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What are you flying around PNW and the other NA areas?

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Obviously we all have our favourite/favourites amongst the aircraft we fly but I started doin some of the maths/nav plotting recently and that lead me to look at a couple of factors.

 

Now for Tail Draggers my top 2 are A2A's cub and SibWings Bird Dog. IMHO superb models that fly well and enable you to tackle just about any surface you can land on! However unless you have a LOT of spare time (and a partner who's given up on your "time wasting" on FSX) you need something faster to cover greater distances. Apart from some of the latest Turboprop Singles that means a twin.

 

So I then started looking at runway lengths on all the ORBX add-on fields. I also looked at "What we got in the box". Obviously the Baron and King Air stick out as obvious candidates and of the 2 the King Air is obviously the fastest. They used to operate a King Air from my real world field at Denham (Just North of Heathrow) so I decided to try out the Default King Air from my copy of Denham (http://www.mutleysha.../ncm/denham.htm which btw is absolutley spot on bar some rather tall trees on the approach to 24 ...oh and I only saw the grass runway across the main runway used once in 14 years) only to find myself ploughing through the perimeter fence long before I could lift off. It was then that I realised that the Default King Air is a 350 model. The one that operated when I was there was a 200. Looking at the takeoff rolls for the two models I was amazed to find that the 200 could operate from 2000' strips (Denham had 2500 if you used every inch of tarmac ...and they did reverse the 200 up to the very end before starting their roll!!) whereas the 350 requires between 2700 and 3300' according to load.

 

So looking at my spreadsheet of ORBX field data I see that this leaves very few fields from which the Default King Air could operate. Why they chose that over the much more commonly operated 200 goodness knows?

 

SO.....

 

To twins? Basically to operate out of most ORBX NA add-on fields they have to be able to operate in or out of a 2000' strip.

 

I recently bought the MilViz Cessna 310R. To my mind one of the prettiest GA twins ever built. It's a great model and has good reviews so I was delighted to see that they've just released a B55 Baron (shorter than the Default B58) but by all accounts every bit as good as the C310. It's on my list.

 

I've also got Carenado's excellent C337H so I'm pretty well kitted for smaller twins.

 

I've been looking at the (originally FS9) PA31 Navajo http://www.avsim.com...vajo/Navajo.htm by FSD which I got a ride in on a trip round outback fields and station strips in Australia. A bit bigger and I know from that trip a good rough strip performer. Interested to hear from anyone who has it?

 

Carenado's Cessna C340 is an obvious upgrade from the 310?

 

Moving to turbo's Carenado's C90 King Air is an obvious choice but I understand there are two King Air 200's out there http://www.sim-outho...X-King-Air-B200 if you're into doing some modifications.

 

BTW almost forgot the Carenado Cessna Caravan & Cargo version. Found an excellent mod the other day to make the alt/vs gauge buttons work. Much easier to fly with TrackIR now. I find the small "mouse click areas to use the knobs and switches in their excellent virtual cockpits a pain using Track IR? Just me? Anyone seen any other fixes for that?

 

I'm interested in anyone's experience or feedback on these or their own favourites.

 

There's some excellent freeware out there too. The P6 Pilatus being one of my favourites. I notice that FSD does an excellent pack of those with Wheels, Floats and Skis ....so that's on the list too!

 

Any reviews, feedback, recommendations?

 

Also any Good Pacific/NW repaints anyone's found for anything?

 

Geoff


Geoff Brown

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Hi Geoff,

I deleted all my GA aircraft you name it I had it, but now I have only Baytower RV7 and RealAir Duke Turbine.

I just don't think there is any better. The RealAir has engine failure and I love that. You have to do it by the book or your engines will cut out.

 

The only other aircraft in my hanger now are Acc-sim A2A and PMDG 737. Everything else I binned.

 

I don't wast by time flying eye candy with no depth anymore.

MilViz is the only make I have never had so no comment on them.

 

For short hopes round Orbx the RV7 is perfect and have the best rain effects I have seen.

 

Good luck in getting your next GA half the fun is looking.


David Murden  MSFS   Fenix A320  PMDG 737 • MG Honda Jet • 414 / TDS 750Xi •  FS-ATC Chatter • FlyingIron Spitfire & ME109G • MG Honda Jet 

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Hi David,

 

I know what you mean about Depth. The A2A aacusim stuff is brilliant. I've also got the Aerosoft PBY Catalina which requires really careful engine management. I really ought to backup all my Airliners because I never fly them. Later maybe, and whilst I can see the attraction for those who like them I prefer more "Seat of the Pants" right now.

 

I've often wondered what effect having loads of aircraft loaded has on start up times on the Sim. How many add-ons rely on "Default" aircraft being present etc.

 

BTW the Accu-Feel standalone add-on is a great way to give some extra immersion in any existing aircraft and I thoroughly recommend that. A lot of good effects for a small price .... but works best at volume levels that tend to bring complaints from SWMBO Just%20Kidding.gif

 

Geoff


Geoff Brown

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Yes the Aerosoft PBY Catalina is one great very over looked aircraft. It as the most amazing sound on full throttle on take off. Forgot all about it I might re-install it, thanks for the reminder Geoff.

 

Accu-Feel is a must have for all GA's.


David Murden  MSFS   Fenix A320  PMDG 737 • MG Honda Jet • 414 / TDS 750Xi •  FS-ATC Chatter • FlyingIron Spitfire & ME109G • MG Honda Jet 

 Fenix A320 Walkthrough PDF   Flightsim.to •

DCS  A10c II  F-16c  F/A-18c • F-14 • (Others in hanger) • Supercarrier  Terrains = • Nevada NTTR  Persian Gulf  Syria • Marianas • 

• 10900K@4.9 All Cores HT ON   32GB DDR4  3200MHz RTX 3080  • TM Warthog HOTAS • TM TPR • Corsair Virtuoso XT with Dolby Atmos®  Samsung G7 32" 1440p 240Hz • TrackIR 5 & ProClip

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Except the realair legacy which has its on ( and better ) version of accu feel. If you could only own one ga it has to be the legacy !


-Iain Watson-

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The legacy looks good but I'd forgotten Real Air did a Duke. In fact they do a piston and a turbine version and indee both in one package at a discount over the individual models. Another possible for the list?


Geoff Brown

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I am a RealAir Turbine Duke evangelist and with good reason.

 

IMHO it is to this day the best GA twin ever made for FSX.

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Guest Mik75

Carenado C90B, Grand Caravan, C337, Milviz C310, B55 and RealAir (Turbine) Duke are my favourite planes for the PNW area...

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Well FSD have a special promotion on this weekend so their P6 and Navajo are now bought and paid for. The Milviz Baron was a "must have" too .......so the CC will have to have a rest for a bit now :wink: . Good to see two positive feedbacks on the Real Air Duke. Whilst downloading the FSD stuff I noticed that their version of the C337 comes with the proper Military version too. Don't suppose anyone has that AND the Carenado one? If so how do they compare?

 

Geoff


Geoff Brown

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IMHO it is to this day the best GA twin ever made for FSX.

 

Love the Duke and recommend it all the time as well (actually recommend the package deal with both piston and turbine Duke), but "best" in this context is pretty subjective. Despite how good the Turbine Duke is, the 337 is far and away my favorite twin for PNW exploring, in part because of the cockpit visibility. The Duke is pretty much at the other end of this spectrum, as its cockpit vis is pretty limited. Not a knock on RealAir, that's the way the plane is. For a turbine conversion, I prefer Carenado's JetProp for PNW, as the cockpit vis is better. On the other hand, the Duke can get in and out of ridiculously short runways. Both of these really only work well if you get 'em high, so any sightseeing is done from altitude, not from flying up a valley.

 

I would cautiously recommend the new B55 Baron. If you've ever spent time in a classic Baron, this becomes a must have. Along with the 337, it's the plane that most makes me believe I'm actually sitting in the cockpit of a classic piston plane. Some may dismiss this as "eye candy", but I consider it part of the immersive experience, and the Baron's panel is a work of art. I say cautiously recommend because the plane has had a few early teething pains, but Milviz has been extremely receptive to comments and responsive to fixing or promising to fix real issues - a new FDE has already been made available and a service pack is forthcoming, as well as a couple of model/engine options. I think this is going to be a plane I spend a lot of time in - my flight time is already climbing following the new FDE.

 

Others have mentioned RealAir's new Lancair Legacy, and it is indeed a gem and well suited for fun in PNW. Like the Dukes, it flys right, stuff works, RXP integration is perfect, sounds are great, the documentation is exceptional and all that, but unlike the Dukes cockpit visibility is also exceptional. This is a plane to sightsee in, or go fast and get places - so long as you don't want to take all your friends along. Unlike others, the whole shake the panel thing still doesn't quite resonate with me (excuse the pun), but maybe I'll grow to like it in time. And it's easily turned off if, like me, you find you don't care for it.

 

.

If you could only own one ga it has to be the legacy !

 

But again, I'd have to disagree. Good as the Legacy is (it's exceptional), if I could own only one GA aircraft, it wouldn't be the Legacy. There are other GA planes that I'm more interested in IRL for a host of personal and practical reasons, and I expect I'm not alone in finding that I fly what I do in the sim only in part because a plane is modeled well.

 

As for the C90 - I fly the C90 because I always wanted to fly a King Air, and now I can. But it's really more about flying the King Air than it is about flying it in PNW if you get what I mean.

 

Scott

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Talking of "Shake, Rattle & Roll" another of my favourites is this. http://www.avsim.com/pages/0807/Do-27/Do-27.htm As you can see from the screengrabs in the review this has some of the best "weathering" and general wear and tear of any FSX models. There's no doubt that the additional "eye candy" makes for a far more immersive experience. After all we're all posting here because we spent our Pounds/Bucks/Euros on the best Scenery "eye candy" out there. I totally agree however that this is only part of what makes a good simulator.

 

Well with such glowing praise the Dukes just have to be on the list :good: .....but quite apart from my CC bill I need to spend some time actually flying the new stuff first!

 

Geoff


Geoff Brown

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Carenado SkyMaster and the C185 Bush Series are perfect for ORBX scenery. I also spend time in the PMDG NGX as ORBX even looks great from 40000 feet.

 

Between those you cover all of the ORBX world, and at all altitudes. You can get in and out of the most remote airstrips with the bush series or fly all the way from Ketchikan to Jackson Hole on the Alaska Airlines 737-900. The Skymaster is perfect for cruising the coast lines.

 

Cheers


Matthew Kane

 

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.....but quite apart from my CC bill I need to spend some time actually flying the new stuff first!

 

So true! I'd declared a personal moratorium on new aircraft as I already have a goodly number that I really enjoy flying. Then Milviz relased the Baron and RealAir the Lancair... and I'm weak.

 

But really - no new aircraft for me for a while. And this time I mean it. Probably.

 

Scott

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Well I've had a play with all of my new purchases, briefly as real life intervenes as usual, and I'd make the following observations. The FSD stuff shows it's age a bit from an "eye candy" point of view, both models being developed from FS9 models but The Navajo has a well used appearance and the PC6's extraordinary performance would make folk howl that it was unrealistic if there weren't so many You-Tube clips that show just how incredibly the real thing performs! Very good documentation and an easy Loadmaster for both aircraft ....well three! because the Navajo has a higher powered derivative in the pack as well.

 

Having some issues with the Baron, as documented elsewhere, but have downloaded the patch and just need time to try it again.

 

Have to admit matthew haven't spent much time at FL400! Still as they say "The two most useless things to an aviator are altitude above you and runway behind you". ....so maybe I should give it a try? :wink:

 

Geoff


Geoff Brown

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Having some issues with the Baron, as documented elsewhere, but have downloaded the patch and just need time to try it again.

 

Geoff, the patch is a must and corrects some pretty substantial rudder, brake and trim issues as well as some other things, but its an FDE change only at this point. Don't know what else you're seeing or where you've posted, but there are other issues and a SP is pending.

 

Good luck,

 

Scott

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