Slowly rediscovering X-Plane 10...

[jcomm 5,890]

My installs are progressing.

 

Having a 250 GB disk pretty much limitates what I decide to install, and X-Plane 10 is now the only sim sharing that disk with Aerowinx PSX, and, I am already making calculations for the number of photo sceneries and airports I will grab from the net before I get up to 80% disk space - the upper acceptbale limit for me :-) ( il2 bos is in the System disk.... :-) )

 

Well, but X-Plane 10 has always a lot to reveal and explore, and I took some time just trying out the physics of taxiing under strong x-winds, specially on taildraggers with free castoring tail wheel and those with a lockable one.

 

I have the C185 ( Carenado ) and there's the default Stinson L-5 ( with it's lockable tail wheel ).

 

I found out that X-Plane 10 pretty much resembles the best flight dynamics I found so far in any other sim during my incursion into the world of combat flight simulation, namely IL2 Battle of Stalingrad, which IMO is overall superior to DCS World in as far as ww2 prop fighters are concerned and where taxiing a Me109 or a Russian Yak-1 or LaGG3, on those snow / ice covered runways and taxiways, can be really challenging.

 

X-Plane does a remarkable job in this area too, I'd say not inferior to that of IL2 BoS, provided we use a well designed aircraft model. The RW techniques, like those on the following article apply:

 

 

http://freepilotinfo.blogspot.pt/2010/01/remembering-correct-x-wind-taxi.html

 

In FSX / P3D we can really not taste this sensations / effects, not even with the best payware add-ons. Ground handling / physics are pretty much flawed and limited in those sims. 

 

Weather modeling, specially variable winds and turbulence, are yet good examples where it is really worth to use X-Plane instead. I've been using badbadweather.com to pick my runway for the day, and I usually pick the one that is up to the worst adverse weather conditions within the operational limits of the aircraft model I am willing to use in X-Plane 10. Performing an approach to that airport in P3D with even the best available weather injector is always piece of cake... too tame for my liking... Do it in X-Plane 10 and you'll sweat! By the way, the same applies to Il2 BoS where they've taken care to model shifting / gusting winds and turbulence, in a way that is very very close to X-Plane, although with a much more limited range of values for setting the weather parameters. DCS Worls is even worst than FSX or P3D, with  very poor modeling of adverse weather effects in terms of winds and turbulence.

 

In X-Plane 10 you get that additional modeling of mountain effects on the winds. Apart from allowing you to ride your glider near the hill tops, it can also make your GA flight near mountainous terrain very interesting, to say the least... again something that I could never experience to that level in FSX / P3D / DCS, but s also modeled in Il2 BoS!

[Humpty 751]

I never thought you would say that about Xplane flight dynamics

[tonywob 4,768]

I'm on vacation at the moment in the Scottish Highlands, and I fired up X-Plane just of curiosity at the small airfield I'm near to (using HD Mesh v3 with GB Pro). It looked really good, and it was easy to fly around the places I'd visited that day, I could easily follow roads, valleys, lochs, etc. X-Plane really wins in mountainous areas 

[ohsirus 241]

When Jcomm posts about X-plane, I feel like the Matrix has had a glitch.

[whoispankaj 51]

[hs118 707]

Jcomm ,for once, why dont you accept xplane the way it is ..instead of trying the physics why dont you just enjoy the flying that comes with it than getting into physics, chemistry and mathematics behind it..its like the dialogue from 'Enter the Dragon'. Its like pointing a finger to the moon.you look at the finger and you miss all the heavenly glory

I share some of Jose's love/disappointment syndrome. All of the current flight simulators offer such promise compared to previous generations of product. Unfortunately, the more you know about real world and/or the more concerned you are about fidelity/accuracy, the more likely you are to find the devil in the details.

[jcomm 5,890]

And that's what I'm doing - enjoying, again, XP10 just as it is + the excellent add-on I already owned and the many freeware scenery and environment plugins.

 

Regarding the flight dynamics, that's just because it's what I appreciate the most in a flight simulator, and I am still convinced that a well designed aircraft for X-Plane will be on pair with my best experience so far in any of the other sims I have used, or even better in some aspects.

[LAdamson 240]

 

 

Regarding the flight dynamics, that's just because it's what I appreciate the most in a flight simulator, and I am still convinced that a well designed aircraft for X-Plane will be on pair with my best experience so far in any of the other sims I have used, or even better in some aspects.

 

I haven't hit the better aspect yet. I can take a few airplane examples, throw them through the wringer, and either a FSX plane or X-Plane wins. Just never in all cases. For instance, an airplane I really like for FSX, didn't do as well as X-Plane for a short/soft field takeoff. It just started to roll nearly out of control, off to the side. I couldn't sense a pressure of airflow & stability under the wings. I've done many of these takeoffs in real life, with various aircraft models.  Yet, this same plane is more convincing in other aspects, than a similar X-Plane.  I'm just not overwhelmed

all the time, with anything at this point.

[jcomm 5,890]

I haven't hit the better aspect yet. I can take a few airplane examples, throw them through the wringer, and either a FSX plane or X-Plane wins. Just never in all cases. For instance, an airplane I really like for FSX, didn't do as well as X-Plane for a short/soft field takeoff. It just started to roll nearly out of control, off to the side. I couldn't sense a pressure of airflow & stability under the wings. I've done many of these takeoffs in real life, with various aircraft models.  Yet, this same plane is more convincing in other aspects, than a similar X-Plane.  I'm just not overwhelmed

all the time, with anything at this point.

 

Since you now have a great rig, it's probably time to try DCS or IL2 BoS ?

 

In DCS you can test the TF-51 D for free.

 

I will try to tweak Durowtiz's p51d to clear the unwanted effects on it, and bring it as close as possible to the best aspects of the P51d model in DCS :-)

 

Il2 BoS is still my preferred tough, in terms of flight dynamics of those powerful ww2 Warbirds...

[LAdamson 240]

 

 

I will try to tweak Durowtiz's p51d to clear the unwanted effects on it, and bring it as close as possible to the best aspects of the P51d model in DCS :-)

 

You can try. I once compared it to the RealAir Spitfire for flight dynamics, especially rudder. It was at the org. and didn't go well. I'm still moderated over there, because of it. I wasn't all that thrilled with the XP P-51 at the time.  Perhaps it's changed with time.  I have no PIC time in a Mustang, but I did fly backseat (Cavalier conversion)  for about 45 mins. Loops, rolls, etc.

[jcomm 5,890]

You can try. I once compared it to the RealAir Spitfire for flight dynamics, especially rudder. It was at the org. and didn't go well. I'm still moderated over there, because of it. I wasn't all that thrilled with the XP P-51 at the time.  Perhaps it's changed with time.  I have no PIC time in a Mustang, but I did fly backseat (Cavalier conversion)  for about 45 mins. Loops, rolls, etc.

 

Try DCS Larry. I would really like to get your opinion on it ...