Lately I've taken a liking to flying light aircraft like the Beech Baron and the Cessna Golden Eagle. I don't have many add-ons in that department, and don't know much about that type of a/c.What great light multi-engine (or single engine I guess, but I prefer multi) aircraft are out there to download? What are your favorites?

If you don't mind working under the hood keeping these engines purring, this is a fun one:http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID...04ac&DLID=54436-John

I love the F1 C172, it acts just like the real thing. The VC is top quality - it is hard to tell the VC from the 2D panel in terms of clarity. Top notch. The model is a brand new model with EFI, still has an ADF, but it is pop up only in the VC.I did buy the F1 C177, quite a nice plane, and kind of interesting not to have a wing strut in your way. But it was released quite some time ago and the panel quality is getting a little dated now. But I wanted a small plane with a variable pitch prop, so it fit the bill, until I got the C182 below. The Cardinals niche in RL was pretty much replaced by the C182 as well.I recently bought the Carenado C182. It is equipped as more of a legacy plane, with classic nav gear. Very nice air model, great sounds, excellent VC. Comes with full docs, including almost the full real world POH. Highly recommended if you want to do medium range IFR flying. The 182 is a heavier plane than the 172, and is more stable on approaches. You get a variable pitch prop as well, for quick take-offs and efficient cruise.Next up is the Dreamfleet Bonanza A36. Fabulous plane, superb modern panel with a Sandel 3308 EHSI. I understand the filght model is very good. It is also bundled with the Reality-XP GNS 430. It is for some serious longer range flying, but it is not turbocharged, and is definitely not all weather. There is also the Baron 58 twin piston from DF, it also is not turbocharged. It comes bundled with the GNS 530 and an even spiffier sim of the Sandel 3308. You cannot use these bundled gauges with any other plane.The RealAir Marchetti (single piston) is an incredible sim. Hands down the very best VC you will see anywhere. Newer panel, and boy does that thing fly and climb. The really unique thing about it is the glass canopy, incredible views. Yes, you can spin it!I just purchased the Aeroworx KingAir B200, this is a long range, all weather, turboprop twin. You will recognize the Beech turboprop panel immediately when you see it. Yet another wonderful sim, first class VC, full function cockpit. Pilots that fly the B200 heap their accolades on the flight model. Included are both steam & glass panels. This really rounds out my stable of GAs. Nice when you want to forget about mixture and managing manifold pressure, you want to just go and you want to do FL230 at 250 knots.I have souped up the KingAir with a Reality-XP GNS 530 and the R-XP JetLine 2, EADI & EHSI. It comes with its own nice glass panel, but the RXP stuff is a little nicer, and works better with the GNS530, and it fits in great. I will probably get the RXP TAWS/RMI (terrain avoidance) gauge, for it as well it slips in and replaces the analog RMI. FWIW, FAA regs now require terrain avoidance gear in turbine planes, or will very shortly.I purposely kept the GPS & glass out of the 172 & 182, so I can fly it the "good old fashioned" way. WinkHowever, if you are going to get seriously into GA, you MUST, absolutely MUST get a Natural Point TrackIR. This will transform your flying. I could not imagine flying the smaller planes without it. I fly in the VC 100% in the GAs, so the quality of the VC is paramount for me, and the above choices reflect that. It is like being there for real. I use the VC & TrackIR in the heavy iron as well much of the time.You might want to look into some sort of enhancement of your local geography as well, it should be familiar to you, and you will be flying low & slow. I got UT for Canada-Alaska when it came out, so I can follow the roads. Not a big fan of the MegaScenery stuff, but in any case there isn't any for my area of the world.* Orest-~~~~~~~~~Orest Skrypuchwww.united-virtual.comStaff

In my opinion these aircrafts gives you great flight experiences:1) Aeroworx X-treme Super King Air B200http://www.aeroworx.com/index.html (official site)http://www.avsim.com/pages/0306/B200/B200.htm (review)2) DreamFleet Baron 58 RXPhttp://www.dreamfleet2000.com/Previews/B58/preview_home.html (official site)http://www.flightsim.com/cgi/kds?$=main/re...ron/dfbaron.htm (review)I'm sure you will have lots of great fligth experiences with these like I have. They are not the cheapest choice but in my experience they are worth every penny!Good luck-Lars

Hi Orest,Interesting with this Natural Point TrackIR. Which version do you have? How does the hardware on your screen register your head movements? Can you list a few pro's and con's?Thank you-Lars

That's a great list there Orest. I would also add Flight1's latest addition, their Commander 112A... probably the most fun little four seater for simulating flight (the SF260 is more fun for acrobatics of course). And Dreamfleet's Cessna 310, really gives the feeling of being in an older twin. Flight1's Meridian is also a legendary sim plane but RXP has yet to upgrade the included Garmin radios to the newer version and make the Meggit Magic displays work with the newer Garmin radios they sell.

Allow me to second the 58 RXP. If you do *any* kind of instrument flying, the Xp will change how you think about flight sim. The guage set is frighteningly realistic, and it's a very fun airplane to fly.When I'm doing more low and slow, I really like flying the aerosoft beaver. Not really a "GA" plane but single engine, instrument light, and a whole lotta fun.

With both of the following you can't go wrong :payware :The RealAir Sf 260 is an excellent cruiser, nimble but stable. The VC and flight modeling are outstanding.freeware :Milton Shupe's Spartan (the Learjet of the 30's :-hah) is in a class of her own. Again excellent flight modeling and VC.

Not wanting to do too much advertising here, but for anyone in the UK, it's well worth nosing around in the site for bargains....Have purchased games, DVD's etc, plus flightsim stuff without problem.www.play.comGo to Games, then select the FlightSim genreBoth the Flight 1 Cessna 172 and the Xtreme B200 are in there, as are indeed the PMDG 737's and 747 and the Level D 767.

As to freeware, my two favorites are the Utva 75 by Luka Midic et al. (available at http://www.exyufs.tk/ scroll down for the Utva link) and the Zlin Z-43 by Tibor Kokai et al. (available at flightsim.cz). The latter comes even with a load utility. Also wonderful are Milton Shupe's entire series of Aero Commanders. As to pay ware, I am a big fan of the new Carenado C206. http://www.commerciallevel.com/base/suppor...46supporter.jpg

Hey thanks Misha for the Zlin, downloading it now... looks like a pretty neat little plane :)

My current favotites are:Eaglesoft Cirrus 20 & 22Eaglesoft Liberty XL-2Great avionics and realism in all. Avidyne glass cockpits along with duel Garmin 430's in the Cirrus, Garmin 530/430 combo in the Liberty.http://www.eaglesoftdg.com/Carenado Stationair 206Carenado 182 RGIIGreat Old school stuff...albeit I have both decked out with updated cockpit models; Reality Garmin's and 'stock' Bendix AP's in each.http://www.carenado.com/ecommerce/index.php3and...An Honorable Mention to the Dreamfleet Bonanza A36Fantastic plane with great avionics as well.

Payware: RealAir's SF.260, as several people have stated above, is a fantastic little two-seat trainer, fully acrobatic, just a lot of fun to fly. But their American Champion set--the Citabria, Decathlon, and Scout--is also fantastic. Great two-seat bush planes and light acrobats, with the same seamlessly smooth VC gauges and awesome Rob Young flight modeling.Carenado's Cessna 182RG Skylane II and 206 Stationair 6 II are both fantastic. The 206 in particular is a real sweet plane, with classic "used" panels and great models. And they fly great too.Dreamfleet's Beech Bonanza A36 and Baron B58 are a little fancier and newer than the Carenado planes in terms of avionics, with some built-in Reality XP goodies, and are great. Quality stuff.As for freeware, anything that Milton Shupe and his development team have touched is guaranteed good (the Aero Commander series, Howard 500, Beech 18, Spartan 7W). Long Island Classics makes a fun little Christen Eagle II aerobatic biplane. FSNordic's Maule M-7-260 is one of the best bush planes you'll find, freeware or payware, with lots of variants. And anything by Bill Lyons is also guaranteed good.Lewis "Moose" GregoryRichmond, Virginia

I'll add my vote for the Carenado C182 and C206 -- the amphibious model is a blast. And after having left it dormant for a while, I'm back in my RealAir SF260 and that's another gem that's aged very well.Freeware? Milton Shupe's Aerocommanders and just about anything by Bill Lyons, Rick Piper's Chipmunk.... there's lots to choose from.BlairCYOW

Rockcliffe - how old is that sf260 of yours? If you haven't upgraded to the newest (2005) version, you really should consider doing so as it really is worthwile...