I used to like the Carenado products - mainly for their good looks. Unfortunately, I have been spoiled with vendors that provide top notch realism like A2A, PMDG, now Milviz and Majestic. These companies forcus on a few products only, but give you a total immersion experience with complete reference manuals.

 

I know what you mean. You can safely add RealAir to that list.

Yes, the Duke for sure. I will wait for the P3D installer.

Both are great (but very different) aircraft, but if I could only have one, I'd definitely go for the Majestic Q400.

 

It's a gamechanger.

Both are great (but very different) aircraft, but if I could only have one, I'd definitely go for the Majestic Q400.

 

It's a gamechanger.

 

I have both.  Each of them were game-changers but for completely different kinds of flying.  I've never experienced that lift off torque effect in any sim aircraft as much as I did in the Duke (most don't have it at all).  The Q400 is also very, very impressive. 

 

The only advice I'd ever give someone with the choice between these two airplanes is to evaluate what kind of pilot you wish to be.  One is a fairly speedy high-flying GA family or business plane.  The other is a commercial carrier.  Either way it's a great choice...as long as it's for the kind of pilot he wants to be.

 

 

The only advice I'd ever give someone with the choice between these two airplanes is to evaluate what kind of pilot you wish to be.  One is a fairly speedy high-flying GA family or business plane.  The other is a commercial carrier.  Either way it's a great choice...as long as it's for the kind of pilot he wants to be.

 

Very true.

Working at CYYC Calgary and looking at these commercial aircraft really entices me to learn about their systems. I used to work at CYBW Calgary Springbank and got a good appreciation about the SE and ME piston aircraft.

 

The complexity of the airliners is exciting, so with the recent purchase of the Q400, I will eventually go this way. I want the whole sim experience to shadow what happens in real life, so I will get some twin experience with the Milviz B55 first. There's a real chasm between airliners and GA aircraft: one has procedures that reads like a grocery list while the other has more hands on flying. Different beasts.

 

The turbine Duke for P3D should be out any week now, but I already have enough on my plate with the Baron and the Q400.

 

It's a nice problem to have so much quality aircraft to choose from...

Whilst the Duke is lovely (and ideal if you want to do GA flying), I'd pick the Majestic Q400 most of the time as it's much more challenging, from both a systems and handling viewpoint. The Q400 is not for the short of patience though, it's got a steep learning curve and will take some time to master.