Telluride Airport (KTEX) , 9070 ASL is located in Colorado. My virtual 4 bedroom condominium is located about 30 minutes from the airport. Most of my neighbors are pilots and keep their aircraft hangered at the airport.

 

I don't know if it was the third or fourth crash that started me down this path. My friends and I were leaving Telluride and flying into southern California for the weekend. Time to get out of the snowy winter and enjoy some beach time. We were all on board my 737-600 BBJ. I was pilot in charge and my friends were enjoying the luxury of the BBJ's accommodations. In fact they got quite loud even with the cabin door closed!

 

The main problem was I just couldn't gain height fast enough. I tried different fuel weights. Invited fewer friends. Max engines. Nothing worked. I smacked the mountains each time. I was loosing dear friends (including me) ,and it was costing a fortune to replace the planes. This was starting to get to me emotionally. I needed an aircraft that was smaller, lighter and faster than the 600. Little did I know the effort this would take.

 

I've always liked payware aircraft for FSX. I decided to going shopping. The following is a summary of my experience that started out innocently enough but boy did it go sideways!

 

feelThere Citation X (FSX) - I've always had a fondness for this developer. Maybe it started with 737 PIC. This is a FS9 product ported to FSX. It has a decent exterior, nice VC and 2D panel and o.k. tutorial flight manual. Here's the deal: I could never get it to follow a LNAV course. I read the manual 10 times, goggled for answers, tried every thing. It just wanted to stay in HDG mode. I uninstalled it. I don't have patience for this stuff.

 

Eagle Soft Citation X V1 (FSX) - This is a FS9 product ported to FSX and it's not their new V2 version. It has a beautiful exterior and VC. Decent 2D and limited FMC. It's only drawback is the 2D panel and VC resolution is not as sharp as newer products. I enjoy it but I wanted something more.

 

Extreme Prototype 20 Series Business Jet - This Lear jet product has received good reviews, has a great manual (I downloaded it) and a wonderful website. I purchased it and then tried to download it. 4 days , 8 download attempts and 1 correspondence (prompt reply) later I cancelled my order. The download would simply stop half way, it would never ever finish. Even with a alternate link provided in correspondence it wouldn't download properly (I turned off virus protection too). I'll be revisiting this developer again but will ask for the hardcopy (CDROM) version instead.

 

feelThere Embraer Phenom 100 - on the developers website this looked great. Purchase and download went well. This aircraft has a beautiful exterior and sharp 2D and VC. Also, a well written manual. Unfortunately, no matter what I did it wouldn't track a gps course. Actually it did. It lasted 2 seconds before it went to heading mode. Again , went back thru the manual, read the support forums. Using gps nav is a combination of the CDI button on the MFD and using the Autopilot. I tried everything the manual said and much more. I could never get it to follow a gps nav course. Did I mention my patience issue? I instructed my aircraft mechanics to drain the jet fuel and tow the Phenom to our parts field. There I handed out plastic explosive to my staff and asked them to eliminate it with extreme prejudice. They said there were several explosions, I guess I didn't notice them since I was working on maintenance logs. Did I mention I was fond of feelThere. Not any more.

 

Lionheart Epic Victory VLJ - the last chapter of the story. This little gem was reviewed several years ago at Avsim. Checkout their website. Everything works AS advertised. It goes like hell. Is that realistic? Probably not but the look on my virtual friends faces is worth a million bucks! Gorgeous visuals, sophisticated autopilot and on and on. Right now my favorite GA VLJ.

 

My FSX hanger includes PMDG 747X, iFly 737, CS 727,757,767 , Simcheck A300 and Wilco/feelThere 737PIC and Airbus Series (original editions). All of these downloaded and worked as advertised. At least damn close. Is that asking too much?

 

John Taylor

If your up for a new experiences, I have to recommend the Feelthere Regional Jets package. Including everyone's favorite ERJ135, 145, 145XR. The functionality in this plane is great, including the models and sounds as well. http://www.feelthere.com/3_embraer-regional-jets-for-fs9-and-fsx.html?product_id=3

Hello

How did you manage to buy two CX's and still miss out on the best Business jet for FSX, the Eaglesoft CXv2

The ES CSv2 along with the Feelthere Regional Jets ERJ 135-145 are the best it gets for this sector

John,

 

The Flight1 Mustang, if your system can run it, is a light jet that will bring a smile to "your" face.

if your system can run it

 

It is hard on a system. Its the only plane I own that will give me sutters! Thought it was just me.

 

As far as flying a 737 out of KTEX with a RWY of 6800 FT and an ELV of 11,000 ft. It would be a challenge if possible at all. I have done quite abit of flying bigs and heavies in the Andies. Their rwys are 12,000+ ft and it takes all of it to get airbourne. KTEX is more of a corporate jet airport. Flown many King Airs and Cjets in and out of there.