Good morning,here I am cruising in my little ATR -72 (Flight 1) after a beautiful early morning take off from LSGG (FSDreamteam), taking 64 passengers to Innsbruck, LOWI (Aerosoft). The weather is colorful, big cumulus clouds are rising high even at this early hour (ASA, HiFi; Flight Environment and GE Pro II, Flight1). There's not much to do so I amuse myself by listening to the ATC, giving instructions to other aircraft in the vicinity (PFE, Aerosoft; UT, Flight1). When I land in Innsbruck, there will be a Follow-me car waiting to take me to the gate (AES, Aerosoft). And then, when at last I shut the engines off, I will be told how well I did by FS Flight Keeper (Aerosoft).Get the picture? Why "the curse"?Because I am totally, utterly, spoiled by all these fine add-on products. Just yesterday I was looking at the great Integrated simavionics group by Ernie Alston. If this was some years ago, I would have jumped and buy it. But now... well, in what aircraft would I stick all those great gauges? Have I really become that much "hard core" that I wrinkle my nose at "lesser" freeware aircraft and don't find pleasure in flying them? Phew... what does that tell me?I started flying on the good ol' Commodore 64, then used the Amiga (which was the greatest computer of all time IMHO) to finally transfer my virtual flying activities to a PC where I started with FU series, then Fly series and FS in the end. I tried all kinds of flying, I designed stuff (anyone remember the "Big Mamas" in Fly-II?) and today I find myself flying almost exclusively top notch add-on aircraft, mostly big iron. Ok, I will take the Cheyenne (Aerosoft) for a spin, but that's it. Funny... I remember how excited I was about bush flying (I was in the BFU in the golden days of FU-III), then I had a period when I flew the old propliners, then came Alaska (Tongass fjords...). But when I learned how to fly my first FCU equipped modern airliner, I never looked back. And even after all these years it still gives me immense pleasure to, let's say, make a successful flight from Dubai to the old Kai Tak aboard a B747-200, navigating by INS and then land successfully on that (in)famous rwy 13.... oh and I rarely fly to a non-AESed airport, to top it all.Makes me think, actually. Is this progress or is it something else? :( :( Have a great sunday, everybody! B) Regards,JureP.S.: Now, don't get me wrong... I have the greatest respect for both, free- and payware developers. Without them... what a great hobby this is! :(

I agree!Only I think my wallet has been cursed by flight simulator more than myself :(

Ahhh, to each their own. I can fly an FMC/CDU any old time I want. I think its way more fun to come in at tree top level in something small and light. A craft that slips with the breeze and lands on a dime. If you're landing and change your mind, you simply throttle her up, flip up the flaps and you're gone some where else.You're closer to good old mother earth and can see the ULMs having a ball on a Sunday afternoon, chasing each other above the fields of grass. The you buzz into LFOY and have a picnic...feeling the warm sun on a summer breeze :)Mark

I agree!Only I think my wallet has been cursed by flight simulator more than myself :(

Couldn

Yes, the best payware offerings do tend to spoil us, although as a fan of the Tinmouse II 732 (and RFP 742) I know that there's some freeware out there that can offer a "payware" experience. I bought Ernie's ISG gauges and FMC's for just these two aircraft, although they also work well in less detailed freeware like Lars Roennig's Lear 25. And of course, nothing beats the PT Tu154M for systems fidelity. The nice thing about detailed airliners is the "replayability", so that one can concentrate on a few detailed aircraft without buying a new one every week. I save that impulse for add-on airports, which will put me into marriage counseling before too long, I'm sure. :(

glad I don't have that 'problem' - I'm perfectly happy just noodling around in the default c172.uh huh :(

As John G notes, Ernie Alston's ISG gauges can soup up even decent payware stuff. A good example of that would be the 737-200 and the 737 Classics, most of which have had their avionics upgraded to be very similar to the NGs in cockpit display capabilities, with five DUs quite commonplace on earlier variants these days. This makes them look a lot like an NG when you get in the cockpit, since the general layout of the 737 has hardly changed over the years, apart from the width of the central pedestal.You can use Ernie's marvelous Integrated Simavionics to emulate what they do, which will create cockpits very similar to what is often found in modernised Classic 737 or 200.There is very little wrong with the Wilco/Feel There PIC 737 or the Tin Mouse, but sling those ISG gauges in and you can make it into a very different aeroplane that is still like a real world counterpart, but in more modern times. Likewise the FSFK ACARS and the CS weather radar can add plenty more realism to even add-ons which are regarded as the best.Until all decent payware aircraft have a radar, DFDAU, ACARS and all the other fancy stuff you find on the real things, I'll never be averse to playing around with what they have by default. Yes we are indeed spoiled in many cases, but there's no need to settle for that - FS Panel Studio is your friend!Al