Hello everybody,I've been asking quite alot of people lately of what plane i should learn to fly in the simulator. I have talked to Mike of Lotus Simulations who gave me excellent support for the choice, just wanted to confirm it with you guys. Instead of a Carenado 152 II, Mike recommend me the Real Air SF 260. This is simply because of the 3D gauges and because it can be an aerobatic superstar, IFR flyer, or puerly a touring plane.. The main thing that is telling me not to buy it is the detail. The Carenado is beautifuly constructed, but no 3D gauges, no realstic slips and spins. Please help me choose. I made a list of what planes i wish to purchase later on in my flight simming years. BTW im only 12 :) But the aeroclub said im smart enough to start learning at this age :( A2A piper cubReal Air SF260 or Carenado 152Piper ArrowTwotterL39Dash8737 NG2747etcAny suggestions?CheersAlexander Michael

Hi Alex,I'd be inclined to suggest you jump into any bird that takes your fancy, from the Trike Ultralight to the default B747, because there are no adverse consequences when you make a mistake. You can feed you passion for aviation, and test hypotheses about what makes a massive lump of metal defy gravity and travel from place to place. I'd try the Tutorial Missions which take you through the basics of handling a plane, but ulimately navigation is the nut you are going to have to crack - it is one thing to get a big bird off the ground, but how to get one back on the ground is the real puzzle.The best thing about a simulation is that you can sample a huge variety of aircraft. If your wallet is fat enough your list looks pretty good, but you may also try the fascinating historical oddities which freeware has to offer.In any case get out there and explore the FSX world, and simply have fun.

It depends on what you want to learn! (Although developers are interested in helping you learn how to buy their add-ons.)The highest quality aircraft demand good controllers and computers. I wouldn't look at models with advanced slip and stall characteristics without a good set of rudder pedals, for instance.To get a start with aviation, simulated or real, you would want to start where most other people start: with the easiest and simplest aircraft that also has the features you need for learning.Top of the list is the Cessna 172. It's economical (by aeronautical standards), robust, reasonably agile and fast, and forgiving of most mistakes. It has tricycle gear so you don't have to get involved with the tricks of taxi or landing with taildragger gear.The Cessna will allow you to learn VFR procedures. Practise your basic piloting skills: straight and level flying, turns, climbs, descents, circuits in calm weather. Then add wind and do the same. Do as many touch-and-go's as you can.Then you can start to learn IFR and navigation, still using the Cessna 172. That will take up a large chunk of your time. Once you master IFR (including GPS), then pilots move up to twin engine operations, then jets, then advanced aircraft like airliners, fighters, helicopters, and so on.The default Cessna is a very good aircraft. I also am very partial to the default Piper Cub, the Beaver, and the Maule. Out of the bunch, though, I would suggest that the Cessna has the greatest attention to useful detail in FSX, and it has the most useful instrumentation for learning how to be a pilot under most conditions. Anyway, that's the serious answer. I also reccommend the Missions because they can help you focus on a particular way of flying an aircraft you hadn't thought of yet. Jeff ShylukSenior Staff ReviewerAVSIM

Hello everybody,I've been asking quite alot of people lately of what plane i should learn to fly in the simulator. I have talked to Mike of Lotus Simulations who gave me excellent support for the choice, just wanted to confirm it with you guys. Instead of a Carenado 152 II, Mike recommend me the Real Air SF 260. This is simply because of the 3D gauges and because it can be an aerobatic superstar, IFR flyer, or puerly a touring plane.. The main thing that is telling me not to buy it is the detail. The Carenado is beautifuly constructed, but no 3D gauges, no realstic slips and spins. Please help me choose. I made a list of what planes i wish to purchase later on in my flight simming years. BTW im only 12 :) But the aeroclub said im smart enough to start learning at this age :( A2A piper cubReal Air SF260 or Carenado 152Piper ArrowTwotterL39Dash8737 NG2747etcAny suggestions?CheersAlexander Michael

AlexanderI too would recommend the default Cessna, or the Carenado 152. You may as well learn the basics in a proper trainer, and it won't be so far removed from what you'll be doing if and when you start real flying one day. Of course, as said earlier, you can have a play in anything that takes your fancy - after all, it's only a game.. :( Have fun whatever you choose. Sadly, my son - also an Alex - finds it all VERY BORING!! :( Ian

The SF.260 looks good to me, if you have already decided that you want something better-looking than the default Cessna.The A2A Piper Cub is a great plane, but obviously you won't be practicing IFR flight in that one.

It depends where you place the comma.... If you mean.. "Learn to fly, in the simulator.. " .. as in, learn about piloting, using the simulator (as opposed to learning to fly the simulator) ..... FIRST, you must have a yoke and pedals.. and set all realisms to most difficult... then look no further than the default C172. The RealAir C172 is a good choice too. It's freeware, and I believe was an FS2004 deal. All you need to do is put the RealAir C172 air file, and aircraft.cfg file into an FSX C172. But the default C172 is just fine, for learning.As it is in real life, it is in the sim. You don't need to be going any faster than necessary, as you're fine tuning your ability to nail airspeeds.. hold altitudes, and make smooth, accurate climbing and descending turns.. fly perfect patterns, and perfecting the art of landing.Learning to: interpret weather.. plan flights.. passenger/fuel loading.. endurance based on winds aloft.. appropriate alternate airports.. VFR navigation; will keep you busy for a LONG time. Then you can move onto learning radio navigation.. and eventually study instrument flight rules.By the time you can get that C172 from one airport, to another, in one mile visibility(no GPS), and end it all with a perfectly executed (by the plate) instrument approach, THEN you'll be ready to learn complex stuff (retract gear / constant-speed prop) and THEN tackle something bigger and faster...Of course.. this requires discipline and patience.. and we all have a little bit of the "instant airline captain", in us.. and the sim is about having fun, too. Just don't be one of those guys who posts:"I need help getting the the auto-pilot to fly an ILS in the 737 ".. when he has yet to land the C172 realistically, and doesn't know the difference between indicated and true, airspeed.. :(

After your basic, climb, straight and level, Turns, descend and other basic flying (no matter what aircraft your choose), then you may want to learn about Navigation.And the best site for learning Navigation is found here. Favorite this link. Everything you want to know about Navigation. Basic to Advaced IFR is right here.http://www.navfltsm.addr.com/basic-nav-general.htmManny

Your question has already been answered as far as a plane. If you are planning on learning to fly in real life, and it sounds like you are, the 172 is the best, since there's a very good chance thats what you will be learning in.You mentioned a 'club' you are in. The great thing about using the default planes, is that you and your instructor can both join the same plane in the 'multiplayer- shared cockpit' option of FSX and you can then learn real world procedures. Some addons work, some don't, with MP-SC, but the default planes work wonderfully and it will save you a LOT of money when you get to the real airport and jump in!

Of course.. this requires discipline and patience..

Wise words.. But don't forget, he is 12 !!!!! :( Ian

Another vote for the 172 from me. It flies, it has wings and a whirry thing at the front, but isn't so complex that you need to ensure everything is right, all the time. There's a reason it's the best selling GA plane of all time! The big advantage in the sim is that you can use the lessons in the product to help you with everything you need. You won't be able to do that with an aftermarket plane! :( After you learn the basics and want to put them into better practice, THEN I agree the Real Air SF260 is probably the perfect step up - retractable gear, constant-speed prop, a LOT more climb performance and faster cruise, but these things all mean that when things go wrong, they do so quickly. But what you then find is that you can do so much more with it, and it then serves as a stepping stone to whatever you want to go on to next - twins, turboprops - even jets.That's the beauty of FS as a platform - it's as easy or as difficult as YOU want it to be, but with almost endless opportunity for growth.Whatever you choose, enjoy it. If you don't enjoy it, then choose something else. There's nice freeware at almost every level, so you don't have to go for payware if you don't want to.Have FUN, and remember to save the pennies for a trial flight in a real aircraft as soon as you master the basics in the sim. There is no substitute for the Real Thing. Way too many of us end up spending a fortune on the sim, when you could have had a good few hours in the air at the controls of a genuine plane. :(

Hello everybody,I've been asking quite alot of people lately of what plane i should learn to fly in the simulator. I have talked to Mike of Lotus Simulations who gave me excellent support for the choice, just wanted to confirm it with you guys. Instead of a Carenado 152 II, Mike recommend me the Real Air SF 260. This is simply because of the 3D gauges and because it can be an aerobatic superstar, IFR flyer, or puerly a touring plane.. The main thing that is telling me not to buy it is the detail. The Carenado is beautifuly constructed, but no 3D gauges, no realstic slips and spins. Please help me choose. I made a list of what planes i wish to purchase later on in my flight simming years. BTW im only 12 :) But the aeroclub said im smart enough to start learning at this age :( A2A piper cubReal Air SF260 or Carenado 152Piper ArrowTwotterL39Dash8737 NG2747etcAny suggestions?CheersAlexander Michael

I think the A2A Piper ans Carenado 152 are great 'trainers'. The 260 is also very nice, and will allow you to do more instrument flying.But...another to consider highly is the RealAir Scout. As a VFR trainer, it may be the one of the best in the bunch.

Not much point in my posting here, it's all been pretty much said. But I do want to emphasize one thing. The SF-260 is classified as a complex airplane. You won't find too many people beginning their training in it. Why? It's a complex airplane. Keep it simple.The default 172 is a good choice to start with. It and the 152 are what most people have started with in real life. You can do pretty much everything in it, VFR, IFR, and all types of Navigation (since you can fly it both without and with the FSX G1000, which isn't that bad for a beginner.). And really, the default FSX plane isn't that bad. Why spend extra money now? You can move up later, as the other users have said.True, it's not really designed for slips and such. But slips are for later in your development; though it would be nice to have a model which stalls properly. To get that, and slips, too, as one user said, you can use the FS2004 based freeware RealAir C-172 upgrade, but, if I remember correctly, I did do a winmerge on the aircraft.cfg file to get it to better fit in FSX, which I imagine is something you're not quite ready to do yet. Plus, I don't know that the .air file is really up that much better than the FSX .air file. But I haven't compared them in a while.

Thanks for all of the reply gentlemen :)

Have FUN, and remember to save the pennies for a trial flight in a real aircraft as soon as you master the basics in the sim. There is no substitute for the Real Thing. Way too many of us end up spending a fortune on the sim, when you could have had a good few hours in the air at the controls of a genuine plane.

Been there, done that :)I have been thinking about my list of add ons for the sim. I get to be spoiled because because i get excellences in 95% of my exams and short of excellelence in my 'gruleing' Australian english exam.. The nomines for the add ons are!:A2A piper cub for its way to teach beginners the fundementals of flightThe Carenado Cessna 152 for its friendship with beginners and it looks goodREXv2 for its excellent environment configuration.. Common for most FS users nowdaysAU GOLD- Cessnock airport for it's photorealstic and accurate model of hunter valley, and the airport itself.I have a saitek Pro Flight Yoke + throttle quaderent. Maybe looking for CH pedals wtih the saitek X52 pro, heard its rubbish casue it keeps breaking :( So i thought maybe greasing the metal parts or something.CheersThe 12 year old destined pilotAlexander Michael ;) :(

CheersThe 12 year old destined pilotAlexander Michael ;) :(

Good luck on all your future endeavors Alexander. You will be happy with all those choices.

Hello everybody,I've been asking quite alot of people lately of what plane i should learn to fly in the simulator. I have talked to Mike of Lotus Simulations who gave me excellent support for the choice, just wanted to confirm it with you guys. Instead of a Carenado 152 II, Mike recommend me the Real Air SF 260. This is simply because of the 3D gauges and because it can be an aerobatic superstar, IFR flyer, or puerly a touring plane.. The main thing that is telling me not to buy it is the detail. The Carenado is beautifuly constructed, but no 3D gauges, no realstic slips and spins. Please help me choose. I made a list of what planes i wish to purchase later on in my flight simming years. BTW im only 12 :) But the aeroclub said im smart enough to start learning at this age :( A2A piper cubReal Air SF260 or Carenado 152Piper ArrowTwotterL39Dash8737 NG2747etcAny suggestions?CheersAlexander Michael