I would like to start by acknowledging that there are other threads that mention this topic, but I feel it’s important enough to warrant as many different threads/votes/whatever it takes to ensure this gets toward the top of whatever priority list the developer is using.
This thread isn’t really about this specific aircraft, but to illustrate the importance of the entitled topic I would like to point out the issues that came along with a paid purchase from an approved marketplace item. Being a huge fan of the aircraft IRL, I purchased the Kitfox aircraft from the marketplace, and it has several critical issues that need to be addressed. It did only have 2 stars when I purchased it, so I can’t really be too upset since I knew it was a risk, but not being able to read any written comments about it made it impossible to determine if it was just people being picky about details, or if there were real problems with the plane. The following is a list of the things I’ve noted as being unacceptable flaws from a paid purchase at any price:
- The starter doesn’t work most of the time. Master switch on, hold the starter, prop spins, but no ignition. I actually think it’s a mixture problem since CTRL+E works, but there’s no way to know that for sure since there’s no physical control for that. Because of this, I can’t manually cold start the plane.
- The engine parameters need serious adjustment to fix a throttle problem. It won’t close all the way and continues providing significant thrust when the throttle is supposedly fully closed, so I have to shut the engine off using CTRL+SHIFT+E to land within a reasonable distance for even a Cessna 172. I don’t have this problem with any other aircraft, so it’s not a controller issue.
- You can’t manually shut the engine off after you land. Turning the master off does nothing and there’s no keyed ignition (just a red start button), so I have to use CTRL+SHIFT+E, which eventually works but the plane doesn’t just shut off like a normal aircraft would, it slowly winds down until the prop stops.
- The windshield/window configuration needs to be adjusted to fix a blurry image when the windshield effects are set above medium. Medium or lower is just fine, but there’s something wrong with the file that makes everything outside the aircraft blurry on High or Ultra.
- There are no fuel gauges on the aircraft at all. There should be fuel gauges up on the wings like on the Cubs, but there’s nothing, not even in the Garmin display like on the Cessna 172. You have to open the fuel management window from the menu to see how much fuel is left.
- The flaperons don’t visually change when you adjust the flap setting, so the only way to know if the flaps are down is looking down at the lever.
I reached out to the developer regarding these issues, but haven’t received a response. I also reached out to the individual who did the 3D model, and he says he isn’t getting responses from the file owner either. Ultimately, though, I feel it’s the FS2020 developer’s responsibility to curate items in their store and hold sellers accountable to certain quality standards. This doesn’t appear to be happening at present.
All of that was to show why a written review system really needs to be included in the actual marketplace purchase system (meaning inside the simulator) so people can decide for themselves if a product is worth purchasing. Stars alone don’t provide enough information to make an informed decision about a purchase. Were the option available, this aircraft would definitely have received numerous negative written reviews from angry customers describing the problems I mentioned above. It would have been very clear that there are serious issues with the aircraft and not just picky details that people are choosing to fixate on. A complete review system really needs to be implemented sooner rather than later.
Fortunately, this was only an $8 aircraft and I had a vague expectation I might be disappointed. I would be much more upset if it were one of the $30+ aircraft you might buy for other sims. Still, I expect to get a basically functional aircraft if I’m putting out money for it, and written reviews might have changed my mind about the purchase.
