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Alabeo Diamond DA-42 Twin Star released.

And yet another price increase. The difference between Alabeo and Carenado becomes more and more indistinct.

Greetings
Tim
 
And no sensor package options (FLIR, etc.) for it-- a large part of the airplane's utility and use. Looks nice, though.

K
 
I'll pass simply because I don't even really get along with the G1000 in my F1 Kingair, and this version.... well, it's easy enough to finish that sentence. :)

The aircraft does have a certain 'oohhh shiny' appeal, however.
 
Alabeo is now within $15 of the price of an A2A plane with Accu-sim.

I used to buy their planes at $20. But not at $35.
I wonder if they will sell enough of these or will most people wait until the half off sale at the end of the year?
 
The lines are really blurred between Alabeao and Carenado. Or were they ever? Prices for all sims seem to be on the rise. Easy to wait for the sale on this one.
 
I liked it when Alabeo built vintage or aerobatic types (the SU-26 is my all time favourite), but not these GA models. I have a little bit of real time in a DA-42 and was quite tempted by would only probably fly it a couple of times before it was relegated to the rear of my virtual hangar and at that price, no its not for me.

When they released the Staggerwing with the yoke shadow and the Sportscruiser with the open rear window, then that is when I stopped taking an interest. This looks good, but think I'll pass this time.

Cheers,

Martin
 
well im buying it..had the one made some years back and i couldnt use it...bad...bad...but i like alabeo products and love the ones from Carenado...id like the flir ect...but im a GA pilot...how many GA DA-42s have that?
 
Daveroo said:
well im buying it..had the one made some years back and i couldnt use it...bad...bad...but i like alabeo products and love the ones from Carenado...id like the flir ect...but im a GA pilot...how many GA DA-42s have that?
Click to expand...

well i love the Carenado and Alabeo birds they are super friendly i have looked at The other DA42s and etc from the other companys are not user friendly i would love to see more planes created by Alabeo or Carenado Wars Ga anything they try hard to make user Friendly birds better then aerosoft or any of the others:encouragement:


 
Daveroo said:
...id like the flir ect...how many GA DA-42s have that?
Click to expand...

Dave,

I probably didn't explain too well in my earlier post-- I don't know of any GA variants that have FLIR or sensors. However, the airplane was and is also marketed as a low cost surveillance platform, and here is the website that focuses on that:

http://www.diamond-sensing.com/

Would welcome your thoughts if you buy-- I may pull the trigger too...

Kent
 
I have lots of RL time in DA-42's, hopefully they have modeled the systems that go along with them in RL. Or this bird is just straight up nonsense...I don't say that too much about GA airplanes, but this one can't be just marginalized as "another" GA airplane. Especially when dealing with the turbo-diesel powered versions. They aren't a standard twin either. Flight envelope is superior in almost every regard to a standard twin. Glide ratio is approx 11:1, and you can climb single engine to about 16,000' density alt. it also has a very docile single engine adverse effects when compared to other GA light twins. I really hope the electrical system and the G1000 have been modeled at a MINIMUM. The G1000 in this aircraft isn't just the flight instruments with a GPS, it's the interface to every system with warnings, alterts etc for specific items. If you lost both alternators you would have to think about landing immediately as the engines only have a finite time of running capability before the ECU's fail when the Batteries die. They don't have magnetos, at least the Turbo-diesel versions. At $34 it's in the 'advanced aircraft" price range IMHO. And should be minimally equipped as such. Super nice visual model as usual, but honestly this GA isn't a Cessna with a different outside model. Sound is another thing, it has a distinct one of kind sound...can anyone comment on these items for me, as I've asked numerous times on their FB page, with no response from them...I'm beginning to think they only post product updates and don't interact with their customer base...frustrating considering they post "realistic bahavior" as one of the characteristics...I simply want to know what that means. Sorry for being a bit snobbish about it...I generally really like Alabeo as they've always modeled pretty simply and fun aircraft...while this one is fun, it's definitely a more advanced aircraft. The beauty is, yes, I don't have to buy it...however, it has a soft spot in my aviation career...I just hope it does have a little something more. Fingers crossed... :)
 
Staggerwing - 19.95
C195 - 22.95
DA40 - 26.95
C207 - 29.95
DA42- 34.95
The next one C404 - 39.95?

There seems to be a pattern in here.

Are the greedy?
 
kiki said:
Staggerwing - 19.95
C195 - 22.95
DA40 - 26.95
C207 - 29.95
DA42- 34.95
The next one C404 - 39.95?

There seems to be a pattern in here.

Are the greedy?
Click to expand...

does this steady price increase indicate subtle improvements to the quality of the planes?..maybe Ricks concerns are mute?..and theyve done all he would like?..lets hope so..Cirrus likes it..lets all see in a few months as to what people think..
 
Rick...you snob.........:biggrin-new:...hehehehe...i read what you typed...id like to see all of that myself...but if it did have the realism you wish for,i wouldnt be able to fly it im sure..im not a real world pilot,and if a flightsim plane is so advanced it makes those who wish for total realism happy,,,,well i just cant fly it..because i just dont understand it...im a simple guy at best..and needs simple things...cept ofcourse racing...i figured that out 10 minutes into my first "playday practice"...lol
make sense?..and im speaking for myself only..this is not an argument...




000rick000 said:
I have lots of RL time in DA-42's, hopefully they have modeled the systems that go along with them in RL. Or this bird is just straight up nonsense...I don't say that too much about GA airplanes, but this one can't be just marginalized as "another" GA airplane. Especially when dealing with the turbo-diesel powered versions. They aren't a standard twin either. Flight envelope is superior in almost every regard to a standard twin. Glide ratio is approx 11:1, and you can climb single engine to about 16,000' density alt. it also has a very docile single engine adverse effects when compared to other GA light twins. I really hope the electrical system and the G1000 have been modeled at a MINIMUM. The G1000 in this aircraft isn't just the flight instruments with a GPS, it's the interface to every system with warnings, alterts etc for specific items. If you lost both alternators you would have to think about landing immediately as the engines only have a finite time of running capability before the ECU's fail when the Batteries die. They don't have magnetos, at least the Turbo-diesel versions. At $34 it's in the 'advanced aircraft" price range IMHO. And should be minimally equipped as such. Super nice visual model as usual, but honestly this GA isn't a Cessna with a different outside model. Sound is another thing, it has a distinct one of kind sound...can anyone comment on these items for me, as I've asked numerous times on their FB page, with no response from them...I'm beginning to think they only post product updates and don't interact with their customer base...frustrating considering they post "realistic bahavior" as one of the characteristics...I simply want to know what that means. Sorry for being a bit snobbish about it...I generally really like Alabeo as they've always modeled pretty simply and fun aircraft...while this one is fun, it's definitely a more advanced aircraft. The beauty is, yes, I don't have to buy it...however, it has a soft spot in my aviation career...I just hope it does have a little something more. Fingers crossed... :)
Click to expand...
 
Daveroo said:
Rick...you snob.........:biggrin-new:...hehehehe...i read what you typed...id like to see all of that myself...but if it did have the realism you wish for,i wouldnt be able to fly it im sure..im not a real world pilot,and if a flightsim plane is so advanced it makes those who wish for total realism happy,,,,well i just cant fly it..because i just dont understand it...im a simple guy at best..and needs simple things...cept ofcourse racing...i figured that out 10 minutes into my first "playday practice"...lol
make sense?..and im speaking for myself only..this is not an argument...
Click to expand...

Of course not! You'd be surprised Dave...the plane is actually very easy to fly. The systems are just "under the hood" stuff, which as a sim pilot you don't really need except for emergencies...so it could be that it's all moot point for me right now...I watched a video and it looked ok...honestly I just hope I can load an IFR departure into it...maybe? All that aside...as long as it actually "flies right" I'll be happy. What i mean is...does it Pitch, Roll and yaw correctly, and do the right things with the right speeds, and configurations...if it does, than I'm happy.

I've had one emergency IRL in a DA42. I was departing Boise, ID southbound to KSLC and about 10 min out i got a LCOOLANT LOW caution...I looked at the coolant level gauge, then looked out the canopy to see every orifice of the L Engine "bleeding" blue-green coolant...Turned around and landed behind a waterbomber on final, and taxied back to parking. Took the cowl off and discovered that the Main Coolant hose off the reservoir had detached dumping all the coolant into the engine compartment. There's no way to check that on preflight and it's not an item. This was on the older 1.7L engine. The newer 2.0L engine changed the design so it wasn't as issue anymore... :)
 
000rick000 said:
Of course not! You'd be surprised Dave...the plane is actually very easy to fly. The systems are just "under the hood" stuff, which as a sim pilot you don't really need except for emergencies...so it could be that it's all moot point for me right now...I watched a video and it looked ok...honestly I just hope I can load an IFR departure into it...maybe? All that aside...as long as it actually "flies right" I'll be happy. What i mean is...does it Pitch, Roll and yaw correctly, and do the right things with the right speeds, and configurations...if it does, than I'm happy.
Click to expand...

Cool to read your IRL experience. The only time I have ever even seen a 42 in person was 2006. It was at a small airshow in AL (KEET) and was only there for a day. I think it left on Saturday afternoon. BUT, I remember its departure. It was nothing like any GA aircraft I have ever heard leaving an airport/taking off. It was a muted sound. Normally you hear the unmuffled sound of a NA engine yelling it's battle cry. With this takeoff, it was really more of the propeller sound, which wasn't much with the 3-blade props apparently. It made me rethink how I hear and understand the sound of GA aircraft taking off.

I doubt this can be recreated in the sim, but, it would be interesting. I have another Twin Star for FSX, since it's release, and can't complain really...knowing limitations of the sim and such. But, maybe, in the years since that release it has improved.
 
So far this plane is good, but not perfect. The flight dynamics are a bit quirky. Lots of adverse yaw requiring precise coordinated turns. Single engine performance is controllable but not as much as I would like. There is an rpm area, around 1750 to 1825, that the engines will not be in sync with each other, which does cause some additional yaw. The G1000 is nice but just starting the digging into that, but really don't expect too much more than Carenado. It is a pretty plane and looks good inside and out. It does handle well aside from the mentioned items and seems to reflect the proper fuel flow and usage as compared against the other previous versions from other devs. Is it worth the price? That's up to the purchaser. It is a twin and a glass panel, seemingly functional de-ice and a pretty good sound set.
 
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