Flight 1 Cessna 162 Skycatcher - warning other consumers

So I just wanted to let people here know of my experience with Flight 1 Software, a company that designs and sells many addons for flight simmers. I had the most negative experience of dealing with any company in my entire life and wanted to tell my story in the hope that at least 1 person in the world is turned away from doing business with them.

My story:

I bought a 30 dollar payware aircraft, the C162 skycatcher, from Flight 1. Upon installation and flying the plane, I could not find a way to bind any of the C162's GPS or Garmin functions to keys, or controllers, FSUIPC, or even simconnect events. In designing their glass cockpit, they made it so the only way to interact with the MFD and PFD is with mouse clicks.

So I went on their forum and asked about it, thinking that I must be an idiot and missing some easy method for assigning the controls. Nope, they designed it that way, and even more so told me that as a consumer "my expectations were unrealistic" and that "people with attitudes like mine" were the reason that the Customer service person left the entertainment potion of Flight 1 and he was now working in the development of software for "people with the funds to match their expectations".

Here is his response in full:

"Lets see if I got this right? You want a 29.00 dollar product to perform exactly like a 129 K airplane. This product was built as an entertainment platform in cooperation with Cessna which actually approved the product. No where have we implied this is a training platform. You and attitudes like yours are the very reason I have walked away from entertainment products and apply most all of my efforts to training platforms that are purchased by people with realistic expectations and funds to substantiate the efforts. If you don't like the product, get a refund."

I was then told to get a refund. I asked how, and I was banned from their support forums. I was promised a refund from their ticketing system, and they refuse to give me my money back. I know I sound upset now, but I was bringing up what I considered a valid point about a payware product. They treated me as if they couldnt care less about customer service. All I was asking is why the buttons dont work, and explained why that functionality was important to flight simmers.

I uninstalled all of my flight 1 software and am requesting refunds for those as well, but probably to no avail. I just wanted to share my experience in case anyone was considering the purchase of one of their products. I thought you might like the warning about what to expect if you ever contact them.

So I just wanted to let people here know of my experience with Flight 1 Software, a company that designs and sells many addons for flight simmers. I had the most negative experience of dealing with any company in my entire life and wanted to tell my story in the hope that at least 1 person in the world is turned away from doing business with them.

 

My story:

 

I bought a 30 dollar payware aircraft, the C162 skycatcher, from Flight 1. Upon installation and flying the plane, I could not find a way to bind any of the C162's GPS or Garmin functions to keys, or controllers, FSUIPC, or even simconnect events. In designing their glass cockpit, they made it so the only way to interact with the MFD and PFD is with mouse clicks.

 

So I went on their forum and asked about it, thinking that I must be an idiot and missing some easy method for assigning the controls. Nope, they designed it that way, and even more so told me that as a consumer "my expectations were unrealistic" and that "people with attitudes like mine" were the reason that the Customer service person left the entertainment potion of Flight 1 and he was now working in the development of software for "people with the funds to match their expectations".

 

Here is his response in full:

 

"Lets see if I got this right? You want a 29.00 dollar product to perform exactly like a 129 K airplane. This product was built as an entertainment platform in cooperation with Cessna which actually approved the product. No where have we implied this is a training platform. You and attitudes like yours are the very reason I have walked away from entertainment products and apply most all of my efforts to training platforms that are purchased by people with realistic expectations and funds to substantiate the efforts. If you don't like the product, get a refund."

 

I was then told to get a refund. I asked how, and I was banned from their support forums. I was promised a refund from their ticketing system, and they refuse to give me my money back. I know I sound upset now, but I was bringing up what I considered a valid point about a payware product. They treated me as if they couldnt care less about customer service. All I was asking is why the buttons dont work, and explained why that functionality was important to flight simmers.

 

I uninstalled all of my flight 1 software and am requesting refunds for those as well, but probably to no avail. I just wanted to share my experience in case anyone was considering the purchase of one of their products. I thought you might like the warning about what to expect if you ever contact them.

Perhaps a look at your comments will make the matter clearer. From the Flight1 thread:

Your developers went out of their way in designing the guage to ensure it wasnt functional. The garmin hotkeys are already native FSX commands.

The product is useless because of this lack of functionality. Its like building a great sports car, and then forgetting to put a steering wheel in. Im not complaining that the G300 is incomplete in its implementation, Im complaining that the implementation itself is obviously flawed if the entire G300 cant be interfaced with keyboards and controllers.

Good to know that the stance is "well, its not meant to work well". I thought a company making products for flight simulators would have known that the ability to integrate is kind of important.

Good to know though, for future reference when avoiding purchase>>

You are only entitled to, and will only get, a refund for products purchased within the last 30 days.

DJ