New User to X-Plane, some questions!

[pegruder 65]

Funny, I recently bought the A320Neo from Jardesign, and I had hard a time choosing which of those to buy. This version have a soundpack made by thirdparty which is really nice. Though the FMC is little awkard, and I cannot compare the other products or the real FMC, i.e. speed is not shown in waypoint list (you have to go in the waypoint menu). Also captains and copilots system is not independent. But otherwise I really like the aircraft.

 

The flaw with X-Plane I guess, it yet does not have aircraft in the quality as FSX, that is what I have heard of, but that will hopefully change when PMDG, IXEG and Parsec will release their specific aircraft (737, DC6, MD80). Also hopefully the free x737 project will be good.

 

Currently I really like the Saab 340A made by Leading Edge Simulations.

 

About the ATC, it is worthless. Helicharly:s plugin exist in alpha, but is not fully implemented and may crash. I prefer to fly online on IVAO anyway, so that is no problem for me.

http://124thatc.matacchieri.eu

 

Edit: Change of link

For ATC it looks like pilot2atc may be x-plane compatible.  I was considering trying that next in p3d so I may give that a go.  I'd like to try online ATC but I know sometimes I have to step away so its easier to get to cruise and handle things around the house.

[uwespeed 497]

Im a little confused ": namely icing on the wings (you can fall out of the sky because of that) *, (much) longer braking distance on icy runways * (might be a bit overdone, though), blackout due to hypoxia, wake turbulence of planes flying in front of you (try e.g. air-to-air refuelling or landing in a C172 close behind a B787), birdstrike, EZdok like camera system by default, damaged flaps if exceeding flaps overspeed," This is in X-plane by default?  I def haven't seen any of this in FSX/P3D so I'm assuming thats what you are referring to, esp the EzDok built in by default.

 

Yes, all of the mentioned features are (more or less good) implemented. With the built in camera system you can move around freely in the world (and of course inside your plane). There is also a plugin called X-Camera with more features (a free and a payware version are available).

[pegruder 65]

Yes, all of the mentioned features are (more or less good) implemented. With the built in camera system you can move around freely in the world (and of course inside your plane). There is also a plugin called X-Camera with more features (a free and a payware version are available).

 

I'm pretty impressed!  So far the only con I have right now is wanting to abandon P3D with all over my over the years purchased addons.  It's a tough choice because I am really digging the flight model.  Flying actually feels like flying and seems very dynamic based on weather, where P3D feels very linear.  Almost like guiding the plane on rails.  The only aircraft that actually feels like a flight model is PMDG and the stuff from A2A.  I think my main gripe is how the planes perform when landing.  X-plane you can almost feel the wheels touchdown and the plane perform accordingly  P3D you can touchdown in a crosswind and you appear to glide sideways down the runway at the same angle you touched down.  Not to mention if its a bit windy and one wheel hits first, you feel it behave as such in XP.  P3D you seem to just lose so much speed once a wheel graces the ground.  

 

Ok rambling over - back to flying lol.

[alpha12125 213]

Just keep using both sims Its the best of both worlds

[LAdamson 240]

Just keep using both sims Its the best of both worlds

I certainly agree!  Seems like every time I read one of these FSX (P3D) flight dynamics comparison threads, it's an excuse to fire up both sims for a up to date comparison. I don't have P3D, but my assumption is that the flight dynamics is comparable to FSX, for third party airplanes. Personally, I like landings with both sims (FSX & X-Plane). Landings are my favorite part. Did some flying out of simulated West Yellowstone (KWYS) this weekend.  I want to sense the flare, power to weight, and whether it requires some power, as some planes do.  I think that RealAir & A2A do a marvelous job with landings, and I don't find X-Plane to be any more real. Or any less real, as far as that goes.  I'm not agreeing with the OP here.  With such a different variety of scenery and planes available for both sims, I see no reason at all, to give one up. Since the investment is already made, someone would just be missing out. I have a fair amount of $$$ in both sims, as well as the system to run them. 

[pegruder 65]

Just keep using both sims Its the best of both worlds

  

I'm starting to feel that way the more I use both.

I certainly agree!  Seems like every time I read one of these FSX (P3D) flight dynamics comparison threads, it's an excuse to fire up both sims for a up to date comparison. I don't have P3D, but my assumption is that the flight dynamics is comparable to FSX, for third party airplanes. Personally, I like landings with both sims (FSX & X-Plane). Landings are my favorite part. Did some flying out of simulated West Yellowstone (KWYS) this weekend.  I want to sense the flare, power to weight, and whether it requires some power, as some planes do.  I think that RealAir & A2A do a marvelous job with landings, and I don't find X-Plane to be any more real. Or any less real, as far as that goes.  I'm not agreeing with the OP here.  With such a different variety of scenery and planes available for both sims, I see no reason at all, to give one up. Since the investment is already made, someone would just be missing out. I have a fair amount of $$$ in both sims, as well as the system to run them.

 

I was trying to avoid investing in a second Sim but there's certain things I like in xp that is making me invest. Night time out of the box is Fantastic in xp. P3D just feels way to bright at night. I agree, there's something to. Be said about landing. A feeling of accomplishment of sorts. I guess flight model wise depends on the aircraft your flying. A2a and pmdg do an excellent job in p3d/fsx.

[LAdamson 240]

 

 

I was trying to avoid investing in a second Sim but there's certain things I like in xp that is making me invest. Night time out of the box is Fantastic in xp. P3D just feels way to bright at night. I agree, there's something to. Be said about landing. A feeling of accomplishment of sorts. I guess flight model wise depends on the aircraft your flying. A2a and pmdg do an excellent job in p3d/fsx.

 

I've been running flight sims since the beginning, but when I did a serious computer upgrade 15 months ago, the idea was to run both X-Plane & FSX.  I too, like night flying in X-Plane.........especially around cities. In rural areas, I prefer Orbx scenery, as long as I have it for the particular area. 

[propsfan 52]

It's probably safe to say night flying in XP is hard to beat. For rural flying though there is always the option of G2xpl to create your own photographic scenery with W2xp for autogen if your area is covered. I just love to see what exists in real life as I fly over an area in the day. It takes a lot of disk space and needs ZL 18 and texture res at the highest setting but I have a comfortable 30fps that way with very nice settings. Finding the sweetspot took a while but I must admit I couldn't fly anything else. All the money I sunk into the others seemed to be worth it to get to the point where I can't bear to use them. I got the most recent P3d and did one or two flights just to confirm my personal bias.

[Jimmy RFR 406]

 

 

I was trying to avoid investing in a second Sim but there's certain things I like in xp that is making me invest.

 

One of the pluses in regards to X-Plane is that it's less of an 'investment' than the FSX/P3D line. I've found it quite affordable to keep X-Plane as a second sim; whereas there's always something to throw money at in FSX/P3D.

 

 

 

Personally, I like landings with both sims (FSX & X-Plane). Landings are my favorite part.

 

I've mentioned it before elsewhere, but as much as I equally like both sims, I've found I prefer small GA landings in FSX, as long as I have an aircraft with an FDE created by one of the experts. For example, my long time favorite sim aircraft has been the DA20-100 by Marcel Felde, and it has an FDE written by Alexander Metzger that I think is top notch. Landing the DA20 is always my favorite part of one of my sim flights. It's light and slow, and as such it almost seems graceful, settling it down gently on the runway. Hard to describe. :smile:

[pegruder 65]

One of the pluses in regards to X-Plane is that it's less of an 'investment' than the FSX/P3D line. I've found it quite affordable to keep X-Plane as a second sim; whereas there's always something to throw money at in FSX/P3D.

 

 

 

 

I've mentioned it before elsewhere, but as much as I equally like both sims, I've found I prefer small GA landings in FSX, as long as I have an aircraft with an FDE created by one of the experts. For example, my long time favorite sim aircraft has been the DA20-100 by Marcel Felde, and it has an FDE written by Alexander Metzger that I think is top notch. Landing the DA20 is always my favorite part of one of my sim flights. It's light and slow, and as such it almost seems graceful, settling it down gently on the runway. Hard to describe. :smile:

Im starting to see there is a pretty big freeware community to cover the missing airports issue.  The only thing Im really missing at this point is a good AI traffic addon.  From what I think Im starting to understand is its not the lack of plugins - theres world traffic for example, but the way the airports and taxiways are designed.  All stock FS airports seem to have a "track" laid out for AI in FSX/P3D, where it seems thats an issue with airports in XP.  WT for example needs manually built ground routes for any type of ground ops.  XP has so much potential to me, just hoping to see scenery and AI traffic catch up to FSX/P3D.  Id like to not manually have to download airports and then build a traffic database of flights/ground routes to get what I have in P3D out of the box.