Ok people of Avsim - i need your advice....

 

I have been researching for a while now over what plane to purchase to fulfil my requirement for a new GA aircraft. I only enjoy "hard-core" simulations with all the bells and whistles such that i can follow real world procedures and in return receive from the simulation what you would expect to see in real life (of course within the confines of FSX!). Good FDE's are essential.

 

My hangar currently consists of:

- A2A Piper Cub (for trail-dragging, stick & rudder type flying)

- RealAir Scout/Citabria (for bush flying)

- PMDG 737 NGX (my absolue favourite addon!)

 

I have many more other aircraft addons which i have since uninstalled as i prefer to have a core set of favourite aircraft so that i spend less time tweaking and deciding what to fly, and more time actually flying.

 

Now - i am looking for a new piston GA aircraft to use for some IFR training and cross country low and slow flying. I have narrowed down choices and come up with the following opinions:

 

RealAir - superb addons, but the Duke is just too fast and not GA enough. Lancair also seems "too much plane" - i prefer the older, steam powered type GA's that you would expect to find at your local flying club.

 

Carenado - have owned a few of these but the FDE's are poor and the cockpits a bit sparse of working systems (they look good, but thats about it)

 

MilViz Baron B55 - am very tempted by this. Fits the bill perfectly for cross country flying, but not so much for IFR training. No CDI's (uses a single HSI) or DME readout and i am not that keen on the expense of adding RealityXP GPS units, preferring instead for more traditional VOR-VOR IFR flying

 

Aerosoft Katana - only just came across this. A bit of an "off the wall" idea, but i REALLY like the look of the Accusim style failures and interactions. Anyone recommend this addon? May be a bit slow for cross-country flying, but fits the bill perfectly for realistic IFR training (but noting that its a VFR aircraft). I really like the idea of every switch and control working in the plane.

 

And thats all i have come up with. A 2 horse race between B55 and Katana. Grateful if anyone else is willing to chime in. I am of course very much awaiting the A2A C172 and Cherokee - they would be perfect for what i am after, but i fear are quite a way off.

 

Many thanks!

 

Rich

i would say the real air lancair. amazing aircraft!

 

many thanks

i would say the real air lancair. amazing aircraft!

 

many thanks

 

+1

 

Fantastic aircraft...

 

G

Ok you have convinced me to more seriously consider this ^_^ . It does look good. Things like vibrating instrument needles on the ground do make it more immersive.

 

I wonder if anyone has any experience directly comparing the Lancair with the Milviz B55 and Katana?

 

Thanks

 

Rich

Lancair runs away with the GOLD medal when it comes to GA planes.

 

Katana 4X is excellent for flying sloooooowly and it's very realistic too. Highly recommended!

 

The B55 is ok compared to the Duke, it's no contest.

 

Check out the Sibwings bird dog and saab safir. They are very nice additions to any hangar.

Well, if the Duke is too fast, the Lancair is not going to fit the bill (I love the Legacy but it's fast). I'm a stickler about FDEs and airplanes being "checklist complete". Singles with GPSs are rare. If you weren't looking for a GPS I'd suggest my favorite plane, the Carenado C182. High wing...slow enough...and Bernt Stolle has created a modified FDE You could also look at the Aerosoft DA20 (I don't have it but I've heard some good things.) If you're looking for a twin I'd say a tossup between the Carenado C337 (odd looking but amazing FDE!) and the Milviz Cessna 310. Bernt did the FDEs for the 337 and C310 as well.

 

Gregg

A2A civilian Mustang for super fast. Realair Lancair for fast. Katana for slow. A2A J3 for super slow. Also, the Flight1 182T for G1000 glass panel goodness, which is what I've flown in real life.

 

Well these are the ones I keep coming back to.

 

I too can't wait for the A2A 172, and I also know that Realair is making one. I hope they're racing eachother and we get one or both soon.

A Carenado airplane with one of the adjusted FDE's available on their downloads section. Add in Reality XP GPS and weather radar and sounds and you have a perfect airplane. I love their C208 and Super Cargomaster.

I guess I should have mentioned the BayTower Rv7 as well. I don't have it (yet...simply because I have enough) but that's a serious favorite around here.

 

Gregg

All really good suggestions. Thank you all!

 

I think this is also highlighting just how much need there is for a super hi fidelity simulation of a "popular" trainer type GA aircraft and how much we are probably all therefore looking forward to the RealAir 172 and the A2A 172 and PA28.

 

Until those, i think the consensus seems to be that the Lancair is pretty much the champion! As its just a bit too high performance for what im after, im still swinging back toward the Katana or the Milviz B55/C310. And if its in depth systems modelling i want, it would appear out of those its the Katana....

 

So perhaps i will have to keep it low and (VERY) slow! ^_^

Try Sibwings Safir. Its even in sale at the moment. Looks good and needs to be flown by the book.

I would suggest the following combination:

 

Carenado A36 Bonanza.

Reality XP Garmin 430

A2A Civ Mustang

 

The combination allows you to have a light GA that can fly into small strips however with the RXP 430 you have a real world Garmin unit that can be updated with 2011 data which gives you proper approaches etc. The Civ Mustang now gives you what I consider the best single piston engine GA aircraft you could fly as it is a beast that can do 1,500 miles at 400mph! Looks, flies and sounds awesome!

 

Of course you can swap out the Mustang for the Real Air Legacy, but would suggest eventually owning all three.

I guess I should have mentioned the BayTower Rv7 as well. I don't have it (yet...simply because I have enough) but that's a serious favorite around here.

 

 

Yes, that's also a very good option. Not as fast as the Lancair, but fast enough for those longer cross countries. It also has the benefit of the canopy for extra visibility. My favorites at the moment, are the RV & Lancair. I am biased, and especially for high visibility canopies, because I owned a flew a RV6A all over the western USA.

 

L.Adamson

The Legacy is by far the best of your list. Although I love MilViz, and adore their C310, I really did not find the B55 at the same quality level, and lacking in immersion and I took the Flight 1 refund on it. Carenado are not convincing FDE or systems at all; just flying (very) nice textures. :smile:

 

It has to be the RealAir Legacy; but I share your preference, and I really cannot wait for RealAir to release their forthcoming C172, as I prefer more 'common' aircraft than the esoteric and exotic, such as Lancairs and Beech T/Dukes.

I would suggest the Carenado Piper Arrow IV. All the steam gages you need for flying any kind of IFR.

 

I think it will suit your purpose.

 

Jim L