FlightSim CoPilot

Well, since I got no answers, I decided to try it out and ordered the download version. It will be the last time I order anything from Abacus. This is not a reflection on the software, but due to the fact that Abacus neglects to tell you something until after you've placed your order.

From the confirmation email I received:

Thank you for your online order. For your added security, we hand-process all credit card orders.

During our normal working hours (Monday thru Friday between 9AM and 4PM U.S. Eastern Time Zone), we will send your personalized Registration Key by return email within 24 hours. For Gold Collection and Electronic Edition products, we will also send you download instructions with your Registration Key.

Translation: We are too cheap to install a secure automated system, so you won't get your software till Herb, our bookkeeper gets around to it.

That really sucks

Thanks for the heads up about Abacus.

They could have at least told you that before you placed your order =/

I looked around their site, but if they make any mention that you can't get download software on the weekend, I couldn't find it. Waiting a day or two is not that bad, but not being advised of that fact prior to ordering is not ethical.

CrashGordon wrote:

Well, since I got no answers, I decided to try it out and ordered the download version. It will be the last time I order anything from Abacus. This is not a reflection on the software, but due to the fact that Abacus neglects to tell you something until after you've placed your order.

In a way you were perhaps a bit luckier than I. The first ever Abacus product I purchased a few years back was also the last one. Contrary to their claims that 'FlightdeckII' was compatible with FS 2002 and CFS2, the software was full of bugs.
The numerous patches and fixes available on their site didn't help a bit and were confusing at best.
Oh yes, I searched the forums - everybody had the same problems but Abacus couldn't come up with any solutions.
I'd learned my lesson.

Well, I might be just as unlucky. The purchase has been made even though they haven't provided the download information as of yet. The product could turn out to be garbage even though the description and features look interesting.

The best I can hope for is that the product actually works. Even so, I won't buy from them again. I just don't like them surprising me after I've initiated the purchase process. And you know how grumpy I can get. 😉 I think I'll send them an email expressing my displeasure. At least I can make someone there miserable.

This is the text of the email I sent them. I think it was polite, but on target.

Gentlemen:

Yesterday, I ordered software via your web site. This was downloadable software which I expected to be available after completion of the purchase process. Well, foolish me. After I ordered it, your site displayed a page that the order would be manually processed only Monday through Friday 9AM to 4PM Eastern Time. Apparently you don't provide the level of service your competitors do.

Notifying people of this, only after they have placed their order is at best, unethical. At worst, it is illegal.

There is an old saying, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Needless to say, this was my first and last purchase from your firm.

I was able to download the program This morning and have only been able to glance at it briefly (time to walk the dog now). At first glance it seems waypoint-centric rather than flyway/jetway-centric. If my assumption is correct, it should be adequate for GA/VFR flights, but inadequate for commercial/IFR flights.

Okay, now that I aired my complaint about the Abacus site, I'll do a little review of FS CoPilot.

The good:

You can create a flight plan by plotting points on a map...airports, VORs, NDBs, etc., very easily Their GPS gauge can easily be installed on almost any a/c.

The bad:

As I suspected, it is waypoints only. No flyways or jetways. No SIDs or STARs. So "real" IFR is not in the cards for this software. (Besides, since it uses heading hold, rather than any sort of NAV, FS doesn't "see" a flight plan.)

The ugly:

The program divides the world into different sections, such as Europe Asia, Continental US Australia, North Atlantic, etc. While you can create routs within any of these areas I haven't found a way to create a route between sections. So, if I want to fly from Africa to Europe, I will have to use something else to create the route.

One good thing is that it can use your FS generated routes or routes exported to FS by programs such as FSBuild. This makes up, somewhat for its other shortcomings.

Since the program functions by feeding headings to the system and applying heading hold, rather than NAV, it can be handy for such planes as CaptainSim's 707 or 727, since you can get it to follow a complex route with very little work. Because it uses heading hold, it might even worked with PMDG 737 and 747, as well as the LDS 767 for those folks who haven't got setting up the FMCs to a point where it is easy.