Love Turbo Props? You'll love this !

All,

Most people are aware of the big add-ons that are out at the moment, such as PMDG 747, Level D 767, Feelthere ERJ, Flight 1 ATR, etc, etc...

But yesterday I came across a little known GEM :-

I am talking about the "Majestic Dash 8-Q300" from www.majesticsoftware.com

I heard about this on the net but wanted to look into it a bit further. The Majestic web-site describes and sells the plane unlike any other FS add-on is sold.

It's marketed as a "training aid" and indeed there are 3 versions of the simulation, starting with the "Pilot" version at 49 Euros, followed by the "Pro" version at 99 Euros (yes you read it right!), and then a super duper unbelievable version that costs mega bucks.

But...... the extra stuff that you get with the Pro versions is all based around instruction... so you get wonderful facilities that an instructor can use on a second screen that causes various failures, actions, etc, that the pilot on the simulator then has to react to.

The amount of aircraft systems coverage on ALL of the models is staggering and puts PMDG and Level D to shame..... Almost EVERYTHING works on this plane;

The Overhead Panel is truly simulated in FULL. The FMC puts all other Dash 8 FMCs (like PSS) to shame. The WEATHER RADAR is amazing. The pedastal is absolutely superb with every button I could find working and working properly.

In short, within 10 minutes of playing around in this plane (hadn't even started the engines) I was in awe and amazed at how this felt so different to any other add-on.

Majestic's claims that this is a genuine 'type rating' Training Aid no longer seemed dramatic, they seemed accurate.

The graphics of the panels (main and overhead) are not quite up to the glossy standards of PMDG and Level D but then, thats probably because so much has to be covered! (One thing I am happy to say about this plane is that it gives THE BEST frame rates of anything in my hangar).

To start the Dash 8 up, you need to follow the exact procedures as per the real aircraft (this is no jump in an fly plane, you need to do things the right way).

On starting the Dash 8 up, I got my next BIG surprise - the sounds on this plane are PHENOMENAL !! I have never heard anything like it... !!!! They truly put the "big boys" to shame ...... This sounds as though you have 2 REAL pratt & whitney engines strapped to the side of your computer !

Awesome !

Anyway, I have to dash off myself now as I am leaving for 2 weeks holiday (vacation) to sunny Fuertaventura (Islas de Canarias) but I will finish by saying that I have only briefly took off and flew a circuit in the aircraft but it is AMAZING. The flight model is the best I've ever flown in FS... it feels so (appropriately) heavy, yet responsive and ... well it just feels right.

When I get back from my holiday I am going to be flying this bird a LOT ... I will write more but first impressions (and I've seen most of what this aircraft has to offer) is that this is a little known gem.

If you're interested in a complex and "true spec" Dash 8, then has to be the one. Check out www.majesticsoftware.com and take a peek at the "take-off" and "climb" videos on the site... the guy narating is a real world Dash 8 pilot, who is part of the design team.

Pro-Sim award: 10/10 *****

See you all when I return from holidays!

(By the way it's a Thomas Cook 757-200... !)

😉