Just thought I'd post this question to all real world pilots around here to see what you guys think. What FS9 GA add-on lands the best based on your real world experience. Here's my list (based on what I own) with 1 being the best:1. RealAir's SF2602. Flight1's Commander3. Dreamfleet's A364. Dreamfleet's Baron5. Caranado's 182QI fly quite a bit and very few add-ons really capture those last few moments like these add-ons I mentioned above. I would have put this in the Hanger Chat forum but opted for the FS9 forum seeing I'm not talking anything FSX. Without a fluid experience this whole topic is a mute point. Anyway I'm curious as to what other experienced real world GA pilots think are the better GA aircraft that give the best feel when you get over the runway about to touch down.

I recently did an AVSIM review for the Golden Age Simulations Boeing B-40 (which is available for both FS9 and FSX). As you may know, the B-40 was Boeing's first ever airliner - a really big biplane from the mid 1920 - which could carry four passengers, so not really a GA aircraft, but it has about the same speed and wingspan as a big twin, even though it is a single engine affair. The review has yet to appear, but I do recall when testing it that it floated quite a way and the touchdown was almost imperceptible. The kind of thing you have to drive down onto the runway, which is a lot like many of the sailplanes I fly, since they tend to ride the ground effect quite a long way, often requiring you to dump the lift by playing the spoiler lever like a trombone.Now obviously I've never flown a real B-40, since there is only one airworthy one in existence and even that was only recently restored to flying condition, but that very soft touchdown did remind me of some of the real life landings I've made, where you pull off a greaser and aren't even sure when the wheels are going to touch. Of course in real circumstances, once you are down you feel it in your &@($*, but up to that point when you are in ground effect, I'm sure you know what I mean.I think a lot of why I was setting that down gently was because you are sat incredibly far back with a big long fuselage and cowling in front of you, necessitating either a curved, or a very steep approach in order to keep the runway in sight, and really easing the thing down is necessary, since for the last few seconds you can't really see much of the runway. Track IR helps, so you can lean over the side and see where you are too! That quite impressed me with its landing characteristics. It may or may not be like the real thing, but it was a fairly convincing affair all the same, and it did remind me a lot of the landing techniques I tend to use for real.Al

I recently did an AVSIM review for the Golden Age Simulations Boeing B-40 (which is available for both FS9 and FSX). As you may know, the B-40 was Boeing's first ever airliner - a really big biplane from the mid 1920 - which could carry four passengers, so not really a GA aircraft, but it has about the same speed and wingspan as a big twin, even though it is a single engine affair. The review has yet to appear, but I do recall when testing it that it floated quite a way and the touchdown was almost imperceptible. The kind of thing you have to drive down onto the runway, which is a lot like many of the sailplanes I fly, since they tend to ride the ground effect quite a long way, often requiring you to dump the lift by playing the spoiler lever like a trombone.Now obviously I've never flown a real B-40, since there is only one airworthy one in existence and even that was only recently restored to flying condition, but that very soft touchdown did remind me of some of the real life landings I've made, where you pull off a greaser and aren't even sure when the wheels are going to touch. Of course in real circumstances, once you are down you feel it in your &@($*, but up to that point when you are in ground effect, I'm sure you know what I mean.I think a lot of why I was setting that down gently was because you are sat incredibly far back with a big long fuselage and cowling in front of you, necessitating either a curved, or a very steep approach in order to keep the runway in sight, and really easing the thing down is necessary, since for the last few seconds you can't really see much of the runway. Track IR helps, so you can lean over the side and see where you are too! That quite impressed me with its landing characteristics. It may or may not be like the real thing, but it was a fairly convincing affair all the same, and it did remind me a lot of the landing techniques I tend to use for real.Al

To be honest-I think there is a lot to be done in the landing realm. I haven't found any plane yet to land right (or takeoff) but I keep hoping.

To be honest-I think there is a lot to be done in the landing realm. I haven't found any plane yet to land right (or takeoff) but I keep hoping.

I agree. I always blamed it on the lack of ground effect. Obviously not the only reason, but I think adding that would allow more tricks to be done to make takeoff's and landings a lot more realistic.

Just to make it clear I know sims can never get things totally right but to me there are some add-ons that stand out more than others, I'm surprised that's not acknowledged. There's a few add-ons that's more than acceptable for practicing (with the right peripherals of course meaning yoke/peddles, TrackIR, etc).

Just to make it clear I know sims can never get things totally right but to me there are some add-ons that stand out more than others, I'm surprised that's not acknowledged.

Some are closer but still missing by mile doesn't make a stand out.

Carenado's offerings. The Mooney feels like a Mooney and the Cessnas... Cessnas. If I could just get them to slip! I love using the slip in real life, much to the displeasure of my non-flying friends that ride along.As for larger airliners, I've only got time in a 737 sim. But I can say the Level-D 767 feels accurate (as far as control response, sensation of height). With TrackIR and Active Camera, it's wonderful! Now if I could get something to shake my chair and drop it on touchdown/ground spoiler use. Perhaps someone with a a lot of real life "airliner" time can interject.

i used the Flight1 Cessna 172 extensively during my real-world flight training. Its stall-speeds, glide-speeds, etc. were pretty dead on. It was really good for planning my daily routes and x-countries.These days, i fly mostly Dreamfleet stuff for realism:Beech Baron 58 - longer x-countriesBeech A36 - short runsATR-500 - long flights (not GA)-feng

One of the most enjoyable and challenging aircraft is the MAMSIM DC3.A properly managed and flown approach to touchdown is a very satisfying accomplishment. :(

SD Yak40 hands down!!!

Yup, agree with you there the Yak-40 does a convincing job of things, but it's not really a GA aircraft as per the OP question. Another one which is (more or less) a GA aircraft and which does a decent job is the Aeroworx King Air.Al

Some are closer but still missing by mile doesn't make a stand out.

Agreed, like in a low wing aircraft you get all kinds of ground effect. I did a few lessons in the piper and floated half way down the runway....you do not get that is FS9 or FSX.

Missed the GA part.The AWB200 is good but it has flaws. I fly B200's myself and although it's close it's not quite there :D However, the problems with it I would say is mostly fs9 limitations. For instance, it's very hard to slow down whereas in the real KA you just go full fine pitch and as those props disc it will slow you down real real quick, someone once said it's like stepping on the brakes in your car and I agree. Again, awesome little aircraft but I'm nitpicky :D :D

Missed the GA part.The AWB200 is good but it has flaws. I fly B200's myself and although it's close it's not quite there :D However, the problems with it I would say is mostly fs9 limitations. For instance, it's very hard to slow down whereas in the real KA you just go full fine pitch and as those props disc it will slow you down real real quick, someone once said it's like stepping on the brakes in your car and I agree. Again, awesome little aircraft but I'm nitpicky :D :D

I agree the Aeroworx King Air B200 is great. I thought I was the only to notice that it won't stop like the real thing. I know in the real thing the taxi can be tricky with the turbine engines to get that good and smooth slow speed but the sim version is super fast or stops. Yes I have the idle just above the low setting. Not as acuarate as the real thing. Still love it as a good GA planeCarl Perry

Bad ground dynamics and lack of ground effect and updraft / gust handling .. well, there are none that really compare to real. The smaller the plane, the worse the effect unfortunately.The upcoming and recently announced Dash Q400 from Majestic software sounds interesting as they claim to use their own external ground and flight dynamics engine.