FS9 Aircraft Purchase Recommendation Request

[kerke 0]

After spending big bucks on my FS2004 computer, my payware aircraft budget has suffered greatly and it is basically limited to one payware aircraft, at least for the time being.I have compiled a list of four FS2004 aircraft that may very well be the best FS9 add-on aircraft to-date.Here's my short list (in no specific order):+ Flight1 Cessna 441 Conquest II ($24.95 US)+ FSD Piper Navajo Panther ($24.95 US)+ Eaglesoft Cessna Citation X ($27.95 US)+ PMDG 737-800/900 ($62.90 US)OK, so here's my question to those of you lucky guys who already own the above aircraft. If you had to make the difficult decision of selecting just one aircraft out of the above four fine packages, which one would you recommend?Thank you in advance :-wave

[michal 44]

Got to add Flight1 Piper Meridian to the list. Michael J.

[Guest JeanLuc_]

Something I don't understand: if your constraint is **1** aircraft for budget reasons, then for the $62.90 for one aircraft you could get pick one of the others in your list, and the Meridian listed by Michael for example, to end up with **2** aircrafts with the same budget?

[kerke 0]

I realize that. I wonder whether the PMDG B737-800/900 package is so good that it is worth buying that instead of, say, two other payware aircraft!On the Piper Meridian issu, well, I just don't like single engine aircraft too much, so I did not include it in my list.

[Guest madmatt7]

Looks like apples and oranges to me.Have you looked at the Cessna 310 Charlie Mike? Gorgeous aircraft inside and out, easy on framerates, superb sounds, and outstanding flight model. Really gives you that mushy control feel at low airspeeds. I fly it much more often than my Citation X, Panther, or PMDG.BUT if you insist:All are excellent choices.The PMDG 737-800/900, just like the -700 is a gorgeous package. So is the Citation X. But both noticeably hurt framerates. The Cessna 441 looks pretty nice, but I don't own it, so I can't comment. Looks a lot like a suped up 421 Golden Eagle that is also a good package.The Navajo Panther is easy on framerates and looks great. Out of the 3 I own, I fly the 737 the most, simply because I do a lot of short commercial hops. I do a good amount of twin flying, but I prefer the Cessna 310 over the Panther. I really shouldn't have bought the Citation because I just can't get too into business jets - no matter how sexy. As a sidenote, I've flown the Meridian once. On my system, it doesn't just hurt framerates, it kills them. - Matt D.

[michal 44]

>As a sidenote, I've flown the Meridian once. On my system, it>doesn't just hurt framerates, it kills them.Matt, You clearly are doing something wrong here. Your configuraton may be off, your Hyper-Threading ,priority, etc. This product is very sensitive to mis-configuration.This is what Carlos (cast1010) posted on the adjacent MSFS hardware Discussion forum just hours ago:Piper 1 Meridian (so complex and so easy on the FPS, amazing, this one gives me a steady 19 FPS)Michael J.

[rhodges 6]

I see everybody had an adder comment, and nobody addressed your question directly. To answer specifically your question, especially considering budget, I would go with the Citation X. Then download their hanger (You can do that anyway = freeware) and hanger this fine bird all over the world at your favorite airports.Happy flying:RTH

[Guest kickin_chicken]

I have the Flight1 Meridian and FSD-International Piper Cheyenne 400LS. Both are top-notch add-on aircraft for Flight Sim. I personally enjoy the extra power a turbine engine gives. Both Piper's have excellent handling models in flight sim and are expertly rendered in flight sim. I am looking forward to FSD-International's Piper Aerostar 700P. I do not own an add-on piston aircraft yet, but I heard that Flight1's Cessna 421C Golden Eagle was the best add-on aircraft for flight sim 2002. I haven't investigated their Cessna 441 Conquest II since I already own the Cheyenne (and I'm partial to Pipers). If you'd like to try your hand at a larger aircraft without going full-jet, you can get the PMDG Beech 1900B. Looking at their site shows how awesome their aircraft looks. I have read great things about PMDG but I've yet to fly any aircraft from them.I really like the Meridian because it's the fastest single-engine aircraft, handles very well, and Flight1 really made it worth the $30 because they included RealityXP's Garmin 530 GPS systems and the Meggitt EFIS displays. It's the most technologically advanced aircraft I have in my fleet. The Piper Cheyenne is a great twin turbine aircraft. I love the power and handling of this plane in flight sim. It looks awesome, both inside and out. It feels like a big plane (bigger than the Meridian). FSD-International also included (free download) the Photoshop aircraft templates to repaint the aircraft. In summary, I have the Flight1 Meridian (highly recommended) and the FSD-International Piper Cheyenne 400LS (also highly recommended). Both products were worth the $25.

[Gridley 257]

I used a bit of logic when building my hangar: what aircraft suits my flying style?What kind of flying do you find yourself doing most? If you fly for an hour for sight seeing at various random airfields, and spend a lot of time looking out the windows, cross off the PMDG - it'll take you an hour to start it! (at least the first time! ;)). If that's you, the Panther would be high on the list, but I wouldn't discount the Flight1 152 or 177...You say you don't like singles (however, the meridian is in a class of its own, out performing most twins, in fact as far as prop driven fs addons go, only the FSD cheyenne and the Conquest have faster cruises and higher ceilings ) - that must mean that you like flying high, for some 200-300nm distances? IFR? You'd get more mileage from the Conquest or the CX. Since the PMDG is on your list, do you like to replicate real world routes? Consider the PMDG Beech1900 - faster than the Panther, it is a great flight model with an easy to learn cockpit.In building my hangar, I followed a fairly realistic progression - I spend a lot of time behind the dash of the realair 172. I 'graduated' to milton's commander to cut my twin teeth. I have since purchased the Meridian (no issue with frame rates here - many of those who have problems are using multi-threaded CPUs which don't cooperate with the old Garmin trainer app), a fine high performance pressurized single, then the FSD cheyenne, then the PMDG 737, and because I love the aircraft, I've purchased the Beech1900 as well. Most recently, I picked up the Conquest, again because I like the plane, and love the high ceiling, and high speed cruise - my FS time is often limited, and I like to be able to get where I want to go! I find myself flying all of them equally, with the PMDG737NG reserved for the weekends when I can string four hours together for flying (not as often as I'd like)...I'd think about which plane best fits your flying style before make the decision. They are all great options.Best,sg

[Guest danowat]

"This product is very sensitive to mis-configuration."A little misleading, the product itself is not really right, the garmin trainer that is used is a 16 bit application, which does not run at all well on Hyper threaded machines.This is a flaw in the product, not the users system, their system needs to be modified to make the product work correctly, i.e disabling hyper threading.After that is disabled the merdian rans aswell as any other addon, but you cannot say its not the products fault, because it is.BTW, if I had to choose one addon, it would be the PMDG 737, no contest ;)Dan.

[oldbear 33]

KerkeIf I were you I'd just go for the PMDG 737-600/700. You don't necessarily have to get the 800/900 update straight away. Besides, it appears that there are one or two minor gremlins still to be sorted, so you may be better off biding your time and upgrading later on - if you find you like the aircraft (and you will!).On its own the 600/700 is pretty much the perfect FS airliner, and will give you many hours of "This is your captain speaking..." pleasure.RegardsIan

[Guest Boone]

For GA - I simply love the FSD Cheyenne....but for Big Iron - There is only one that matches practically every system that the real world counterpart offers. The PMDG 737 series is in a class of its own.Best RegardsBoone,BooneEIDW@hotmail.com"Flying a plane is no different from riding a bicycle. It's just a lot harder to put baseball cards in the spokes."

[Guest madmatt7]

I'll take your word for it, Michael J. (Fox?) But once I had the initial problem with the Meridian, I wasn't in love with it enough to pursue any further tweaking that might have improved things. (Unlike PMDG's 737.) Come to think of it, the only smaller turboprop I've ever really had a thing for and would have any business buying for FS9 is the Pilatus PC12. So, come on Flight 1, where is it!? :) - Matt D.

[michal 44]

>but you cannot say its not the products fault, because>it is.Yes, I can say it is NOT a product fault.If anyone's fault it is it would be hyperthreading's. But even this would be a stretch since anyone who knows anything about software (and I write software for living) knows that some programs are not to be run under hyperthreading at all. Even tomshardware when reviewing and benchmarking hyperthreading remarked that some application will actually run slower. So if anyone says about software's fault he/she has no clue. Michael J.

[Guest danowat]

the fact of the matter is my, and many others systems have to be "modified" to make this garmin trainer work.I have many,many programs that all work perfectly fine with HT enabled, the garmin trainer remains the ONLY piece of software I have ever used that REQUIRES the user to disable HT, for it to perform as it should, this program really needs dragging into modern times.Dan