SimWorks Studios Quest Kodiak | Full Flight Review | Microsoft Flight Simulator

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In this video we take an in-depth look at the SimWorks Studios Quest Kodiak within Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS).
We will take the Kodiak on a Himalayan adventure (using the Orbx Himalayan mesh), from Kathmandu over to Lukla.
Please note this video and all its contents / materials, is for entertainment / simulation purposes only.
Music: Courtesy of Bensound
PC Specs
MSI B550M
AMD Ryzen 7 5800x 4.7GHz
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080
32GB DDR4 3600MHz
Hardware
Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog
Saitek Pro Flight rudder pedals
HP Reverb WMR headset
TrackIR5
Earthquake Shell Shoxx transducer
Enjoy the flight!

[@jerryweirdspeed8943]

To quote a guy I've been simming around with, a real world pilot: "Very happy with the plane, but one to get used to for sure, the Kodiak makes all the other planes in the sim feel like you're flying toys."

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Jerry, I always feel MSFS gets a bit more of a hard rap than it deserves hehe. Or course it’s not perfect, but (rudder issues and big jets aside) I’ve always quite enjoyed how the sim “flies” overall. As your fiend mentions though, the Kodiak is certainly a cut above most of the competition, in terms of how it flies and really most respects. I do hope you’re enjoying it! Happy flying : )

[@Foxtrot_EW]

With the exception of Carenado's planes...

[@James-xt5cc]

I love the Kodiak. One of the most realistic aircraft on msfs as far the aircraft flight characteristics.

[@bluelights85]

Thanks for another great review. I must admit, I’ve had my eye on this aircraft development for a while since it was originally announced. Also an avid watcher of Missionary’s Bush Pilot channel, so really wanted to get this. But since release I’ve heard some bad reviews about it - especially around the flight model, which has put me on the fence etc. But after watching this and the fact I think you are a very trustworthy and honest reviewer, I think I’ll go and pick it up, and replicate some of the flights in PNG!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Rob, glad to hear you enjoyed the video. It seems Missionary Bush Pilot will be helping to sell quite a few units for SimWorks Studios haha. I like the flight model of the Kodiak: I can’t attest to how accurate it is vs the real-world aircraft (I think MBP actually did a video on this recently?), but it flies nicely - certainly one of the better flight models in the sim currently. I’m not sure about the takeoff behaviour; the aircraft is a more “torque-y” on takeoff than it was during my preview video (an intentional change on the dev’s part), but I know SWS has been working alongside Daher a little, so it may well be accurate (though I think full rudder trim is probably a bit more than is actually required / ideal for the sim version currently). I’m surprised the Kodiak has been getting some bad reviews honestly. Obviously we all like different things and for the sake of transparency, SimWorks Studios did provide me with a copy of the aircraft. Hopefully by now though, people know that I wouldn’t offer up an opinion, if I didn’t believe it to be true (the credibility of the channel is much more important to me, than a free addon here or there). I do hope that you enjoy the Kodiak anyway! PNG is of course the perfect location for some flights. I’ll have to watch some of MBP’s videos when I get the chance and perhaps recreate one of his flights on the channel. Cheers Rob, all the best! : )

[@pedrorego940]

You were born to fly and create content. Great job, keep it up, cheers!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Pedro! That’s probably one of the nicest comments I’ve received to date and very kind of you to say. Hugely appreciated : ) Cheers and all the best!

[@stephgagnoulet3133]

I've just purchased this beautiful plane: How immersive it is!!! Wonderful work from Simworks Studios!!!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Absolutely Stéph, a really nice effort from SWS! It’s great to see that we a have few new devs coming into the sim, making some really high quality addons - it bodes well for the future. Anyway, really glad you’re enjoying the Kodiak. Happy flying! : )

[@stephgagnoulet3133]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations I am!!! She is perfect for bush flying in PNG and anywhere you want to land on small unprepared airstrips!!!

[@Stwutter1973]

Great plane. Bought this yesterday as I'd been waiting.... Probably trump's the JF Arrow as my new go-to. Only gripe I have - which ties into your comment about no EFB - is not having the option to state-save. But a minor gripe. Love it. Great review 👍🏻

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Ah great, really happy you’re enjoying it Alan! State saving isn’t something I’d considered actually, but yes, it would certainly be nice to have! At least the aircraft loads in a reasonable state, that mitigates the issue somewhat. An EFB would still be a nice addition and state saving would be a great inclusion. Happy flying! : )

[@jxk4500]

Bought her too. Awesome plane! The SWS Kodiak and the Milviz Porter are by far my two favorite turboprops so far.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Really glad you’re enjoying it Joni! Yeah, it’s a really nice effort from SWS and very much on a par with the Porter (better even in some regards). I’m really enjoying just how STOL-capable the Kodiak is, whilst still managing to be nice and speedy in the cruise. Cheers! : )

[@OifelOifel]

Got both as well. I also like the pc-12 and the analogue king air for flying around in europe. :) For bush the pc-6 and the kodiak are my favorites followed by the bush league legends XCub mod.

[@mosheflute]

What a fascinating video! The Kodiak, the view, your excellent skills and YOUR VOICE! Thank you so much for all your videos and clips, from which I learn so much!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much indeed Moyse, really glad you enjoyed it! Haha, my voice seems to be like Marmite - some people love it, some people hate it; either way I’m stuck with it XD Very happy to hear you’re enjoying the content and that you feel you’re learning some stuff along the way as well. That’s the aim of the game. Thanks again, all the best! : )

[@blackbeardsghost6588]

This is my new all-time aircraft. By FAR the best I've seen. The sound of the turbo prop in full beta is EXACTLY like the real thing.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Wow, high praise indeed Blackbeard! Really glad you’re enjoying it. Happy flying! : )

[@blackbeardsghost6588]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations Yes. As a matter of fact, this is the new standard for MSFS aircraft. Truly amazing! Great job!

[@sithiradulanjithgalhenaged6974]

It is great to see when devs put in the effort and passion for an aircraft. Great bit of Aicraft might give it a though on buying it.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Absolutely Sithira, completely agree! This is really one of those products that highlights what can be achieved when a dev takes their time and invests a lot of care and attention. A very nice effort from SWS and certainly worthy of your consideration : ) All the best!

[@SerenityMusicOasis]

I bought it and I'm very happy. This is now my favorite plane on MSFS.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Ah brilliant Jon. Very pleased to hear that you’re enjoying the Kodiak! Happy flying and all the best : )

[@Genef2454]

Enjoyed watching this review. Outside views were excellent and the overall review provided the information others would fine helpful in getting this plane. looking forward to future reviews. The only thing I found difficult was following along as you were setting up the plane and pointing out instruments and functions, but doing additional study on that plane would clarify what you are saying.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Gene! Glad you enjoyed the video and found it informative etc. Yes, I know unfortunately some of the procedures do tend to get rushed through a little, that’s intentional though not ideal, to help keep the video times down a bit and also to stop people getting too bored along the way haha. In reality, it would be nice to be much slower and more methodical of course (and I probably should slow it up just a touch more in my videos), Thanks very much once again, thanks for the feedback also. Hopefully see you on another review, in the not too distant future! All the best : )

[@redtailpilot]

Great review. I'm sold on the Kodiak and Orbx mesh! One thing I notice that many sim pilots do, is hand fly while totally ignoring the flight director bars. It's a better practice to turn off the flight director until you're ready to utilize it's guidance, or leave it on and fly it as closely as possible for the particular phase of flight (climb, bank, descent, etc).

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Redtail, really glad you enjoyed the video! I did actually try turning the flight directors off but, unless it’s a user error on my part, once they’re on, there’s no getting them off again with the sim’s G1000? I agree though otherwise, not a good practice to make a habit of. . . Hope you’re enjoying the Kodiak and the Himalayas! Happy flying : )

[@redtailpilot]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations I think it was a bug, because I noticed the same thing in another video. It must have been patched since then, because I was able to turn it off during my brief test flight. Thanks

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

I suspect so, I think I even commented on it in the video (though I don’t clearly recall now). The aircraft did get an update recently, so perhaps it got patched up yes. Cheers! : )

[@charlieinsingapore]

I've been following Missionary Bush Pilot 's channel for a long time, this is getting me to the point where I'm going to fork out for the full MS sim + Kodiak + new PC deal :)

[@SoundzAlive1]

Its getting me to the point that I want to buy a real Kodiak!!! André

[@JamesMossR33]

So have I, and looks like I'll be dropping the Caravan for this great Kodiak. Would love the P2-NTZ livery too :)

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Haha, the virtual option may be somewhat more reasonably priced André ; )

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Ah well I’m sure you’ll enjoy the Kodiak (if you do pick it up) significantly more than the Caravan then James. I expect we’ll get the appropriate livery in no time at all : )

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Haha, well if you do go down that route Charlie, I do hope you enjoy it! It’s certainly a slightly more cost-effective option, than buying yourself a real Kodiak ; ) All the best! : )

[@dhallgate]

Thank you for another great review. I couldn't load MSFS with this plane in my community folder until I realised that I had DX12 enabled. Went back to DX11 and all was well.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

My pleasure BPB, glad you enjoyed it! Ah, that is interesting (and a shame). I’m still running in DX11 myself at the moment, so had no idea. I gather the aircraft also has some issues with Windows 11. In fairness to the devs, that’s a lot of variables to work around, but I would hope the current limitations are made clear on their website etc. Glad you got it working anyway! I hope going back to DX11 isn’t proving too much of a drag for you. All the best : )

[@MorrisseysMonkey]

Great review! This will be great for Cargo runs on 'Neofly and on The Sky Park'

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Morrisey! Hope you have fun. I’m sure you can hide plenty of contraband in that cargo pod haha ; ) All the best! : )

[@MorrisseysMonkey]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations Yes, once transported stolen overcoats to Lukla. Essential fashion wear in Nepal!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Haha! I’m sure. That sounds like another run for Del Boy XD

[@volkerjansen3901]

I bought the SWS Kodiak this morning and was already looking forward to your review flight, which also can serve as a small tutorial. Very nicely done, thanks a lot :)

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks Volker, my pleasure as always! Glad you’re enjoying the Kodiak : ) Yes, I hope that most of my videos offer up more than just a review; whether that be a tutorial, entertaining flight, a nice bit of music etc haha. That’s certainly what I aim for. Happy flying!

[@DaveHudson70]

Another great review and I also watched your excellent preview as well and went and bought this fantastic aircraft on the back of those. Not only did you detail the Kodiak in a excellent breakdown but you have this knack of showcasing your reviews/previews in some of the most stunning and interesting scenery I would not normally consider flying. I also went and purchased the Orbx Himalayan mesh on the back of your review and wow. Thank you for this and maybe if you ever get the time you could do a semi tutorial showcase flight of some of the places you find interesting. Many thanks again.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Dave, I’m really glad you enjoyed it! I really try and make my review videos an enjoyable flight in their own right (a bit of a tutorial as well perhaps). I enjoy recording in that fashion and I figure it adds more value to the videos in general. Usually deciding where / how to fly for a review, is one of the trickiest parts of the whole recording process haha. I love the idea by the way and will definitely keep that one in the back pocket; a “Top 10” of my favourite places to fly in the sim, or something like that? Cheers and happy flying! : )

[@carlosdavidlocutor]

Awesome! I was waiting for this to come out, and it's so great to see it's very detailed. Time to make this my go-to for my regional cargo company XD. As always, great videos!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Yeah, SWS have done a really nice job with it overall. Well worth the wait I would say. I’m sure you’ll have some fun regional runs in it. Glad you enjoyed the video, cheers Carlos! Happy flying : )

[@philipford6183]

Great video - you really have a very good formula for putting these together. Very tasteful choice of music, too. The Kodiak looks fantastic - will definitely be getting this.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Phillip; glad you enjoyed the video, music and indeed the format in general. I’m happy with the format and think it works reasonably well, though I’m cognisant that it may become a little repetitive. I try and mix things up a little here and there, from time to time. . . Anyway, hope you enjoy the Kodiak when you pick it up then! Happy flying : )

[@Lone_GamerUK]

The added themed ATC, music, and cinematography is well done, you be a good ad films/tv, etc. Thanks for another great vid (even if I am late for many). 👏 I'm sure all the boxes of Marmite jars were desperately needed!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hehe, well I don't know whether I'm cut out for the big leagues just yet, but I started the channel with a view to indulging my passion for flight simulation, only to find I enjoy the "cinematography" every bit as much at this point : ) Haha, I'm sure Marmite is a staple of any Everest climbers diet! XD Thanks once again for watching!

[@keith_root]

You've sold me on this one. Buying and downloading the add-on as we speak. Thanks for the thorough and entertaining review!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

My pleasure on the review Keith, thanks very much indeed! I do hope that you enjoy the Kodiak every bit as much as I did then! Happy flying : )

[@dpc111]

I am loving this plane. You sure do a fantastic job showing it off.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much dpc! Glad you enjoyed the video and I’m very happy to hear that you’re enjoying the aircraft. Happy flying! : )

[@XCougar85X]

Thanks for the video. Not going to lie, the waiting for the release was getting a bit long in the tooth, but all props to the devs for really taking their time and delivering an amazing plane from the get go. Looking forward to give it a go together with neofly. If one plane may be able to drag me out of the Arrows it may be this one.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Cheers Coenraad, my pleasure! Yeah, waiting can be frustrating sometimes, but personally I’m really happy that SimWorks Studios took their time and got it done right (also, I wasn’t aware it was coming out until a few weeks ago, so the wait wasn’t that long for me haha). The Kodiak has certainly been worth the wait in my opinion. Happy flying! : )

[@XCougar85X]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations Hey mate, if you get the time, you may try to fly the Kodiak after the newest update to the plane. Has a much improved FM now, think you'll love it. Nice ground roll now and weighty feel to the plane.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much for the heads up! Looking forward to trying that when I get the chance then : ) I actually just recorded another video in the Kodiak; of course I did that about 2 days before a major update - you’d be amazed how often that happens haha! Cheers!

[@cmdrdempster9794]

Great vid u do really good reviews tbh I would say for me the best on utube for MSFS 2020 keep them coming 👌

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much once again CMDR Dempster! Very happy to hear that you’re still finding the content / channel enjoyable. My pleasure as always and I’ll try my best to keep it up ; ) Cheers! : )

[@eamon945]

Would love to see you do a Kodiak tutorial series giving a bit more explanation of trim/VOR navigation etc for the learners among us.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Eamon, Thanks for the suggestion! I would love to make a few more tutorial style flights for each of the addons that I review, but I simply don’t have the time I’m afraid. I try to cover what I can, when I can during a review, but perhaps I’ll offer a little more explanation at certain points in future videos. I am forever meaning to create a “Part 2” to my “Flying School” series (that I started some time ago) and would look to cover VOR navigation, among many other things, during that - again though, it’s a question of finding the time (and inclination) to get it done. Apologies, that’s probably not exactly the answer you were hoping for. I do try my best to accommodate requests where I can, but of course I only have a finite supply of free time I’m afraid. All the best! : )

[@flymax4066]

Nice Review on that beautiful Kodiak! I will probably buy it if its on christmas sale...got one question anyway: how did you get that realistic radio communication sounds? love them! they are so real!

[@jarrodclyne707]

probably fs-ATC-chatter from Stick and Rudder studios.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

It’s actually real world ATC recordings, that I’ve just edited / worked into the video Jarrod; but you’re right, there is also a nice MSFS ATC chatter app available, for those who are interested. Thanks for offering up the help, much appreciated! : )

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Max, glad you enjoyed the video! The ATC as I mentioned to Jarrod, is real world recordings, that I’ve worked into the video. As Jarrod mentions though, there is an ATC chatter app available for MSFS, if that’s something you’re looking for. Cheers! : )

[@ENergyJimP]

G1000 NXi is all default. I bought the Kodiak yesterday and am initially very impressed as well. I have flown the Kodiak in the past in FSX.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Really glad you’re enjoying the Kodiak Jim! It was a new one for me, never flown it before in any sim, but I very much enjoyed it. It feels a bit more “plucky” than something like the Caravan haha : ) Cheers, all the best!

[@ENergyJimP]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations The default Caravan is a typical "default" airplane. Not very realistic. The Kodiak feels much more real. I have a lot of tweaking to do to get my "home" cockpit to handle all of the knobs and switches correctly for the Kodiak. I use a Honeycomb Alpha and Bravo, Saitek Pro Pedals, and a Stream Deck XL. Lot's a the Kodiak switches are custom bindings. At least SimWorks gives you the scripts. The Kodiak is referred to as a "modern bush" airplane, and it really shines in grass, mountain, airstrips.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Very much agree Jim. I saw that SWS had provided some scripting; personally I have no idea how one would go about using it, but it sounds like you do haha. Good luck setting up the cockpit! All the best : )

[@colesmith2781]

What are you using for radio traffic?? Thanks for the great review as well. Was disappointed with the twin otter so I picked this up instead.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Cole, For the ATC I use recordings from LiveATC.net, which I then edit into the video. I gather there is an MSFS ATC chatter app available though, if that's the sort of thing you're after. Yeah, the Kodiak is hugely superior to the Twin Otter in many respects (a shame, as I really like the Twotter in real life) and one of the best addons currently available for the sim - I hope you're enjoying it! Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed the video! All the best : )

[@artswri]

Ok, bought it, now i need help finding time to fly it! What a great problem to have more great aircraft than you can squeeze in! Thanks for another mesmerizing flight and review! Cant wait till i can retrace it! Thanks so much for all your videos and the ha4d work and thought you put into them!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Haha! I’m afraid that’s one I definitely *can’t* help you with Art, I have exactly the same predicament myself (as you say though, it’s not a bad problem to have!) XD My pleasure on the video, once again - you’re most welcome! Do give the route a go, it’s great fun : ) I hope you had a great Christmas. Cheers and all the best!

[@shivendrasingh2355]

As always, amazing review! I enjoyed it thoroughly! One slight thing nagging me is how cliched and over-used the Kathmandu-Lukla route is…would love for you to fly somewhere else too, like Leh in India, Gilgit in Pakistan, and Yongphulla in Bhutan. Also, much easier and IRL routing for Lukla for convenience - VNKT KIMTI VNRT then straight north into valley 😉😀

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Shivendra, glad you enjoyed it! I’m sure the Kathmandu - Lukla route is somewhat overdone haha, it’s actually the first time I’ve ever done it myself though (got to try it at least once I think ; ) I have a list of future locations to fly from, so I’ll be sure to add your suggestions to it : ) Cheers again, all the best!

[@shivendrasingh2355]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations thanks so much for replying, your videos are just the best. Have a very happy holidays and new year!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Shivendra! My pleasure and the same to you : )

[@k1mfor]

Very nice. What graphcs settings are you using? It looks much smoother than mine on high/ultra and 3840x1600 even though I have 3080 and 5900X.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Kim, Thanks very much, I'm glad you enjoyed it! My graphics settings are as follows: - “High End” preset - Pre-Cache = Ultra - Terrain and Object visibility sliders set at 125% (sorry, I forget the actual names of them) - Motion Blur = Off - Glass Cockpit Refresh = Medium - AI Traffic = Off - VSync = On / 60fps That gives a nice balance between graphics and performance. I only run at 1080p though, hence why I am able to get nice smooth performance / high FPS. I do spend quite a bit of time tweaking lighting and weather in many of my videos as well - that's probably what you're noticing in terms of visual fidelity (both can make a huge difference in the sim). I hope that clarifies things a little! All the best : )

[@Chicken_Lips]

Great video. Glad you mentioned the need to manually reduce to feather. I thought I was doing something wrong.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Chickenlips! Glad you enjoyed it. Yeah, I’m not sure why it’s like that, but a few others have stated it’s a general sim issue currently. A tiny bit annoying, but no big deal and yes, not your fault haha. All the best : )

[@jay-rus4437]

Agree that the night lighting on the panel isnt great. I find myself sometimes struggling in this particular plane when night flying, which I do somewhat regularly.

[@IcelandicWarrior]

You nailed that difficult landing ! Thanks for the great review.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Icelandic Warrior! Glad you appreciated my efforts haha, hopefully the passengers find too ; ) My pleasure on the video! Happy you enjoyed it. Cheers and all the best : )

[@simpilotjoe535]

Excellent review 👏 purchased this little beauty today on the xbox 👍 now let's learn how to fly it 😀

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Joe, really glad you enjoyed it! The Kodiak is a cracking little addon and one of the best currently available on the Xbox - I do hope you're enjoying it! Happy flying and all the best : )

[@jonridley]

I don’t buy aircraft lightly but just love this one. The flight model and detail make it worth it imho

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Ah well I’m really glad you’re enjoying it then Jonny! Likewise; until I had the channel, I only bought a very few select addons. I’m not even sure the Kodiak would have made it onto my shopping list to be honest (only because it’s not the type of aircraft I often fly personally in the sim), but I certainly wouldn’t have been disappointed with the quality if I had picked it up. A really nice effort from SWS. Happy flying! : )

[@carltonbirds]

The outside shots of the aircraft were very realistic, a very nice flight and well done, a very nice video.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Gary! Indeed SWS have done a very nice job with the Kodiak and it does look rather photorealistic. Really glad you enjoyed the video and the flight! : ) All the best!

[@jeas5484]

Nice video my friend. Where did you download your aircrafts in MSFS please ?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Jeas, I’m glad you enjoyed it! That really depends; if your on the Xbox, then all addons will need to be downloaded from the in-sim Marketplace. If however you’re on the PC, than there are a whole plethora of available options haha. My preferred download options are the Just Flight and Orbx websites, but I also use Simmarket and purchase directly from many devs (the Marketplace doesn’t tend to be a preferred option for me, as product updates are often slower to be released and military aircraft have all of the armaments removed, in order to meet the Marketplace requirements). I hope that helps a little? All the best! : )

[@ozsimflyer]

Another great video mate, nice one. Bought this a couple of hours ago. Still yet to get a successful start so rewatching this video with great interest. Thanks again for sharing

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Chris, glad you enjoyed it! Haha, hope the vid points you in the right direction then. The firewall fuel shutoff valve is perhaps the biggest gotcha? Hope you got it figured out? Happy flying (once you’ve got it started hehe)! : )

[@NathanElcoate]

Insanely good landing and review! Sounds just right from a lot of Kodiak channels I watch :)

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Nathan - always happy to take a compliment on a landing! ; ) Glad you enjoyed the video; SWS have indeed done a cracking job with the Kodiak and the sounds are no exception. All the best! : )

[@MojaveHigh]

Great video again! I just love the Kodiak and you show it off very well. Question on the condition lever: as I understand it now, it is nothing like a mixture control. It is simple a three point lever: cut-off, low idle and high idle (flight idle). Once in high idle, does it matter where along the path the lever is? There are lines on either side of the "high idle" sign, so I figured that was a stopping point. But I guess it isn't and whether it is stopped there or full forward or anywhere between, you are in high idle. Is that right?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi William, Thanks very much! Yeah, the Kodiak is a great offering from SWS - glad you enjoyed the review. I’ve never actually flown anything with a condition lever in reality, but my understanding is the same as yours. I believe you just have the 3 gates as you say (although it does seem like positioning the level between low and high idle, does have some effect on the engine?). Above the high idle markers, I believe going any further forward will result in the same fuel flow etc. Sorry I can’t be of more help on that one, as I say, never flown a turboprop / such an aircraft in reality. Happy flying! : )

[@rocotoreda]

Great video. Well done. Good sound also. I will go and fly the same route with my kodiak now 😉

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Romgeek, glad you enjoyed it! Hope you have fun with the route and indeed the Kodiak. Happy flying! : )

[@mikecoffee100]

Good Video and Review and may I ask what Controls did You use IE Saitek or Honeycomb or what have you Thank You

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Mike! I use a Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog myself and a set of Saitek rudder pedals. Nothing too fancy, but it gets the job done. Sorry for the slow reply; I take it you were doing a bit of research at the time, but it seems you're very happy with the Honeycomb now? : ) Cheers!

[@mikecoffee100]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations indeed I am but did get burned from Carenado for one of thier planes but live and learn :) keep up the Great work.

[@kenbarthSimAV8tor]

No floats version though; I'll wait for sale; is a Beaver on the horizon?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

That’s a good point Ken. I do recall seeing something about that recently actually; I can’t remember exactly what was said, but something along the lines of - the sim’s water physics still not being at a point where the dev was happy with how the aircraft behaved. . . I believe MIVLIZ are working on a Beaver. I’m not sure when it’s due but being MILVIZ, I’m sure it’ll be pretty great! Cheers : )

[@davidenativo]

Beautiful flight and stunning plane, couple of things I am not entirely sure about but overall a solid 9.5/10 package!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Indeed Davide! Of course it’s unlikely any addon will ever be perfect, but 95% ain’t half bad I’d say ; ) Glad you enjoyed the flight and that overall are enjoying the Kodiak as well. Cheers! : )

[@FredvanderEnde]

Great review as always. Question. What program do you use for the ATC chatter in the background?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Fred, glad you enjoyed it! The ATC is actually real world recordings, that I’ve just worked / edited into the video. I believe there is an ATC chatter app available for MSFS though. Otherwise you can always just listen to a bit of LiveATC.net as you’re flying along : ) Hope that helps. All the best!

[@Jigsaw407]

6:54 is it customary to put the heavier cargo in the back and to block the way to the exit with big boxes? I mean, I like the visual representation of passengers/cargo, but this particular setup doesn't seem safe to me. ;)

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Haha, I’ve no idea what you’re talking about Jigsaw! We here at “Calamity Mountain Airways” always put passenger safety first. . . right behind profit! XD It’s a good point though; I’ve never flown any type of “combi” aircraft myself - I wonder how it’s done in the real Kodiak. . . Cheers! : )

[@Jigsaw407]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations I just watched a video from Missionary Bush Pilots where he had a passenger and some cargo. He indeed put the passenger in the front row and the cargo behind him. But it wasn't that much cargo and they left a clear path from the seats to the exit ;) kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYCzlqCAj6eWn5o

[@cheshirepiper9254]

Excellent comprehensive review, I bought it after viewing,thankyou

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thank you very much CP, really glad you enjoyed it and found it to be of use! I do hope you're enjoying the Kodiak : ) Happy flying and all the best!

[@harmandeepsingh6598]

Awesome video. 👌 Thanks. What software you using for background ATC?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Harmandeep, glad you enjoyed it! : ) The background ATC was actually just real world recordings, that I edited into the video. I believe there are some ATC chatter apps available for MSFS though; otherwise you can just listen along to a bit of LiveATC.net as you go. All the best!

[@flare242]

Is Lukla in this video a part of the ORBX package? I was kinda surprised how much worse it looks than what i've seen in MSFS. When i flew VNKT-VNLK the last time, Lukla airport looked... well, much better. More buildings, more detail, and that was default scenery. (Btw i stupidly tried it in C-172 at first - very baaaad idea of course. Couldn't cheat the specs. I barely made it over one of the first taller ridges, and then crashed into the ridge separating the approach valley. Had to try again, this time with Pilatus, as i should have done in the first place). Of course, me never visiting the place in real life, i can't say much about the realism of the model. But i definitely don't remember trees and buildings popping in during landing as they do in this video. And if it is from the default scenery after all, they must have updated it quite a bit since the video was made. This is no criticism of the video of course, just expressing my surprise that if it indeed is ORBX Lukla, it actually looks worse than the default VNLK.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Jean-Baptiste, So far as I am aware, the Orbx package is strictly mesh - no airports etc. I'm fairly sure this was the stock-standard Lukla, so I'm as surprised as you, if you say that your version looks better haha! Perhaps Asobo has updated the scenery since this video was recorded, but I don't believe so. The "pop-up" scenery is probably an issue with my settings, but I find the sim can be quite bad for that at times. . . A bit of a mystery that one then haha. Cheers and all the best! : )

[@markhodson420]

Thanks for the review and the flight. I have an unrelated question are you using a particular mod for ATC voices?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Mark, my pleasure! The ATC is actually real world recordings, that I’ve just worked / edited into the video. I believe there is an ATC chatter app available for MSFS though. Otherwise you can always just listen along to a little bit of LiveATC.net whilst flying : ) Cheers, all the best!

[@CMACJAZZ]

Well what a fantastic review( as always), so many questions- is the rudder trim wheel on the pedestal rear of throttle, is there any documentation pilots O.H?; where is the gen on need for high right rudder input on T/O and climb?, where / what was the ATC chatter local dialect? What / where was music from in external shot/s. As I said great review super flight with the Orbx scenery, do you have a beta range assigned key or throttle assignment programmed?, what throttle control do you use Honeycombe ? Thanks so much finally stay safe and Happy Christmas kind regards Charlie.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Charlie, Sorry for the slow reply - festive period got the better of me haha. Glad you enjoyed the flight! To answer your questions: 1) Rudder trim is actually a rocker-switch, located just below the throttle on the aft of the pedestal. 2) Actually, full rudder trim was a bit of an error on my part - I had a discussion with one of the devs that lead me to believe this was the way to go (though there was still some uncertainty at the time). According to SWS’s manual about 30-50% is advised (and that seems much more reasonable - aircraft behaviour was a little odd with full trim). 3) The ATC chatter was from LiveATC.net - I just worked the recordings into the video during editing. It was actually Pakistani ATC that you heard; I usually try and find the appropriate ATCU and if I can’t, I pick something geographically close and / or with a similar accent etc. 4) The music was from Bensound.com. I believe it was called “Little Planet”. It’s free to use (though accreditation is required). 5) For beta range, I have a button assigned to “Decrease Throttle”. With the throttle at idle, holding this button down will engage beta / reverse thrust etc. I find it works better than some of the other options available. It’s how I’ve always done it in previous sims also. . . At the moment I’m using a Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog throttle. I hope you had a great Christmas Charlie! All the best : )

[@oldged]

ITBS, great review. I always seem to struggle getting the prop through the gate to Feather. I get it to the gate, release it, then reselect it, but stays outside Feather gate...Sometimes I seem to fluke it, but no idea what I have done different.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Old Ged, glad you enjoyed it! Hmm, not quite sure what the issue would be there. I bring the prop lever back to the gate and then scroll the mouse wheel to bring it back to feather. Are you using a hardware axis for your prop lever? Perhaps the sensor on the hardware is a little off, causing the sim to recognise an input (this can happen with older hardware, often as it gets dusty inside etc), which then causes the in-sim lever to jump back? Otherwise, I’m not sure what it could be I’m afraid - as I say, it’s been working ok on my end. I hope you manage to get it figured out. All the best! : )

[@captainzeppos]

I am soooo buying this, it looks awesome and the presentation here is great. Just three questions though: is it anywhere close to study level and how does it compare to BN2 islander? Also does it expose LVAR variables for all its various functions? I've stopped using mouse and keyboard so everything needs to be mapped to yokes and button boxes.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks Cpt Zeppos! Glad you enjoyed the video - indeed the Kodiak is an excellent offering from SWS. 1) I would say it’s pretty close to study level yes. I think everyone has a slightly different definition of the term, but the vast majority of the systems function and it can be operated quite nicely in accordance with the real world checklist. 2) I would say it’s better than the BN2 Islander in really every respect (if we’re talking about the Black Box one). I enjoy the Islander, but the Kodiak is far more complete, in-depth and polished. 3) I can’t answer that with any certainty I’m afraid. I do know that the product comes with a PDF called “Key Presses” (or something similar). I had a very quick look and that seemed to offer some sort of coding for various aircraft functions. I wouldn’t like to say though, as I’m not that familiar with such things. I would suggest asking over at the SWS forums or something similar. I hope that helps a bit! All the best : )

[@captainzeppos]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations thanks, that was very helpful. I'll be buying it asap mostly because of your raving review :)

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Ah great. Well I do hope that you enjoy it then! All the best : )

[@captainzeppos]

Replying to my previous message about LVARs. It seems that the addon is thankfully using plenty of these and they're easily identified as the variable names start from "SWS". The only problem is that not all of them are currently documented so users say that it takes some trial and error to figure out how everything must be set up. Obviously that's way better than not having LVARs at all.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Ah well it’s great that they’re there (I thought they were)! Hopefully SWS can refine things a little more in the coming weeks. At the very least, I suppose some clever chap will inevitably write up a guide on how to get it all done. Cheers! : )

[@schwaulen]

Are the OrbX Meshes worth the money with MSFS? Is it just a better resolution of height data? When MSFS was released, I was under the impression we wouldn't need no mesh addons anymore :( /excellent video, always looking forward to your content.

[@metulski737]

The orbx Mesh files are definitely a huge improvement and are relatively inexpensive.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Agreed Peter. Some meshes are a more noticeable improvement than others (NZ mesh being my favourite), but definitely worth it for the money, if it’s an area one thinks they’ll be flying in regularly. Cheers : )

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Schwaulen, I would say that the meshes are worth it, if they cover a region you’re flying in regularly. Essentially it is just higher resolution terrain data yes (I’m surprised we haven’t seen a freeware offering for this yet, as we did in other sims). Given the price (I think I paid £7 for the Himalayan mesh) I think they’re good value, though like you, I was hoping MSFS would be the end of us having to purchase such things. . . I really like the New Zealand mesh, makes a huge difference. The Himalayan mesh was perhaps a less noticeable improvement in all honesty. Thanks very much, really glad you enjoyed the video and indeed that you’re enjoying the channel in general! : )

[@bstikkel]

Hello Into the Blue Simulations, Thanks for the great step by step video. I am wondering, the ATC communication on the background, sounds very realistic. Is this something else than default ATC sounds?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi bstikkel, Thanks, my pleasure, glad you enjoyed the video! The ATC is in fact real-world recordings, that I edited into the video, but I believe there is an ATC-chatter addon available for MSFS, if that’s the sort of thing you’re after. Otherwise, you can just listen along to a little bit of LiveATC.net as you fly : ) All the best!

[@bstikkel]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations Ah, I see. Sounds very 'real' ;-) Thanks for the tip. I will see if I can find some real and location matching ATC chat software. Thanks for the explaination!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

You’re most welcome bstikkel! : )

[@anbrod1]

Like always ,Super presentation of the plane, got me a copy myself.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thank you once again Anders! Glad you enjoyed it. Hope you have some fun in the Kodiak yourself then! Happy flying : )

[@caiazzo123]

Once again I fabulous video. How many attempts did you make to land. Seriously an awesome job. I got the aircraft today and totally agree with you on every point you have made. Tell the next one. Maverick.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Mav, hugely appreciated as always! I don’t know what you’re insinuating sir. . . first landing every time : P Hehe, that was actually attempt number 2. Unfortunately some numpty may have forgot to record the first one. . . Really glad you’re enjoying the Kodiak, maaaybe we’ll finally get that 337 next haha. Cheers! : )

[@rolanddutton4723]

First-rate review as ever. I'm wondering how this compares to the Milviz Porter as I don't have a large STOL aircraft in the virtual hangar.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks Roland! Good question; it would be pretty tough to call which is the better of the two. I think the Kodiak is fractionally better in most areas (sounds, flight model, modelling etc). The Kodiak is definitely the stronger of the two when it comes to texturing and it feels as though the systems are more in depth also. I like the ruggedness (and the quirkiness) of the Porter, but the Kodiak feels more “useable” and dare I say it, I actually prefer having the noswheel as well XD The virtual passengers are probably the icing on the cake of the Kodiak. When I flew the Porter in my review video, it felt a bit like was having to tame a beast during takeoff / landing. The Kodiak is equally spritely during the takeoff, but I feel like I could put it down on a penny more or less. In short; to some degree I think it depends on what you want out of “old vs new”, but I think I would go Kodiak, if I could only chose one - it’s design is also a little easier on the eye haha. I hope that helps a bit? All the best! : )

[@HASallehinHMA]

Nice! what atc radio you tune on sir?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much : ) Its actually some recordings from LiveATC.net that I’ve worked / edited into the video. I believe there is an ATC-chatter addon available for MSFS though, if that’s the sort of thing you’re after. Otherwise, one can just listen along to a bit of LiveATC.net as they go. I hope that helps. All the best!

[@freddielaker2707]

I read somewhere that it doesnt run well under the dx12 beta and if you want to fly it you have to move back to dx11, Have you tried it?

[@tom_LH476]

I was on dx12 beta and the Kodiak would always CTD. Rolled back to dx11 and now it runs like a charm

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Haven’t actually tried it on DX12 myself Freddie, but yes I’ve heard the same subsequently. Obviously it’s not ideal that it doesn’t run under DX12, but to be fair to SWS, with different versions of Windows, DirectX and the sim constantly being updated, that would be a lot of moving goalposts to work around at the moment. For me, DX12 isn’t really useable in the sim just yet, but hopefully SWS will address the aircrafts issues, so that those who prefer DX12 can stick with it. I hope that clarifies things a touch. All the best! : )

[@paulphibbs7162]

As always, an excellent video. Tell me, where are you getting the recommended torque settings from?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks again Paul, very much appreciated! : ) The max torque settings are actually placarded on the panel (just above the central G1000 screen, if memory serves me correctly). For climb / cruise power settings, I’ve been using a free Thranda / SimCoders checklist (though the SWS one looks to be pretty decent also): updates.simcoders.com/release/Kodiak/REP-kodiak-checklists-references.pdf I hope that helps. Cheers!

[@dreambound.]

Well, hello again. It's been a while. Now I'm finally able to catch up on the videos. Last couple of weeks have been quite busy. First of all congrats on the 10k subscribers! I'm really tempted to pick up the Kodiak. I definitely don't have enough bush planes yet. Well, depends who you ask I suppose. Seems like they have done a pretty good job modeling it. Both visually and in terms of fidelity. Anyways, thanks for the review and take care!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hello sir! Same same, been pretty busy myself. I hope it was “good busy”, as opposed to rushing around doing stuff you didn’t want to haha. Thanks very much re the 10K - a nice little milestone to tick off : ) Don’t know if you were tempted enough to pick up the Kodiak in the end but yeah, overall it’s a very nice effort from SWS and will get in and out of most bush strips - which I hear you may, or may not enjoy ; ) My pleasure on the review - cheers!

[@dreambound.]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations Well, unfortunately it was more of a pain in the ass kind of busy. But things are improving now. I didn't get the Kodiak yet. I didn't even get to play the sim this weekend. Well lets see if I get a chance next weekend.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Ah, that’s no fun - glad things have calmed down a little bit now though. Haha, I know exactly how you feel. I actually can’t even remember the last time I got to sit down and just relax / fly in the sim. Might try and squeeze in a flight tomorrow ; )

[@Vograx]

Much prefer the Milviz PC-6 EFB which lets you add randomized weights for the passengers. I think that's a great feature for doing passenger runs since you'd not really know what weights you'd get with random passengers. Other than that it's a great plane. Another current annoyance, though not related to the SWS Kodiak, is how Asobo broke the reverse thrust functionality in the sim. Now when hitting the "Toggle Reverse Thrust" button it gets reset to forward thrust as soon as you touch the throttle. Super annoying when trying to do short landings in PNG.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

The Kodiak would certainly benefit from an EFB and a random loadout feature would be nice of course. Often on smaller aircraft like this, the passengers will actually be weighed individually before embarking though (much to my ex’s disdain haha). I’ve even been weighed before getting on an ATR once. Haha, Asobo, break something? Surely not. . . Hasn’t that always been the case in sims though - that moving the throttle takes one out of reverse? Maybe I’ve misremembered. Things seemed to work for me ok on this flight, but my throttle is half decent. I’d imagine on some hardware it would be easier to knock and / or register a spurious input etc. Cheers Vograx! : )

[@Part_121]

This will certainly replace the Cessna Caravan for me, especially when the float version comes out, if I can ever get my sim to run reliably again. Been getting random freezes with sound still going, no CPU or GPU utilization, and it seems to be initiated by just touching the hat switch on my Honeycomb Alpha, but only at random times when I’m either on final, or taxing around an airport. If any comment readers have suggestions, please chime in. What I really came here for was the review and, no surprise, it was excellent. I’m so glad you mentioned FPS as I was wondering about that with all those details. I may just spend a “flying session” just looking at everything. Did you notice there is an aircraft data plate, complete with legible fuselage serial number, on the aft, left fuselage side, under the horizontal stab? That is really going the extra mile. By the way, any idea what that box-like item is, centered above the glare shield, below the magnetic compass? It looked like it had 2 lighted green dots on it, but I’m not certain since I was watching on a smallish screen. Seems like it would be a good location for an AOA indicator, but maybe it’s not “wired” yet? I need to go look at some real-life Kodiak videos to see what I see there. Thanks again for a truly nice review video!

[@cmdrgastone7550]

There is a known bug when the ‘next pilot position’ command is issued through e.g. the hat switch. This workaround worked for me which is mentioned on the official forum. Unfortunately I can't paste a direkt link to it here so here a copy of the fix from a user of the forum: Next Pilot Position action causes SIM to freeze (PC & Xbox) "This bug is caused by activating the ‘next pilot position’ command from the DEFAULT cockpit view or in Freelook mode. Fix: unmap ‘next pilot position’ from your peripheral and replace with ‘upper cockpit view’ or some other way of getting the view you want (ie custom views)" Good luck.

[@Part_121]

@@cmdrgastone7550 Hey, thanks for that! I’ll give it a try.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much for offering up the info CMDR. Much appreciated! : )

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Part121, It’ll definitely be a nice upgrade from the Cessna (in everything but size haha). That’s a shame about your sim issues, did CMDR’s advice help at all? I know my sim used to lock up like that, when “removing or connecting” hardware (my TrackIR connection is a little loose). I believe Asobo have fixed that now though and that doesn’t sound like what’s happening to you at any rate. . . I’m afraid I’m not really sure what might be causing it otherwise. There are certainly lots of nice attentions to detail on the Kodiak, SWS really went above and beyond! I didn’t notice the little reg plate though haha. The small indicator up on the dash is indeed an AOA indicator apparently. I’m not entirely sure how it works, but I read somewhere that 5 dots means you’re on target (seems a bit convoluted haha). It was working for me in the preview version of the aircraft, didn’t seem to be doing much this time around though. . . Really glad you enjoyed the video, thanks very much for watching! If you still want to see some real-world Kodiak vids, it sounds as though “Missionary Bush Pilot” is your man! Cheers, all the best : )

[@Part_121]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations Yes, @CMDR Gastone was spot on.. it’s a known and repeatable bug with cockpit free look view on the center mouse wheel click. So far, they have not included a fix in the upcoming hot fix. It affects XBOX users as well.

[@danielprzydryga2750]

Great review and plane. Best plane on xbox. Difficult to use and definitely not for beginners. However, the old sim pilots will be delighted.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Cisowy! I’m glad you enjoyed the video and the Kodiak is indeed a great addon. I gather some Xbox users have been having CTD issues with the aircraft, which is a shame, but I’m sure it’ll get fixed up and I guess it’s one of the first (if not the first) high-fidelity addons available for the Xbox - which is great to see! : ) Cheers and all the best!

[@Foxtrot_EW]

I play on the xbox and and when I had the G 1000 installed it would crash every time so I went back to the default and it doesn't crash anymore.

[@Aleksandar6ix]

If you consider that book numbers and performance values are affected by what variant you have (with/without cargo pod, etc...) and the performance settings are as per real life, then you could consider this to be a 'study level' sim. My big issue is that the torque effects of this aircraft might be TOO REAL, such that flying this thing on the sim hardware I have during departure is a real pain in the butt (MSFS dynamics with wind and ground friction don't help at all). I think it is fair for them to consider dialing that back a little....have the correct effects to portray the behaviors of a powerful turboprop but keep those behaviors in control so that you can still fly a 'smooth' departure that won't make virtual passengers vomit. Also, weight and balance needs some serious tuning....anything near 35% MAC or higher you're stalling and spinning on departure. The limit is 40% MAC.....this means you cannot load ANY cargo or passengers in the rear portion of the aircraft that puts it past 35% (my personal limit is 32%).

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Yep, some very valid points Aleksandar. “Study level” is always a tricky thing to nail down, as it seems to mean something different from one person to the next; but the Kodiak is certainly study level in many respects yes. I agree re the torque on takeoff. The preview version was nowhere near as exaggerated in this regard. I know there was quite a bit of back and forth between Daher, SWS and the beta testers, so I’m sure they’ve gone with what they consider best, but it does feel like it’s probably been a bit overdone to me (as you say, MSFS exacerbates the behaviour). I didn’t have any issues with loading on my flight, but I haven’t investigated fully and I have heard of others having the same sorts of problems - so hopefully SWS rake another look at that as well. . . Cheers for your points. All the best! : )

[@leerose9436]

Awesome ! This will be in my hangar soon ! Love the Orbx Scenery too ! Nice review ! Thanks ! Merry Christmas 🎅🏻! 👍🙏🏻✈️👨‍✈️

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks again Lee, glad you liked it! I do hope you enjoy the Kodiak when you pick it up then (I expect you will). A very Merry Christmas to you also! All the best : )

[@beepIL]

I suggest turning off that standby att indicator screen, It munches a LOT of FPS for some reason, just hit it's circuit breaker, your flying will be 100 times smoother

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks beepL. I wasn’t aware of that workaround at the time of recording but for sure, that procedure seems to be common practice these days. I had thought SimWorks studios fixed the issue - the gauge still causes a big FPS loss? Cheers : )

[@beepIL]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations it does :) I think all the functionality they put in place just makes it very computational heavy, it is fully featured, but since it is such a small and trivial instrument in an already very data heavy cockpit, i think it is not worth the fps hit to have it on.

[@motoerhead1990]

the sounds are amazing!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

They’re excellent aren’t they Panzer! I particularly enjoy the whine of the starter and the change in tone of the fuel pump after a good start. A really high level of attention to detail and, as I mentioned during the video, I think it really helps to ramp up the immersion! Cheers : )

[@liortaylor5305]

got the plane yesterday. love it!!! unfortunately I am seeing a 10-20 fps drop compared to the JF P28 in urban areas with modded scenery.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hello again Lior, Really glad you’re enjoying the Kodiak! Sorry to hear the FPS isn’t quite so stellar for you. Obviously an addons FPS impact will vary from system to system and unfortunately I can only assess a product based on my own experiences. To test, I always load up the aircraft under the scenario I am running in the video, note the FPS and then immediately load up the default C152 (so that I’m testing under the exact same conditions) and note the change. My findings were that the Kodiak gave me about 5 FPS less than the C152 (but again this may vary dependant on system / sim setup). I do hope that the FPS impact isn’t hampering your enjoyment of the aircraft too much. All the best! : )

[@zOMGREI]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations I know this is an old post, but something that may be worth considering since we'll probably start seeing a number of glass cockpit only GA planes coming out in the future would be to use the G1000 version of the default 172 with the avionics switched on as the baseline comparison for those addons, since glass cockpits have a heavier FPS impact out of the gate versus steam gauges.

[@shinkicker404]

Can't you hold down shift or something to scroll through things like altitude and stuff in the 1000s, as opposed to 100s? I am sure that is something I did in the past.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Melon, You’re correct sir. Apparently there is some modifier key one can use, to increase the speed / value when scrolling. I didn’t realise that. What I’m really hoping to see though, is a similar system to that which we see in other sims; ie the rate at which the value changes is dependant on how rapidly / for how long the user operates the selector / control. Thanks for the info though! All the best : )

[@dokken1212]

Thanks for the great review. Work has been busy last few weeks so im a little out of touch as to what's going on in the world of MSFS. Love this aircraft, my kinda airplane and will absolutely buy this. Superb aircraft for the money as regards detail, cockpit contols etc. Also, a terrific landing I have to say - very smooth 🙂. Wishing you a great Xmas as I will most likely be unable to leave a message before then. All the very best and take care.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Haha, I know how you feel James! I’m back at work full time now, so running the channel alongside that, has become quite demanding (I intend to try my best to keep putting out regular content though). Well, I hope you enjoy the Kodiak when you get a chance and I hope yourself and any family, friends etc have a wonderful Christmas also! Thanks very much for your support / contributions throughout the year! All the best and happy landings : )

[@ellonysman]

Any idea if it's coming to xbox? Any news on JustFlight Arrow to xbox as well?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Steve, I believe the Kodiak is planned for the Xbox as well yes; SWS said it will take “a little bit longer” though. I’m afraid I’ve not heard any updates regarding the mythical Xbox JF Arrow no. . . soon hopefully. Cheers! : )

[@ellonysman]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations ...I now see it listed as Xbox/pc...and as of November 14th ON SALE! $26!!! Im going to sign the purchase papers right now, bye!

[@407aviator]

what kind of cameras do you use to make your gaming videos?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hello Aviator, I use TrackIR (head tracking) for the camera movements and Shadowplay for recording my videos. Does that answer your question? : ) Cheers, all the best!

[@407aviator]

Yes thank you ❤

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

You’re most welcome! : )

[@isaacridge4493]

I've found its incredibly sensitive to both rudder and yoke. Compared to other aircraft, i have bo issue with sensitivity being crazy

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Really Isaac? That is strange. I didn’t notice any such issues myself. The aircraft was updated recently. Are you still finding the same behaviour after the update? All the best!

[@ArrRoh]

Amazing video as always, thank you. Are you able to share the routing / flight plan please? Specifically is the waypoint prior to tracking down the valley a user defined one, or a standard one? Simbrief never seems to generate a realistic or achievable plan on this route (for me anyway). Cheers

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Yo. Cheers, my pleasure! The routing is basically as such: VNKT - 109 radial from the KTM VOR (75nm) - overhead the LDA NDB turn 007 and that will take you up the correct valley to VNLK (the 2nd leg is roughly 26nm). So VNKT - KTM - LDA - VNLK. I’ve no idea whether or not the flight plan is realistic (in fact, if you scroll trough the comments, I seem to recall that someone did post some real-world routings), but it gets the job done : ) I hope that helps. All the best!

[@ArrRoh]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations amazing, thank you as always. Super helpful. Hope you had a very merry Christmas! 🎁🎄

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

You’re welcome! I hope you had a great Christmas / New Year also : )

[@valstom6565]

Love this Kodiak, bought it as soon as it released. Sadly getting very annoying CTD when I go to outside views. That said congratulations on your videos, your my goto simmer for these reviews Thank you for all the time you invest, much appreciated.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Valstom, Glad you’re enjoying the Kodiak, very sorry to hear about the CTD’s though! I’ve read a few other people are having them as well. I absolutely would have mentioned such an issue, had I experienced it myself, but for whatever reason the Kodiak has been running just fine for me. I really hope you / SWS manage to get it sorted. Thank you very much for your kind words, really haply to hear that you’re enjoying the channel / content! My pleasure and all the best to you : )

[@Foxtrot_EW]

Me too. Removed the G 1000 nav and put it back to factory default and I didn't have a problem with crashes anymore.

[@The_Fabio_Fernandes]

Very nice ! one thing i dont liek is the left trim on rudder is it real?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks Fabio! Yes, apparently some trim will be required during the takeoff and that is realistic. I overdid it a bit by using full trim, 30-50% is recommended in the manual. The Kodiak has a big torque-y engine on quite a small airframe, the rudder trim is needed to counteract its effects. I hope that clears things up a bit? All the best! : )

[@luisreis3202]

I bought the Kodiak also influenced by Missionary Bush Pilot (I had already this aircraft at the X-Plane 11) and it seems some features not available at the former one although I did not fly a lot yet to confirm that. (wind options for instance). It seems also that at landing the aircraft was not too stable but perhaps is my deficit as a pilot. Note - I did not see the NAV (autopilot) button on at your flight but as I am not English native perhaps I missed something. If you had a Route how you follow it without the GPS option (VOR and other navaids?). Thanks

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Luis, I gather for X-Plane, there is a Reality Expansions Pack version of the Kodiak? I would imagine that would be a more comprehensive simulation of the aircraft. Whilst the SWS Kodiak is very good, it’s not quite “study level” (as I expect the REP version would be) and the avionics are somewhat simplified, as that’s a current limitation within MSFS. So the feature set probably is quite different between the two aircraft, but the trade-off would be the X-Plane 11 world vs the MSFS world I suppose. In terms of stability, I found the aircraft to be ok myself - it is very sensitive to loading / weight and balance at the moment (perhaps unrealistically so), so you will need to be carefully not to have too aft a CofG though. There are various options for the NAV. The aircraft can follow the GPS flight plan, but in this flight I was tracking via the VOR / NDB and just flew the aircraft in HDG mode, adjusting the HDG bug as required. I hope that clears things up a bit? : ) All the best!

[@luisreis3202]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations , You are quite clear at all points. About landing I corrected some aspects and now I land better. At X-Plane 11 world vs MSFS world I prefer the last one because I can see clearly the terrain ... and the airports;-) Thks

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Glad the landings are coming along well. Yes, I think MSFS is definitely the better sim for low-level detail etc. I prefer X-Plane and ortho for the heavy jets (as the scenery is sharper), but for bush flying etc, I would take MSFS every time. Thanks and happy new year! : )

[@ebenclukey7293]

I just purchased this aircraft yesterday. I don't know if it wasn't mentioned or if I missed it. But apparently it's not compatible with Windows 11. It installed (with all it's 51 liveries), but each time I begin a flight with it, it crashes msfs. I did two clean reinstalls and same result.

[@tom_LH476]

You need Directx 11 instead of Directx 12. Just change it in the General section in MSFS. Helped me instantly to avoid CTD’s.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much for offering up the help Til! Haven’t had the chance to try Windows 11 myself and it never even occurred to me to try DX12 (I haven’t enjoyed how my sim runs with it, so stuck with DX11 for now). It’s a shame the Kodiak doesn’t work with DX12, but to be fair to SWS; different versions of Windows, DirectX and the sim constantly being updated, is a lot of moving goalposts to work around. Glad you have it working now. All the best! : )

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Eben, I’m afraid I wasn’t aware of that (being a Windows 10 user myself), so I wasn’t able to test / make mention of it at the time. Did you confirm it was Windows 11 causing the problem and not DX12 (which I gather has been causing issues also)? Sorry if the aircraft hasn’t been working for you then, that’s obviously far from ideal. Have you tried reaching out to SWS for some help? All the best!

[@Tabfren]

no doubt, this is a nice plane but when I compare it to the Milviz PC-6 Porter it just comes up short, the Porter flies so much nicer and holds more people (for FSEconomy use)

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Bob, I think the two addons are broadly comparable, with each having its own strengths and weaknesses. As much as it pains me to admit it, I quite like having the nosewheel haha and the Kodiak does have the Porter beat on speed. I enjoy both aircraft though, just depends on my mood. Cheers and all the best! : )

[@conlethbyrne4809]

Excellent plane & flying second to none. I'd love to blame my controller but another outstanding review. Slainte

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Haha, you can always blame the controller Conleth, or failing that, blame the weather ; ) Many thanks once again! I hope you’re having a great weekend : )

[@kaseyrobbins753]

who is doing the atc? and do you use track ir? Is that how the head movements are so smooth in this?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Kasey, The ATC is real-world recordings that I’ve worked / edited into the video, there are ATC chatter apps available for MSFS if that’s what you’re after though. For the head movements, it is indeed TrackIR. I have a custom profile, which smooths things out quite a bit, I still have to be somewhat disciplined with how I move when I’m recording though, but I find using it adds a bit more immersion in the videos. Cheers! : )

[@mplazear]

Thank you for this absolutely stellar review.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thank you very much Mathew, my pleasure! Very happy to hear that you enjoyed it : ) All the best!

[@lee4318]

I have this aircraft and have yet to experience camera shake when landing, looked really realistic. Was that a mod or programmed into the aircraft?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

It is in fact a mod Lee; FSRealistic. I actually meant not to have it running whilst recording (as it gives an unfair representation of the product), but the app auto-runs with the sim and I forgot to turn it off. It’s a nice little mod though: kzbin.info/www/bejne/amebc4CVlKaobrs Hope that clears things up a bit. All the best! : )

[@mickyaussie2364]

Very good and thorough review…. A flight i love to do once in a while ( Kathmandu-Lukla). The music at minute 28 added a lot as well.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Micky! Not a flight I’d actually done myself previously, though I can’t think why I never tried it until now. . . Glad you enjoyed the video and the music : ) All the best!

[@terblanchejordaan3822]

May I ask, how do you get the PFD and MFD to display the ground (more definition of TOPO) colour on the NXi because all I get is a green background regardless where you are in the world? The default g1000's colours are much more realistic and look more like the SR22's G1000 that I have ... -OR- are you on the default g1000 ...?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hello again TJ, In this video I was using the NXi mod (as opposed to the other video, where I was using the default G1000). I didn’t adjust any settings though, this is how the mod was looking for me by default. If yours isn’t looking anything like this, perhaps worth making sure you’re running the most up to date version etc? Do you have synthetic vision turned on also? Cheers : )

[@lianpu8]

Thanks for the great review. One question: Can the Kodiak be slipped on approach and does that result in a higher descent rate?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks Christoph, glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t done extensive testing, but I did try sideslipping on a couple of occasions and it did indeed result in an increased rate of descent. The aircraft takes a bit of getting used to in terms of managing the descent (it’s more slick than I was initially expecting), so it pays to be quite conservative during the approach; but yeah, sideslipping (to some degree) can be used to help get one out of trouble and into those tighter strips etc as well. Sorry that’s not the most comprehensive answer - quite subjective, but I haven’t had the time to test things more extensively myself. Cheers, all the best! : )

[@lianpu8]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations Thanks a lot for that! I finally bought the aircraft and I am very happy with it. I thinks it slips perfectly, especially the transitions in and out of the sideslip attitude look very realistic to me. I agree that it feels more slippery on decent that expected. The only thing I see with the flight model is way too good floating capability on very steep uphill sloped strips. It takes a lot of drama out of such landings, that should be really difficult.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

My pleasure Christophe, glad it was of some use! Happy to hear you’re enjoying the Kodiak. For sure it isn’t perfect, but it’s very nice effort indeed and I’m sure it will continue to improve with time. Most MSFS aircraft tend to float way to much on landing I find - I presume ground effect has been “over-modelled” in the sim. Don’t tell anyone though - it’s the only way I can look like a pro when I’m landing! : P Happy flying and all the best! : )

[@andymunnings9109]

"This was a great review of the product. Although it was a simulator. Only condition rendered or questioned is that? I would require you to zoom in to any control or instrument if it is talked about or practised, for a complete feel for the craft once it is demonstrated. That is all. Overall? In reality; I like the craft. It is proven reliable and it gets the job done in most difficult conditions. This is why the Kodiak was proven Flyer."

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Andy, I’m really glad you enjoyed the review! Your request is certainly a very reasonable one; I do however like to try and keep my videos feeling like a real-world flight and I think such a style (zooming from instrument to instrument) would break the immersion. I try and show the instruments in detail at other points during the video though (as and when I feel it’s appropriate). I take it from your comment, that you have flown the Kodiak - it certainly looks like it would be fun / capable machine to operate : ) Cheers and all the best!

[@craig8727]

Is that live ATC in the background during startup?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Craig, It’s actually recordings from the LiveATC.net Audio Archives, that I’ve then edited into the video. It is possible to listen along live on the website though, should you so wish. A really nice resource overall. Hope that helps. Cheers! : )

[@craig8727]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations That is a nice touch on the video, thanks for responding!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks, I’m glad you think so Craig - I think it adds a little more immersion etc. . . My pleasure and all the best to you! : )

[@donridgeway2267]

Great review. i have tried and tried to populate the aircraft, without success I was hoping to find an answer here. Checked the SWS site and it doesn't give any worthwhile information about how to do it. I know about it only working in various models, I can't get it to work with ANY model. Anyone help with this.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hello Don, Thanks very much, I’m glad you enjoyed the video! When you say to “populate” the aircraft, I presume you are referring to adding passengers? If memory serves me correctly, you just need to add weight to each passenger station, via the sim’s fuel and load menu. That’s not working for you? I hope that helps. Cheers and all the best : )

[@rogt7458]

Great video. The information within is enough to enable me to make a purchase which I'll do now. (I'll send you the invoice!) Keep the great work going. I bought the Hawk T1 on your review so hope to buy more in the future.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Rog, Haha! Unfortunately the Into the Blue “administration team” are still on their Christmas holidays at the moment; so your invoice may well be “processing” for some time! ; ) I hope you’re enjoying the Hawk. Thanks again and wishing you a very happy new year! : )

[@piloto2412]

Bought it thanks to your review and may i say nice landing

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Ah great, well I do hope you enjoy it! Haha, well I’m always willing to take a compliment on a landing : P Happy flying and all the best! : )

[@Paul9601EX]

I really love this review. Wonderfull mesh. Thanks for this review. For myself, I’m more a steam gauges kind of pilot. Not so much on the glass cockpits.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Paul, glad you enjoyed it! Ah me too, very much so. The G1000 is an impressive piece of kit in the real world, but in the sim, I much prefer something more basic. The Kodiak isn’t necessarily the sort of thing I would ordinarily fly a lot in the sim, but it’s a rather excellent offering for those who do enjoy this type of aircraft / flying : ) Cheers, all the best!

[@andrewbennett2582]

What setup are you using for head tracking? It looks beautifully smooth!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Andrew, I’m using TrackIR. I have a custom profile that I think works pretty well. Happy to share it if you would like. Email me at [e-mail] and I’ll send it over when I get the chance. All the best : )

[@andrewbennett2582]

Awesome I'll send you an email at some point! Thank you!

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Sure thing Andrew : )

[@eamon945]

Excellent review as always. Love this product.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much Eamon! Glad you enjoyed the video and indeed that you’re enjoying the Kodiak : ) All the best!

[@Pep8691]

Nice video review. Thank you for the information. By the way.. I hope you passed out blankets to the passengers upon embarking since you were "saving" on heating costs until levelling out 😏😏

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Thanks very much, my pleasure - glad you enjoyed it! Haha, I'm used to flying aircraft that are a little more "set and forget". Lets just say I was helping them acclimatise : P Cheers, all the best! : )

[@PixieGirl101]

do you still fly this bird, I have it and love it... just curious.

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Hi Abbie, I haven’t flown the Kodiak in a fair old while, but that’s true of most addons to be honest haha. I still think the Kodiak is a great effort, I’m just always strapped for time and so when I do hop in the sim, it’s almost always to record another review. If I had all the time in the world, I’m sure I’d still fly the Kodiak semi-occasionally : ) Happy flying and all the best!

[@davidh7280]

I understand future updates of the G1000 Nxi will require SWS to update the simulation? Not sure if that's accurate? May be a point to consider?

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

To be honest David, I’m not 100 sure myself. I would have thought that the updates would just “drop straight in” as it were - since the NXi G1000 is somewhat separate from the aircraft itself, but then again I recall that MILVIZ needed to do some more work, to get the NXi mod working in their Porter. You could well be right that the aircraft may need an update from time to time, certainly worth considering; SimWorks Studios got off to a somewhat shaky start with updates for their Zenith, but they seem to be very much on the ball these days. Cheers : )

[@davidh7280]

@@IntotheBlueSimulations it's the only thing that's killing my PayPal wallet on this! I don't want to buy something that stops after a silly Asobo update! Ugh!🤭

[@IntotheBlueSimulations]

Totally understandable David. Unfortunately I don’t see this issue going away any time soon. Still a lot of work to be done within MSFS. . . Good way of saving money I suppose haha : /