Have you tried CS 727? I like it very much.

 

I want to like the CS727, but I find it buggy. The user community is decent with mods that help, but it has too many minor annoyances. I think the Coolsky DC-9 is slightly better. It isn't perfect either, but it's a little more stable as an add-on.

If you want something free then go here: http://www.dmflightsim.co.uk/

There also panel updates for his VC10 on avsim. A megga one due out soon with new engine sounds and new daylit cockpit, oxygen panel, smoke alarms, pushback, marshaller etc etc etc.,

It contains the full on checklists of which the pre-flight takes at least 20 mins to do thoroughly.

So, in terms of "as real as it gets" we're just talking about 10-20 aircraft?

Of my own collection, there is only one plane that I would say nails it on all aspects: the A2A Cub. Truly the only plane I have that makes me "feel" like being there, which is mostly because of Accusim. There is however another plane that I always felt very comfortable in, and that's the Flight1 BN2 islander. The sound and graphics, and the nice bumping effect on the ground, combine to make a wonderful flying experience.

 

So all in all, I guess I have only two planes that truly give me the sense of piloting an aircraft, and those are the above two. Sure there are more aircraft that I own that I love to fly, such as the Leonardo Maddog, RealAir Scout, Sibwings Bird Dog a host of Carenado planes, the Level-D 767 and PMDG MD-11, but none of them truly give me the feel that the A2A Cub and BN2 Islander give me. Interestingly, while I acknowldge the very high quality of the PMDG 737NGX, it actually isn't one of my favorite aircraft of all time. Perhaps I have cooled down on Boeings, and have warmed up for Airbus... Although, I still adore the Level-D 767. Always a pleasure flying that aircraft! And if you were to ask me what planes I always dislike flying, then I'd have to say CS aircraft. I've never "felt" those planes. Not sure why, but the I don't "get" their atmosphere, I just don't feel it...

CS? CoolSky or Captain Sim?

CS = Captain Sim.

 

And I agree entirely with Thralni on that - I think that is why people say that the CS releases always feel like "Flying Textures".

 

There is no doubting the beautiful VCs and textures but there is a real lack of "fidelity" in the flying experience, and general ambience.

 

I cannot tell you how much I was looking forward to the CS 737-200 but I never ever fly it, as it just doesn't feel right to me.

 

Best immersion for me is probably still the PMDG MD-11, closely followed by the NGX. I am also absolutely loving the QualityWings 146 (Avros) for FSX too though. And the Just Flight 146 -200 is pretty good too, but unlike the QW model, it doesn't support any AP keyboard assignments (native FS or FSUIPC Mouse Macros) and I generally hate flying all on mouse clicks ... but I make an exception for this one.

I like flying Capt Sim (CS) classic aircrafts like their 727, 707 and their C-130. I love hand flying their aircrafts. Good eye candy and it feels good hand flying them and like their dirty smoky engines and their sound package. But I dont use any of the systems as such..Basic VOR/ILS, ADF flying only.

And the Just Flight 146 -200 is pretty good too, but unlike the QW model, it doesn't support any AP keyboard assignments (native FS or FSUIPC Mouse Macros) and I generally hate flying all on mouse clicks ... but I make an exception for this one.

 

So Just Fligh can make decent aircraft? I've kept away from them since wasting money on the DC-3 and Viscount...

So Just Fligh can make decent aircraft? I've kept away from them since wasting money on the DC-3 and Viscount...

Well I find flight dynamics of their Avro to be pretty much train like compared to QW, but sure graphically it's really nice.

Some that rate highly on my realism scale include the Sibwings O-1 Bird Dog, the Carenado C185F Skywagon with the Bernt Stolle mods, the Aerosoft BeaverX -- an oldie but a goodie, and of course, the A2A J3 with Accu-Sim.

So Just Flight can make decent aircraft? I've kept away from them since wasting money on the DC-3 and Viscount...

 

The Just Flight 146-200 is made by CLS ....... now I never normally go near their stuff, due to past bad experiences and the fact that their stuff never, ever supports any keyboard assignments, or hardware. Not even for basic stuff like Heading -/+ ............ but in the case of the JF 146, I did not know it was by CLS until after I'd bought it! ........ I do actually think it's a good addon in many respects. I partially agree with FSCamp that the FDE is not as good as the QW 146 (Avro's), but I do still enjoy the JF version, as being a -200 model it's very different to the QW version as the JF/CLS version is steam gauges. Just wish CLS would bother themselves to bind even the default FS key assignments for the AP, to their models though ..........

 

Captain Sim are the same by the way.... No key assignments, or no important key assignments like Heading bug.

 

The QW 757 is also like that, but QW listened to their customers and added Default FS + FSUIPC Mouse Macro support to their 146, and all AP functions are key assignable.......... = happy days. :smile:

As I believe was said before, the PMDG 737 NGX, also the FSLabs Concorde is really good in my opinion.

Classic prop/cargo plane? Look no farther than the A2A B377 Stratocruiser - add the COTS (Captain of the Ship) upgrade and it'll keep you going for years.

This. A solutely beautiful plane and I'm just scratching the surface. Ai crew and Heidi make this airliner like no other. Because of crew this complex piston engined plane doesn't overwhelm you at the start.

 

I have B17, but I haven't flown it yet,.and my favorite plane is yet to see . So far out of three other A2A Accusim plane that I own (Spit, P40,P51) Strato is the best. Work of art.

 

 

The LotusSim L-39 comes closer to all of your criteria than anything I can think of.

PMDG 747X and fly your cargo around in style