Bizjets - Learn to Love Them

[Mithras 87]

I've only been at this hobby since November, and I realize that I don't really like airliners. Like alot of folks, I find the prospect of sitting in front of a cloudscape for 4-8 hours boring, and I really don't want to try and work out how an FMC works.

 

That said, I love airports. I have UK2000s Xtreme aitports for the UK detailed exquisitly, and with UT2 and Audio Environment, an airport in FSX is as exhiliarating and exciting as any in real life. Grass strips and regional airports are OK, but nothing beats the tension of taxing out to the runway of a big airport past innumerable fins, airport trucks whizzing around, jets, being pushed back, a line of jets descending the glidescope...

 

So I discovered a so far negelected plane in my FSX hanger - the bizjet, the default Learjet, to be precise. Bizjets are basically mini-airliners, flying into nearly every big airport, but they don't follow prescribed routes. Bizjets can fly for an hour, or half an hour, or for three. I've been doing a bit of You Tube research, watching a few bizjet documentaries ... they are used as air taxis, corporate shuttles, government shuttles, used by task forces, agencies, NGOs, celebrities, buisnessmen... I'm sure quite a few more.

 

So the bizjet is getting quite a bit of flying time at the moment, and I am particularly interested in global flights, matching my flights with events in the news. I flew the ebola stricken missionary from Monrovia to Madrid in an air ambulance, and the Palestinian envoys from Gaza to the Cairo peace talks last week.

 

Anyway, just thought I'd share my new revelation! I used to hate bizjets ('flying limos', 'rich mens toys'), now I'm pretty keen! I can see myself flying into Fly Tampa's awesome Dubai quite a bit

[CrewF16 26]

I totally agree. But even the default lear (if done by a good developer) would have an FMS.

[William J.S.S 173]

I think He is getting more that the function of a smaller BizJet and what it means to Him. The use of something smaller, fast, and can still play with the big boys in the big boy house, but still have short enough flights to keep Him interested.

For some....setting up for 45 minutes before a flight of 4 or more hours with a max of around 25-35 minutes hand flying is mundane.

[spilok 1,132]

Hate to say I agree.....but I think I do (with original post).

 

Stan

[zmak 331]

"Bizjets can fly for an hour, or half an hour, or for three"  

 

Its pretty difficult to to favor a biz jet over an airliner for the reasons of an FMC as they are used in both or flight times as they are by nature of the jet engine going to be very similar

 

In fact flight planning will take longer as there wont be a dispatcher available

[Howellerman 104]

Well, we are in luck, Paul! I too like the biz jets for eating up a trip of 300-500 miles. From cold and dark to landing is around an hour, sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more, but still high and fast and within the amount of time I typically have available to fly in the RW.

 

The reason I say we are in luck is biz jets seem to be the "new" focus of aircraft development. The Hawker from Caranedo (imminent), the Phenom from Carenado (great fun to fly), the purported Eaglesoft updates to their Citations, all are good signs for the biz jet future. You can even stretch things and say the highly anticipated Piaggio 180 Avanti from MilViz is a biz jet, and I could swore I saw mention of an updated MU-2.

 

All good!

[Captain Kevin 586]

I've only been at this hobby since November, and I realize that I don't really like airliners. Like alot of folks, I find the prospect of sitting in front of a cloudscape for 4-8 hours boring, and I really don't want to try and work out how an FMC works.

Okay, but most business jets have an FMC or variant thereof. So I'm lost by the FMC theory. Unless of course you are using the default Learjet, in which case that's a different story. But if you try say the Eaglesoft Citation X, you'll find an FMC there.

[Holdit 551]

Just Flight already have a Hawker 800 XP, with a simplified FMC and mostly steam gauges. I  can imagine Carenado's looking better, but I doubt it would have much more in terms of systems depth. The Xtreme Prototyes Learjet 20 series is also well worth a look, and doesn't have an FMC, although I believe the freeware Honeywell FMC will work with it. There's also a freeware Dassault Falcon 50. The VC is only average, but it's a dream to fly.

[Howellerman 104]

 

 

I  can imagine Carenado's looking better, but I doubt it would have much more in terms of systems depth.

 

Heya Paul, 

 

   Surprisingly, the Carendo version is delayed because they are going to implement a full-scale (not sure how deep, though) "from scratch a PROLINE21 with NAVIGRAPH capabilities." They are clearly headed in the right direction!

 

John

[Azapata87 173]

I have always loved the idea of having the speed of an airliner and the ability to operate out of small airports. The problem for me is that I have yet to see a business jet that has the complexity and fidelity of a pmdg simulation. Does anyone have any suggestions? For now I have satisfied that craving with the pmdg 737 in a bbj repaint but even still it cannot fly into the smallest of airports.

[pilottj 198]

Lionheart is working on a Lear 24 which is looking really nice from the preview shots.  The Lear 24 has no FMC and is a pure classic bizjet,

 

http://www.lionheartcreations.com/LJ24B.html

 

 

The Lotus L-39C and A2A P-51 civil are nice alternatives to biz jets.  The beauty of the Mustang is that you can take it high with biz jet speeds, or take it low and still go pretty fast, throwing in some aerobatcs along the way for some fun.

[CB183183183 9]

I think it's really a shame we have yet to see a bizjet model that has reached realism heights of some of the airliner products for FSX/P3D like PMDG, Majestic, etc.  I would kill for a high fidelity version of a Lear 45 or Lear 60 not to mention a Global Express or G-V but there are few biz jet companies out there that seem willing to work alongside a developer to create a really realistic product.  I know Wilco has a partnership with Dassault, but sadly I don't think too highly of Wilco.  There releases and product support have been spotty at best.  Hopefully the Eaglesoft Citation X is as good on P3D as it is on FSX.

[newtie 533]

ESDG Citation X is still my favorite of all time. I still fly that thing 2x a week.

Too bad they're not updating that bird. I'll still fly it anyway :>)

 

Mark

[michal 44]

The problem for me is that I have yet to see a business jet that has the complexity and fidelity of a pmdg simulation.

This is because developers claim there is no market for such in-depth bizjet simulation, invested $$ could not be recouped.

[whosyourcaddy 0]

RW air ambulance/corporate pilot here, I would drop some coin on highly detailed biz jets. The most promising one in the pipeline right now is the LE Simulations/Eaglesoft Citation 2. Maybe an updated Beechjet from Eaglesoft with a real FMS? How about a decent Lear 60 or Challenger 300? Drool...