USA payware advice please

[MDF86 123]

Hi Guys

 

I've always been a Europe only simmer mainly, but with the advent of products such as FTX Global I've decided to expand my operation!

 

As such I'm looking to get a handful of good quality payware airports in the USA which will allow me to do plenty of short haul (up to 4 hour) flights in the A320 and 737

 

So, over to you guys! What do you recommend?

 

I've never done a single flight in the US so I'm not up on who makes the best payware etc!

 

I was thinking about the ORBX regions but there don't seem to be many big airports that fall into their coverage area that have a good payware rendition, though Ted Stevens looks appealing as at some point I will be getting the PMDG 777 and I think FedEx have a big operation there which would lead to some cool trips across the US hauling mail!

 

So guys, what are the must have US payware airports?

 

Thanks!

[Irishcurse 234]

Flightbeam, FSDreamteam, FlyTampa, LatinVFR, Taxi2Gate are all excellent developers. Any scenery from those will not disappoint.

[MDF86 123]

Thanks.

 

Have just had a look at their websites and wow there's certainly a lot of choice! Should keep my credit card busy for a while :lol:

 

Any absolute stand outs you can recommend?

How are the Imagine Sim and Blueprint products?

[avgaskoolaid 292]

Thanks.

 

Have just had a look at their websites and wow there's certainly a lot of choice! Should keep my credit card busy for a while :lol:

 

Any absolute stand outs you can recommend?

How are the Imagine Sim and Blueprint products?

I can't speak for ImagineSim, but Blueprint's sceneries are not the greatest looking visually. However, they are accurate, relatively easy on Frame Rates, and quite cheap. I have their KDTW and it works well for me. My favorite payware airport in the US is Chicago O'hare (KORD) by FS Dreamteam. It's very highly detailed and accurate! Also, be sure to download SunSkyJet's Philadelphia (KPHL), It looks as good as a very good payware airport and is free!

 

Also, if you plan on flying to some smaller airports, ORBX has some freeware airport packs of various small airports (these are low-detail upgrades of default airports). These can be found on their website and in their forums.  

[scianoir 610]

 

 

I was thinking about the ORBX regions but there don't seem to be many big airports that fall into their coverage area that have a good payware rendition, though Ted Stevens looks appealing

 

If you are thinking about Orbx Southern Alaska, Aerosoft's Ted Stevens fits beautifully with this and a number of other Orbx airports are also available for the Southern Alaska area (Kenai, Ketchikan, Juneau as well as some lesser known ones), but be aware that Orbx airports, although excellent, do tend to become a little expensive as you accumulate them! Aerosoft's Fairbanks Airport is also excellent and comes with the adjacent floatplane base, as does Anchorage.

 

The best developers of US airports are the five mentioned by Richie above. Imagine Sim are improving but are certainly not in the league of the 'top 5' and Tropical Sim produce a reasonable KDCA. Blueprint fill a gap in that they are significantly better than the default airports and I use a few of them for that reason, but, although they are slowly improving their products, they unfortunately still have a slightly drab lifeless feel about them. Although Aerosoft do not produce any major US airport scenery outside of Alaske but they do produce some very nice addon city sceneries for some of the major US urban areas which don't have too much of a frame rate impact and which can add considerably to the sense of realism when yoiu are approaching airports in those areas. 

 

Bill

[metalmike 34]

If you're looking for an Anchorage payware airport, Aerosoft has a pretty nice one out (though I don't have it, so I can't really comment on performance.) Should go well will Orbx's South Alaska region.

[MDF86 123]

Thanks all for the great advice.

 

I think my initial plan will be ORBX Southern Alaska and Aerosoft Anchorage (ready for my 777 operations!) plus 3 or 4 of the FSDT and Flightbeam offerings.

 

I'm thinking KLAX, KDEN, KORD and maybe KIAD should give me a nice selection! Oooh but then there's KSFO which looks great also but if I got that I'd have to get ORBX NCA....

 

This could get me in trouble with the good lady :lol:

[Michael63 20]

_{Flightbeam has just set a new standard with the release of KDEN. Also KPHX, KIAD and KSFO from FB are top of the list for US airports. Add KDFW, CYVR and KLAX from FS Dreamteam and you have a good mix of destinations in the Western US. Then add KBOS, CYUL and KTPA for Eastern US combined with the excellent freeware KPHL from SunSkyJet.}

 

_{KJFK and KORD from FSDT are still good but getting old and don't stand up quality wise compared to the others.}

 

_{This would be my top 10 for the US ( 2 Canadians).}

 

_{You just posted before i did and I see you made some good choices.}

_{PS: You don't need Orbx NCA for KSFO to work. It looks great with FTX Global.}

[MDF86 123]

_{Flightbeam has just set a new standard with the release of KDEN. Also KPHX, KIAD and KSFO from FB are top of the list for US airports. Add KDFW, CYVR and KLAX from FS Dreamteam and you have a good mix of destinations in the Western US. Then add KBOS, CYUL and KTPA for Eastern US combined with the excellent freeware KPHL from SunSkyJet.}

 

_{KJFK and KORD from FSDT are still good but getting old and don't stand up quality wise compared to the others.}

 

_{This would be my top 10 for the US ( 2 Canadians).}

 

_{You just posted before i did and I see you made some good choices.}

_{PS: You don't need Orbx NCA for KSFO to work. It looks great with FTX Global.}

 

Thanks Michael - the FSDT and Flightbeam stuff all looks great!

 

And you're right, I don't need Orbx NCA.... in the same way I don't need payware airports to sim in the US. But once I see something that looks so good it's hard to walk away!! :lol:

[ryanbatc 12,847]

Also when flying in the US you've got some excellent navigation resources available to you.

 

Check out www.skyvector.com and http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/digital_products/dtpp/

For charts/approach plates

[fakeflyer737 992]

BUY FB KDEN!!!! I just flew in there last night and it's Unbelieveable

[krwynn 3]

FlyTampa, FSDT, FlightBeam, LatinVFR, Taxi2Gate, and Pacific Island Sim all have great airports for the US. Aerosoft for only airports that have been developed in the last year are ok. Some of the older ones have some performance issues. I have all of the airports from the first 6 vendors above and have never been disappointed.

[MDF86 123]

Guys, I'm having a moment of indulgence and considering picking up SEVEN of the FSDT airports (as they have a very good multi-buy discount in addition to an active 23% off promotion) which means all 7 airports can be had for £124 (~$200 USD) (£17 per airport) instead of the £186 (£27 per airport) it would cost to buy them individually.

 

Are any of the following NOT worth getting at that price:

 

- JFK v2

- Vancouver

- Los Angeles

- Dallas

- Las Vegas

- Chicago O'Hare

- Fort Lauderdale

 

That would give me a lovely mix across the country and a great foundation to start flying across the USA!

[Sportsfan23 2]

All very good airports and certainly worth the price you would be getting them at.

[fakeflyer737 992]

ORD is getting an update soon so hold out on that one cause ORD has had a new runway and taxiways built which ARE NOT in the FSDT KORD