I'm just curious: can people let me know why they fly Airbus jets as opposed to other manufacturers? I own the Overland Boeings and love them, but recently it seems I've seen a larger number of repaints and .cfg fixes for their Airbus series which got me wondering what I may be missing. I've avoided Airbus simply because (I think) they're flown mainly using a joystick instead of a yoke and, although I'm not a stickler for ultimate realism, I don't like simming with a joystick so this detail has kept me from flying Airbus. EDIT: BTW, I have flown some smaller jets from POSKY, as well as the MD11 that comes with the Overland Boeing package, so I do have experience flying other manufacturers. I thought it is a nice plane, if not understandably tail heavy, but nothing overly special.Can anyone share their special preferences for Airbus with me?

Posky MD11? Do you mean the IFDG MD11? I don't think Posky did an MD11. I like the IFDG MD11 but it's the only plane I have that occasionally has some type of error and shuts down the whole program during flight. As far as Airbus planes, you got me on the yoke vs. joystick thing. However, I have just about every Airbus model that IFDG released and love them...especially after installing the "service pack" that added wing-flex and a few other things. There's some great 2D panels available for Airbus models too.

>Posky MD11? Do you mean the IFDG MD11? I don't think Posky>did an MD11. Edited my original post -- typing too fast. I was more curious simply about Airbus planes in general. I have never flown anything by IFDG.

-----------------------------------------------------I don't like simming with a joystick so this detailhas kept me from flying Airbus.-----------------------------------------------------You dont have to miss out on Airbus because of that. The A300, A310 & A300-600 all have Boeing-style yokes. The sidesticks only came in from the A32X series onward.Check out the freeware HNAC A300 & A310, they have done a great job on them, specially on the wing! http://www.hnac.org/cms_prod/index.php

Thank you, ThrottleUp! I downloaded it late last night but couldn't get the electronic displays in the suggested panel to show themselves -- just blank screens. I installed all patches as directed in the readme's, too!Maybe work on it this weekend, but THANKS! No matter what, I'll no longer shy away from the Airbus -- at least the 300 - 310s! Cool!(PS: ThrottleUp -- I just PM'd you on a different matter. Hope you don't mind.)

I am a true airbus fan and fly little else but Airbus aircraft. I have flown many of the fleet from A319's to A340's (mainly the new fly-by-wire aircraft). At the moment I am flying the A320 on European routes. The aircraft in the fly-by-wire fleet have such a similar cockpit it is easy to transfer from one aircraft to another with just tweeking your knowledge and the aircraft's procedures. The FMC is designed to fly the aircraft which is a great cockpit tool. I bought the PSS A319/320/321 a while ago and still use the panel to date but I have merged it with IFDG models and textures as these are far more detailed and IMO they are the best modelled airbus aircraft out there (freeware or payware). I have also modified and downloaded a CFM soundset from the library which is great and this really does improve the realism of the aircraft rather than having just the default FS aircraft sounds. There are a couple of good freeware panels as well if you are looking to get a better one as the IFDG models mostly come with the default 737 FS cockpit. Love flying with a joystick and IMO - I dont think that it compromises realism. Hope this helps

Good stuff! HNAC really do a good job on them! Here is a real-life photo of an A300-600 cockpit. See the yokes :)http://www.airliners.net/photo/Thai-Airway...622R/0615628/L/

>I am a true airbus fan and fly little else but Airbus>aircraft. I have flown many of the fleet from A319's to A340's>(mainly the new fly-by-wire aircraft). At the moment I am>flying the A320 on European routes. >>The aircraft in the fly-by-wire fleet have such a similar>cockpit it is easy to transfer from one aircraft to another>with just tweeking your knowledge and the aircraft's>procedures. The FMC is designed to fly the aircraft which is a>great cockpit tool. >>I bought the PSS A319/320/321 a while ago and still use the>panel to date but I have merged it with IFDG models and>textures as these are far more detailed and IMO they are the>best modelled airbus aircraft out there (freeware or payware).>I have also modified and downloaded a CFM soundset from the>library which is great and this really does improve the>realism of the aircraft rather than having just the default FS>aircraft sounds. There are a couple of good freeware panels as>well if you are looking to get a better one as the IFDG models>mostly come with the default 737 FS cockpit. >>Love flying with a joystick and IMO - I dont think that it>compromises realism. Nick, do you have the name of the CFM soundset zip file so I can download it from the library?I used to have the PSS Airbuses (and panel) but now they [PSS] are gone and I have a new computer, so I am panel-less ;-) Can you recommend what would be the best A320 freeware panel out there?Thank you,Kerke

I did have a CFM which I have used on some aircraft which were by by Mike Maarse.This is the file (sound_v2500.zip) that I am using for IAE (and they are recommended for use with IFDG so cant really go wrong there).Most of the sound sets that I have tried from the library are good though and would recommend having an airbus one rather than just the fs default aircraft sounds! As far as panels go there are a couple of good freeware ones that I have found and many people would surely recommend. Ken Mitchell and Eric Marciano are 2 names to look out for in the library. There are so many options if you search under FS2004 panels and alot of them realte to the IFDG model so you can also have cabin window views etc. Although I have tried many airbus panels I am using the PSS A320 panel at the moment (even though I am using the IFDG model). Dont really like the PSS model and it is a bit outdated now but the panel is prbably the best anyone can get at the moment. There are a couple of forethcomming airbus representations (payware) so will wait and see If anything can beat my current configuration.I presume that you had a download version of the PSS and dont have access to the files anymmore which is why you cannot get hold of it?

>I did have a CFM which I have used on some aircraft which>were by by Mike Maarse.>>This is the file (sound_v2500.zip) that I am using for IAE>(and they are recommended for use with IFDG so cant really go>wrong there).>>Most of the sound sets that I have tried from the library are>good though and would recommend having an airbus one rather>than just the fs default aircraft sounds! >>As far as panels go there are a couple of good freeware ones>that I have found and many people would surely recommend. Ken>Mitchell and Eric Marciano are 2 names to look out for in the>library. There are so many options if you search under FS2004>panels and alot of them realte to the IFDG model so you can>also have cabin window views etc. >>Although I have tried many airbus panels I am using the PSS>A320 panel at the moment (even though I am using the IFDG>model). Dont really like the PSS model and it is a bit>outdated now but the panel is prbably the best anyone can get>at the moment. There are a couple of forethcomming airbus>representations (payware) so will wait and see If anything can>beat my current configuration.>>I presume that you had a download version of the PSS and dont>have access to the files anymmore which is why you cannot get>hold of it?Exactly... Thank you for the good info!Kerke

Get the Wilco Airbus, then get FS2Crew for the Wilco Airbus, then fly from it's beautiful VC with TrackIR. I've tried them all and found the best.

Sound really matters. No matter how bling your plane is: track-IR, galley, flexing wing, flushing toilet etc. all goes downhill when you start those engines and its sounds like the spin-cycle on an old washing machine. Default 737 sounds....eeeeeeee!We are spoilt for choice for sounds on here and they make a tremendous impact on immersion. My favourite sound authors are Des Braban & Devyn Silverstein. Nothing like throttlingup (heh) in a 737NG and hearing an authentic CFM-growl http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/grinser/...-smiley-013.gif

I, for one agree. Coincidentally (and now pretty much O/T) this just came up with me. I downloaded a Lockheed C-27 last night from a VA. They offered an "alternative" soundset and since the download was 26 megs and the website download speed was slow, I looked at the aircraft's native sound.cfg file to see if I could get by without it: the plane's sound was aliased to the default Beech Baron. :-bla

I have flown aircraft IRL with both the yoke and the stick, and you hardly notice a difference between the two. you adapt very quickly...

you adapt very quickly... Thats interesting because from what I've read thats what real-life pilots say when transitioning to the sidestick-equipped Airbus models.