looking for first good payware aircraft.

[arnobg 0]

I've been reading trying to decide for a while and am kind of stuck. My first pay ware purchase (Wilco crj next gen) has me nervous about buying another because it had tons of bugs. Waste of money.

 

I prefer that it has a FMC with updateable navdata, radio/autopilot that somewhat works with the saitek multi-panel and radio panel, vast amount of useable buttons/switches in the VC.

 

Right now I primarily fly default LJ45 and 737-800. I am tired of tuning to VOR's and having to look up DME of every airway etc. To navigate intersections. I am really liking the business jet size aircraft but love how smooth the 737 flies.

 

I guess something good on frames although I'm on a 4790k i7.

 

My top interests as of now are:

 

Eaglesoft Citation X

ifly 737

Pmdg 737 NGX

Majestic Dash8

Carenado E50P

 

Range isn't a big deal I mostly just fly around in the US

 

Am I missing any others I should consider

[ESzczesniak 128]

I'd suggest the PMDG NGX.  While the iFly NG is very good and the only option for P3D, the PMDG is much better still.  I'd cross that off the list. 

 

I love the Majestic and if you're in to shorter hops and smaller strips, this is a great option as well.  Currently only the "Pilot" edition is out which does not include failures, but the "Pro" is in the works and will.  My personal bias would make me recommend this aircraft, but the NGX is a bit more embraced in the community.  The Dash 8 has some quirks (per the real aircraft) that has made some find it a handful to fly.  This would fit the business jet size reasonably well, but is not as smooth as a 737 (again, accurate to real life).

 

I hear the Eaglesoft Citation X is very good, but don't own the aircraft.  I do hear it is a bit hard on frames on some systems, although with a 4790k you're about as well off as you can be.  I have no experience with the Carenado E50P, but if it fits their other products it looks good, but lacks systems depth.

 

Much bigger than your group, the PMDG 777 is very good.  A bit more old school, but A2A offers several old warbirds and a couple of GA aircraft that are top of the game in that arena.  VRS also makes a fantastic F/A-18E if you ever wish to crash on to the deck of a boat.

 

Others can offer more I'm sure, but I assure you that the PMDG 737NG or 777, Majestic Dash 8, A2A Warbirds or the VRS Superbug are a vastly different league of payware than the Wilco CRJ (which is effectively established as junk) and you'll unlikely be disappointed.  The others in you list may also be very good, but I can't speak from any personal experience on those.

[MarkW 1,491]

I would agree that the PMDG 737NGX is the way to go.  Your first high end aircraft addon lays the foundation for every other addon and with the NGX you get it all in terms of realism and features.  Once you learn this aircraft it will be relatively easy to move to any other boeing and even if you get another type the learning curve will be significantly shortened.  The 737 is very versitile, from 5 to 7 hour longish hauls to short routes and into a variety of fields from mega airports to smaller regionals.  Finally, because this was/is such a popular addon there is a ton of support, resources, repaints, tutorials, YouTube videos, etc.  You really can't go wrong.  (holy crap, its like I am a paid member of the PMDG marketing group....but trust me I am not).

[arnobg 0]

Is the pmdg 737 able to use the saitek panels I mentioned without any issues?

 

I'm wondering for instance, if you change something such as a heading or altitude, does it change it in the autopilot system as well as the indicator/bug?

[untoweechja 35]

I have the Majestic Q400 and the PMDG 737 NGX and you can't go wrong with either one.

 

NGX - More automated than the Q400, extreme systems depth and configuration options, heavier on the frame rates than the Q400 but should be ok on your machine.  You can set the weight and fuel inside the cockpit and load flightplans you've exported from your flight planning software.  HUD and autoland capabilities makes for fun flying in bad weather (and it'll be even better once the WXR has been added in).  

 

Q400 - Excellent frame rates even on low end computers like mine, no importing flight plans (but you can save flight plans you've entered and recall them later), fuel and weight has to be set outside of FSX using their control panel, lower level of automation than the NGX (no autothrottle, no autoland).  The best modeled turboprop in FSX, period.

 

In my opinion, the Q400 is more fun to fly because it's less automated, and it's much more challenging to land.  That being said, I'd probably fly the NGX more often if I had a more powerful computer.

 

Don't own the others you're looking at.

[Blaze 102]

You might wait till tomorrow and check the reviews on the Airbus 318/319 from Aerosoft. Its suppose to be an improvement on the Airbus Extended A320/321 and will no doubt have a large following. A couple of other solid choices not previously mentioned would also include the Cool Sky DC9 a sweet retro/vintage airliner with great depth and or the Quality Wings Avro 146 package which is a little lighter systems wise but still a great and unique performer.

 

Even though it's a awesome piece of kit the Majestic Q400 is uses it's own coding to get better performance than a lot of other aircraft and to get around FSX's turbo prop modelling however in doing so it means your radio panels aren't going to work until the release the training or pro edition in the future. It's a shame to say but I think if using your hardware is a priority I'd scratch it off the list for the time being.

[arnobg 0]

Well the issue is I have a half home built cockpit with a main instrument panel, center pedestal and everything so I would really like to use the equipment installed in it.

 

Out of these aircraft you guys have commented on, do they have pop up gauges for the main instruments that I can drag to my gauge monitor on my main instrument panel?