyard in FSX. When I recently saw this Saratoga in MSFS Marketplace, despite the 35% one star rating, I jumped on it. It looked good in the pictures and features, and the price seemed good (yeah, too good!). But this offering is a mess! It needs a world of work. I was very disappointed right from the start.

Hopefully, this helps my fellow simmers from making the same mistake.

22

I’d avoided this aircraft due to the 2.6* avg reviews, but as is often the case, I believe that an inordinate number of 1-star ratings dragged the avg down (plus the small sample size). I would’ve preferred at least one YT review (seems overdue), but it was on sale for about US$8, so why not?

Anyway, it’s certainly neither study-level nor stellar, but, especially for the minimal cost, it holds its own against the likes of Carenado’s “budget” offerings. Visually, it’s at least on a par with the better default aircraft, and the handling is reasonable, for the most part, although there are some issues that won’t affect many users:

  • The seeming inability to stall it. I idled power and applied back pressure, and although the stall warning eventually sounded (below VSO), it never actually stalled. This actually makes it too easy to grease it on, as you can approach 0 fpm with no worry of bouncing, Some may enjoy this…
  • Vle for this plane IRL is 132 kias, but the gear in MSFS 2024 wouldn’t lower until IAS dropped below about 110 kt (not tested yet in 2020).
  • It’s rather quiet. You can hear everything, but even outside, the engine sounds like you’ve got ANR headphones (so maybe a good thing?).
  • The engine modelling isn’t perfect, but I have plenty of Black Square, Blackbird, A2A, FSW, and other “premium” aircraft for a more immersive, real-world experience.
  • There is a TKS rocker (optional IRL–it adds some weight to an already useful load-limited package), but it’s either Low or High–there’s no Off (middle position), so I couldn’t really test its effectiveness (although the windows were getting a bit icy, as well as some of the airframe). NBD.
  • The GNS 430/530 were behaving even more weirdly than usual. For example, on one flight, I was able to see data fields, but that didn’t work on another flight for the 530.
  • The prop disc is too opaque and not well-rendered, which can be distracting.
  • No manual. NBD if it actually functioned close to the real deal, but ALL add-ons should have some sort of documentation (at least to reveal things like click spots).

There ae other minor issues, but it’s still enjoyable to fly under most circumstances, if you just want an quick/easy flight. Another very decent aircraft is the Carenado Seneca, and this is essentially the single-engine version of that, sans those massive, view-blocking nacelles. It also lacks the EFB allowing me to use my PMS50 GTN750. NBD, as 530s are a lot more common in the real-world fleet (430s/530s so much cheaper, but 750s are so much nicer)!

Bottom line, you more-or-less get what you pay for, and I don’t regret dropping $8 on this (although it won’t be my daily driver). $15’s not that bad either, so if you want a turbo, retractable, six-place single, this isn’t a bad choice, either virtually or IRL, as although it’s not as fast or heavy-lifting as, say, a B36TC or T210N, it’s a lot more comfortable for your (virtual or real) passengers. If you want a more immersive experience (complete with maintenance/failures), there’s always Black Square’s Bo (and Baron) package.

23

Thanks for a very nice realistic and balanced write-up. I have quite a few hours in a real life older Hershey bar wing, fixed gear PA32-300 and always enjoyed flying it: a real work horse. I am really enjoying the Black Square Bonanza (I used to own a Debonair IRL) but just maybe there is a place for this as well…

24

I have about 950h in a PA32-301 FG. So at 8€ I had to give this one a go, if nothing else than to recreate the real aircraft in FS2024.

There are loads of FDE problems, the engine is way too powerful and many of the gauges are either only half baked or functioning on some unrealistic principle.

Worst offender here is the HSI where course and HDG are basically uncontrollable, no i should better say only usable with tooltip enabled.

The VSI can actually exceed +6000 and leave you going up like a rocket with a negative indication on the gauge. Not that a real Saratoga could max out the climb rate for anything more than a few seconds :winking_face_with_tongue:. It is a similar engine to that in an Extra 300, but that is where similarities end.

I love the lines of a Saratoga and the model itself is nicely done. But honestly I would not recommend the aircraft as is to anyone who doesn’t simply want to see PA32s on the ramps of FS.

25

From your review it sounds like you are using the aircraft in 2024. I bought the aircraft and had some issues with actually getting it. I opened a support ticket and got is sort of resolved except that the 2024 version shows as “not available”. I can fly the 2020 version in 2024 but I bought it as a 2024 aircraft. Support has advised this afternoon that they are experiencing the same thing and they cannot make the 2024 version either.

So my question to you: are you flying the 2020 version in 2024 or are you flying the actual 2024 version?

26

I purchased through the FS2024 Marketplace, but with everything that doesn’t really work right, it may well be the FS2020 version i tested.

I forgot to mention the two most glaring annoyances, aside from gauges that don’t work or may only work if stick a finger in your left ear while moving the mouse with the right hand or some secret sequence like that.

The big screen that may or may not resemble a real world weather display or something like that, which here is used to allow certain player selections, but looks totally out of place in the panel.

And the idiotic display of the propdisk as if it was a solid objekt. At times making it almost impossible to see what is infront of the aircraft. The only time i could ever see the blades on my Saras prop was when the big Lycoming was stopped. Even while stopping or just before firing up the blades are not visible anymore.

27

Thanks for the response. Because the support team could replicate my issue they did offer me a refund. In spite of the issues I have decided to keep the aircraft, warts and all. But I did urge them to remove the 2024 tag from the aircraft on the marketplace listing as it is misleading and false.

28

Again the price point is certainly low enough where you can’t expect perfection.

I would be embarrassed to release this as payware, to be honest. There are lots of examples of much much better built freeware releases.

For me it was simply the fact that this was the first PA32 for FS, so for nostalgia alone i just had to have it. I might even try my hand at repainting it to match my original design for the real 87B.

29

I can totally relate. Seeing as I got it on a special it really was very cheap. And at least the cockpit and instruments look decent, the AP works acceptably, the exterior is OK-ish etc. etc. And because I also have a sentimental attachment to the base Cherokee 6, I thought it was worth the price FOR ME. But I do believe they should remove the 2024 label from it and just state it is a 2020 model that is compatible with 2024.

BTW one major red flag: in the marketplace listing they provide a support email address for Pixelplanes support@pixelplanes.com but I have gotten an undeliverable response when I tried to contact them on that address. Not promising at all.

30

I own a Saratoga II TC in real life and can only say this: I didn’t expect much since I saw user ratings. But the thing is even worse. Optics are nice, the rest is not.

  • Sounds are not from the real plane. Even seems like exterior prop sounds are blended in. It doesnt even sound like a 6cylinder engine, rather 4. Probably some standard C172 sound
  • Systems: TIT will not rise to realistic values, FF same. Mixture doesnt change much
  • Feels like a jet or something but far from the beafy, heavy handling the ‘toga has.
  • Default views (SHIFT 1, 2, 3 etc) are somewhere below the seats. Don’t know what that is about

It’s only 16 Bucks, but they are not worth it. I would return it if could. Only bought it because there is no other payware around for MSFS2024 or Xplane 12. But yeah…really disappointing.

31

Pixelplanes, could you also develop the Quad (rocket), a VTOL rocket known as Pixel, developed in 2006 by Armadillo Aerospace for MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024?