...with Aerosoft and BlackBox Simulations promising good things next week.

Is BBS coming up with an update for their A320?

Oh yes, it will be version 6.0 I believe but its a huge rewrite and it will affect both the A319 and A320.

 

The great frustration about the much more complete Aerosoft X was that it is a light version, and amongst many limitations would not accept SIDS and STARS, This will be pretty good I feel.

 

Also FSLabs is bringing out a training level A320 of the standard of their Concorde X.

Hello Ian ,How do you find the Black box version of airbus ,I had a 10% off offer on it and stupidly did not take it up .I think the FSL may be to heavy for my liking (sorry to ask Ian but I feel He will give an Straight and honest answer any one else with an answer pleas chime in )

Black Box? Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time. Hope they can get there release out before Xmas. It's not only gonna be a long weekend but a fun one. I just picked up the CS777 for 9.99 Euros ( a little pre-stocking stuffer). Must say that's quite a bargain. She looks great in P3D

 

Think I will pick up Opus for Xmas. Those poor FSX'ers don't know what they're missin'. :wink:

BBS has a website, produces a good but partial Airbus 319'320 Prologue which is undergoing a major overhaul for the upgrade due 'before Christmas'. I like it and use it frequently. BBS also has a good Facebook site.

 

The CS777 looks good but is full of bugs and 'she'll be right' programming. It is up to v0.9 but the next 10% to the v1.0 seems more like 40% to me! I have the CS but don't use it, I will wait for the PMDG 777 whenever that arrives - mid next year I would guess.

 

Opus with REX textures is fantastic.or I am sure whichever texture set you have - even the default. You'll love that, a Christmas gift that will keep on giving.

 

so let me be a little more direct. At this very moment the BBS is the best model, but Aersoft has a much better MCDU for ancilliary functions.

 

BUT next week we will have the v1.6 BBS 319/320 and the Aerosoft X Extended. Both I predict to be really good, but as Aerosoft do not have a 319 I will be buying both as the A319 is popular in Europe.

Sorry for some finger trouble: Blackbox Simulation is due to release v 0.6 (not the number I gave above). The Aerosoft upgrade sounds excellent, (go to their preview forum, ignore the trolls, and check out the great detail). However for the purist, Aerosoft will not programme in any failures ... suits me.

 

FSLabs, has a 320 on the way. It seems to be of almost training quality. These are the people who gave us the Concorde X so their CV is pretty good. Seems like it will be out Jan/Feb next year. If it reviews well I will duplicate the ones I will buy this week. More money than sense I guess.

 

By the way the Wilco/Feelthere 777 still gives a simple but more accurate experience than the CS777. I use their A330 for long range haulage, and it (the Evo version is still plausible even if the VC is warmed over FS9)

 

Quality Wings has some good aircraft too, and I enjoy the B757. The LDS 767 is still good, but I just substitute a 737-900.

 

Oh and I reckon the Majestic Software Dash 8 Q400 will revolutionise simming next year. All of us are going to hit that turboprop airliner with its fantastic system replication very hard.

 

PPS the only really good thing about a 767 model is the after takeoff checklist ... LNAV, VNAV, CMD A, Coffee.

Hi Ian, I also purchased the BBS Airbus a while back shortly after they released 0.54 and have found it to be quite good for what it is. I do feel that an update from them is long overdue now though and am really hoping that it does come out this weekend as you say.

 

Aside from all the obvious issues present in the current version that they've been working on I really do hope that they include a load manager this time around. It has made proper aircraft loading rather tedious having to use the default FSX load manager. Proper ILS G/S capture has also been an issue for me on several flights I've done with it as well as managed descents.

 

Aerosoft have just released their Airbus X Extended and it seems to be really good going from all the reports I've read so far. Really tempted to get that one as well, but want to hold off and see what BBS have to offer in v0.6.

 

Hopefully they deliver the goods!

I among many have emphasised to BBS that a Load Manager is essential, but its my best guess we won't get one on this next upgrade.

 

Others like Aerosoft have put a lot of work into the peripheral options like a Loader, ground equipment options and the like. Eye candy I am not sure, but as Mathjs Kok has said, there is a steady creep toward more and more exact replication inside and outside the aircraft.