PSS A320 or the new Wilco A320 PIC?

[Guest michaelm]

Hello guys from the sunny Italy. I'm a real life pilot and of course a virtual pilot with FS2002. A couple of weeks ago I had to chance to fly the incredible 15 milions $ simulators at Alitalia and I was stunned and breathless for the A320 they have. So I wanted to buy the simulation for this airplane. I know nothing can be compared to theirs but at least I would like to study this plane. I have seen that the two chances for the A320 is PSS and Wilco. Now the question: what's the best of them? I know they are somewhat different but can you please help me to choose with your advices?I know both companies are great although I own some PSS aircraft (747-400 pro and Dash-8). From Wilco I just have the Airpots series.Hope to read from ya soon?Michael, Italy

[Guest A321]

I dont know about the PIC A320, but i can tell you that the PSS A320 is absolutley amazing, and the Customer service from PSS is great. I own every product by PSS and have never had an issue with any of them, they provide great manuals and you can get lost of free user repaints for the A320 from their site.

[Guest michaelm]

Thank you man for you advice. I know PSS too and they are excellent.Willl keep this in mind.Michael

[crvm 0]

I'm not big on the PSS version although it gets the job done and the panel is good although make sure to download the "landing panel" or what ever they call it. As for the Wilco A320, it's a newer technology and has just got it's first update, but many find the new virtual cockpit "only" a real hindrance. There is also a frame rate issue with many users with anything under a 3 gig rig. The patch addressed many issues with preformance and detail errors but will not address frame rates. As for support, well in PSS's forum, they PRE SCREEN your posts and while Wilco's forum does not, chances are only users will help you out.[h5]Best Wishes,Randy J. SmithSan Jose Ca[/h5][h3]" A little learning is a dangerous thing"[/h3]AMD [pink]XP[/pink] 2200 |MUNCHKIN 512 DDR RAM |ECS[/b ][i] K7S5A MB[/i] |GF3 64 MEG @ 215/545|WIN XP PRO |MITSUBISHI DIAMOND PLUS 91 19"

[Guest mikealpha]

Hi Michael, here's another MichaelI'm sure you will get a lot of different opinions, so here is my take :It somewhat depends on the PC hardware you have available.PSS 320 simulates Airbus systems to a remarkable extend, but the flight feeling of a 320 is not well represented, it's a kind of Airbus/Boeing mixture with partially rough Autopilot reactons, that lack a big jet behaviour. From the optics point of view (cockpit graphics, outside model) it's well done and you get good framerates with moderate PC hardware. To make it short, very good 320 system simulation, but more a toy when it comes to 320 flight.320PIC has a new technology to operate everything from a 3D cockpit only. That means you don't get e.g. an MCDU or center console slammed into your 2D panel, you'll find all the stuff in it's correct 3D environment. That requires time to adjust to it and memorize the different clickspots, but after some learning time it's very immersive. However, I can well understand those, that still prefer 2D panels, so it all depends what you like.The 320 flight is much better represented. You get the Airbus FlybyWire philosophy simulated to an extend FS allows and you get a IMO believable and heavy big jet feel on Autopilot (smooth banks and intercepts). Also you get the best Autoland ever, even with max. certified crosswind for the 320 it works like a charm. It still has some edges that need polishment, but the developers are very dedicated to it and it's alrady very enjoyable in it's current state. For me 320PIC will be THE long time classic after the planned 2nd patch.Both PSS and Wilco operate Fora here, additionally you can also reach the 320PIC developers in their own forum ( http://www.anticyclone.be ).The downside of 320PIC is, you need powerful hardware. To ensure smooth flying, at least a P4 2.0 GHz is recommended or you must be willing to reduce FS details considerably. Additionally I would recommend reasonable stick hardware. The 320 stick (and generally all real yokes) have much bigger travel and forces than PC sticks, you might have noticed that in the big sim. Sticks like e.g. the Thrustmaster Cougar with tough and adjustable springs can compensate for that a little. A sloppy stick makes enjoying of any PC Airbus much more difficult.So, again to make a long story short, I also have some A320 real sim hours and to get as close as currently possible to your A320 real sim experience, I would definitely go for 320 PIC. Michael

[Guest]

Sorry to be a kind of bad boy here....and my comments only commit me...but as per my own experience I would say none of them until you have tried the Eurowings professional package.They have an A319 (you may also download an A320 in their site) and having been testing all 3 of them, I tend to think that their panel is by far the greatest I have seen for an A319/A320 aircraft.Only bad point, landing light not visible so far from cockpit view (like DF734), but a service pack is under preparation which will include new items such as virtual cockpit and passenger/cargo doors and cockpit landing lights, amongt many improvements.Their panel is the most user friendly and easy to use of all A320s I have seen, and, in addition, you will get two great ATR42/72 and a BA 146 aircrafts with many liveries,plus 5 european airports sceneries.This is the best aircraft package I have seen since the legendary DF734 which was a revolution in its concept.To be fair, I must say that PSS product is great too but frankly I dont like the concept of their panel where default view is not user friendly. On the other side, they have a great support team and a huge choice of additional liveries that can be purchased from their sites. Regarding Wilco, it can really affect your FPS if you have a slow machine and, personally, I cannot get used to the virtual panel concept only which I find very unuser friendly. I think they have been going to far regarding today's pc capabilities. Same for their new airport 2002, burning all you FPS...Conclusion, all of them are great products, but if I would have to choose one of them, and taking into account framerate and user friendly issus, no doubt, I would take EW PRO.My comments might be marginal, and I must add that I am not paid by EW pro, but I just wanted to share my enthusiam for this product with you.Have a nice day Michael, and good luck for your choice.Patrick Geneva

[Guest Staalplaat]

Hi Michael,I've been flying with both PSS aswell as the PIC A320 and as mentioned before, both have their pro's and con's.PIC 320: I really love the concept of the 3d cockpit although it has major flaws. The gauges update is the biggest issue for me. The instruments really lack fluidly in their movement wich make prescion flying rather difficult. Also the framerate is an big issue. I need to fly the PIC320 without AI and other sliders cracked back to have good framerates. BUT, the airbusfeeling is just GREAT! It flies like a bus and not like a boeing! Also, with the latest patch many issue's have been corrected.PSS 320: Very good model and i like the panel very much too. Good framerates and all options working. Biggest flaw for me is the poor airbus flight caracteristics. It just flies and feels like a boeing. (DF734)I cannot give my opinion on the Eurowings 320 but so far as I know, it uses the DF734 FMC wich is a boeing type management computer and functions really different as Airbus's MCDU. (please correct me if i'm wrong)Conclusion: for now, buy PSS's bus. BUT, with FSCOF and the 2nd PIC320 coming up, this might be just the A320 for the future... .(also check out this great A310 at www.simsoftworkshop.com)

[Guest SIX]

Just to throw in my 2 cents. I have been learning this PSS 320 bird over the weekend. Once you get Boeing de-programmed out of your head (if you have a problem with that :) ) you will be fine.I learned Boeing from the start in simulation and I had a terrible time getting used to it. But, once you do, you won't regret flying this machine. I find the PSS A320 a remarkable bird, however it does act like a fighter bird when turning in autopilot, as someone else also mentioned. The frames are very well acceptible in the PSS model. The one thing I have heard about the Wilco 320 is that is DOES take a massive machine to run full bore :( I have a AMD Athlon 2600+ 333 FSB with RAID and all that so it isn't a problem for me, however for a guy with anything less than 1800 you may have a problem with the Wilco bird.-----------Wilson HinesChief CaptainBush Logistics Corp.http://heavylhc.comAOL IM: dal276wh

[Dillon 2,197]

If I were you I'd get the PSS A320, I don't know what or why others are speaking so highly of the Wilco bird but if you like slide shows by all means go with the Wilco product. Wilco's visual model is way off and you'll find yourself doing alot of tweaking to get the virtual cockpit to work correctly. Seeing that FS2004 is around the corner I would play it safe and go with the PSS version. I'm sure the half baked way Wilco has tried to produce a clickable virtual cockpit will all get thrown out in the next version of Flight Simulator anyway. PSS's version looks better and works right out of the box (or download). Forget the comment that it flies like a Boeing aircraft. You be the judge of that since you have time in the real simulator. None of us are really qualified to make that statement unless we've flown the A320 in real life. I for one think PSS has done a great job and the plane does not handle anything like a Boeing 737 in FS or the realworld and/or otherwise (Class D simulators). Like someone mentioned above, unless you have a 3gig processor I'd stay with the PSS Airbus, you won't regret it....

[Guest]

I have the Eurowings package too, and I have found one minor issue, no animated thrust reverse on their Airbus. The package is great however the Amsterdam scenery is not as the real Schiphol is. The parking spots are not assigned as in real.This is also minor and it just extra, the airports. The visual model of the PSS is not as real as the Eurowings model, but that is just for people flying spot plane every now and then. Don

[Guest sidewinder]

The A320 PIC simulates the airbus systems better than the PSS A320...I have not ever flown a a real A320 or a Level D sim, but I have studied the airbus systems and fly by wire (CBTs and some other training resources) and I can tell you that, A320 PIC provides a much more realistic airbus simulation.However, you need a fast computer to run A320 PIC.

[Guest Eugen]

Hi,I am using the Project Airbus A320 (www.avsim.com/projectairbus) together with the PSS panel a very good combination I think.BrgdsEugen

[Guest ba747heavy]

The A320 PIC simulates the airbus systems better than the PSS A320...To be honest with you, I have never seen a PSS plane that was even close to the real plane, ever. From the 747-400(my first PSS I got, and I have all of them, Airliner wise) on, they haven't come close.I have not ever flown a a real A320 or a Level D sim, but Ihave studied the airbus systems and fly by wire (CBTs andsome other training resources) and I can tell you that, A320PIC provides a much more realistic airbus simulation.Doesn't suprise me, PSS puts more into outputting planes very fast, with nice visuals, as opposed to fully realistic sytem sim planes. The 767 PIC development cycle was something like 2+ years, if memory serves me, and that is the defacto standard for FS planes. IIRC, PSS development team does FS addons for a living, and they can't afford to not put out planes fast.However, you need a fast computer to run A320 PIC. Sounds like the best reason to get the PSS Bus :) How many of us out there really have the 3+ gig puters? Surely not me.:-beerchug

[Tabs 2,790]

A320 PIC was just way ahead of it's time - give it another 6 months to a year, when everyone is running 4Ghz CPUs with 1.5GB of RAM and GeForce FX2's or Radeon 10200s and it's gonna run great. The issue is that it's simulating so many real life internal Airbus calculations that it slows down on most current systems...I have both though, and they're both good. (though I don't feel the flight modeling of the PSS is anywhere as close to the real thing as the PIC one is) You could get the PSS now though and then buy A320 PIC after PC's have caught up to it...

[Guest SIX]

Hey Eugen, are their any details on how to properly merge the panel and the Project Airbus birds? This looks interesting :)>Hi,>>I am using the Project Airbus A320>(www.avsim.com/projectairbus) together with the PSS panel a>very good combination I think.>>Brgds>>Eugen-----------Wilson HinesChief CaptainBush Logistics Corp.http://heavylhc.comAOL IM: dal276wh