My Favorite Plane So Far

[motoadve 49]

The Maule feels unstable at slower speeds, I dont know if it is like that in real life, dont think so because has good reputation.What I do in Flight is come with 15 MP of power with full flaps , reducing power by very small amounts to loose altitude and all power off just at the flare

[Rickenbacker 0]

The RV is my favorite so far. Quick, responsive, yet easy to land in small places (and take off again). I really wish it wasn't the A model, though, I prefer taildraggers :).

[HughesMDflyer4 470]

My favorite plane so far, after a few days flying is the Maule. Least is the Icon. Don't Icons have mixture controls, and flaps? Never seen a real one, don't know, but the one in Flight, I don't like. Only thing I do like is, it's ampbibian, so yeah you can land on the water. Would rather have a Goose, for that.The Maule is worth the price to be able to do all the freight missions etc. But I am having problems making a smooth landing--I seem to do OK UNTIL over the threshold, then, drop too quick, and the medical evac patient/dogs/ducks whatever, don't care for it. It IS a SAFE landing, but there's a pretty hard SPLAT. Could be I'm no good with taildraggers yet, lol. Any hints?

Going by your username, I take it you live in Socal? I live in Socal and the Maule is my favorite plane in Flight. Maybe its just a Socal thing? Anyway, the Maule provides a bit of a challenge and that's why I like it. The sound set is very nice as well. All around a beautiful plane. I do like the RV as well, but the Maule is still #1 in my book.

[gucommander 0]

My favorite plane is the RV6 but I'm starting to really get into the Maul.Landing an RV6 just seems a bit....off to me. The thing seems to maintain speed in a rather unrealistic way, even with flaps at 100%.

[enamel 4]

I love the RV6, I love blasting around in it. Favorite for sure.The Icon makes me want to own an Icon. A plane I could tow with my truck and land on lakes with? Yeah, IRL that would be the one for me.I just bought the Maule and find it to be the most difficult plane to land with all sorts of unique flight characteristics. Right now it drives me mad, but I have a feeling it will grow on me.

[Scottj85 0]

I'm not a huge fan of the Icon A5 in Flight, but I'd love to fly one for real. I just love the idea of a plane I could take on a fishing trip.

[Rickenbacker 0]

My favorite plane is the RV6 but I'm starting to really get into the Maul.Landing an RV6 just seems a bit....off to me. The thing seems to maintain speed in a rather unrealistic way, even with flaps at 100%.

Modern composite airplanes will do that. Try sideslipping if you need more drag. I normally fly gliders, and the Maule sometimes makes me miss those spoilers...

[gucommander 0]

Modern composite airplanes will do that. Try sideslipping if you need more drag. I normally fly gliders, and the Maule sometimes makes me miss those spoilers...

I fly a cirrus sr20 which is a "modern composite airplane" and it certainly doesn't come close to reacting like that. Again though, I've never flown an RV6 so i wouldn't truly know how the plane flies. It just feels....wrong.

[GeorgeGab 0]

Although Icon is very lovely aircraft (i saw, that real version is sold out for long time), i preffer RV6. Pretty fun wit fog and ILS :). Maul is also fine, but i can't handle it on landing, never got gold on any maul landing chalenge so far :(. Any idea how to land softly with maul?

[styckx 1,872]

How are you trying to do your Maule landings? 2 or 3 point landing? 3 point landings are much easier. Just practice a lot. You really need to be practically stalled just as all three wheels hit the ground. Taildraggers are a lot of fun but also frustrating because they have an uncanny way of forcing you learn proper technique or you'll be a bunny rabbit hopping down the runway.

[fastcarfastplane 0]

I feel exactly opposite...maybe for me it's due to more familiarity with the Stearman than with the Maule? I'm used to flying lower power-to-weight ratio aircraft in the "real world", that may also be a part. Of course, dragging anything in with full flaps to minimize ground run always seemed "mushy"...yea, I know, random thoughts...more coffee!

the only time i personally don't use full flaps in in xwind or shifty gusts....heh, its amazing how each pilot is so different...or trained differently

[quadraspleen 7]

Taildraggers are a lot of fun but also frustrating because they have an uncanny way of forcing you learn proper technique

Agreed..The Maule is great when it clicks..I'm not so struck on the Stearman..It's a whole new ballgame for me, taildragging..need a longer neck! I still prefer the RV-6..it's a fantastic little plane..The Icon? If I lived by the beach :)

[Great Ozzie 101]

Modern composite airplanes will do that.

Although the Maule and Van's are of two different types of construction, neither are what one would call a composite airplane.Think of fiberglass... polyester resins... carbon graphite fabric... materials of this nature.Besides the mentioned Cirrus... the Glasairs (Is, IIs and IIIs) are a good example of composite aircraft.

The thing seems to maintain speed in a rather unrealistic way, even with flaps at 100%.

Probably due to the efficient wing it uses. That and the vortex generators that delay boundary layer separation (dang for a game we are in the thick of it now).Cherokees are like this... with respect to the wing types.The 140s had a fat hershey bar wing... I mean it is fat... you cut the power and the plane says, "ok, fine, I am done" and "bang" onto the runway you go.Warriors IIs changed to a semi-tapered wing... looks quite a bit different and liked to float in ground effect... cut the power and the plane is like, "not done... no not yet... haha, yeah that balloon was fun... alright not quite yet... ok...ok... am done flying... now" and you settle in.

[Rickenbacker 0]

Although the Maule and Van's are of two different types of construction, neither are what one would call a composite airplane.Think of fiberglass... polyester resins... carbon graphite fabric... materials of this nature.

You're right, of course. They're (I think) stressed skin sheet metal structures. I just thought of composites, because that's what I naturally associate with very clean, slippery airplanes like the RV. I fly gliders, and they have the same problems, hence they all have spoilers to ruin the lift so you can get down when you want to, even with a glide ratio of 1:55 :).

[Crash_of_43 0]

Ditto Mike ! Thanks for the landing on tips for the Stearman .....i sure will try that soon and Yes......like you and a few others here "I Love that Stearman " too. I wished that the Stearman on "Flight" could be more like Dave Echkerts FSX Stearman sound.....it had a more real Stearman sound in my opinion. If.......i could move the engine sound from FSX to "FLIGHT"......i sure would.