Flight Sim Labs A320 vs Flight Factor A320?

[pegruder 65]

Not here to start a flame war or anything - just curious on those who have flown both what do they thing of the FF A320 vs the FSL version?  I know, two different sims and all, but from a systems simulation POV do they seem comparable?  Flight model is tough since both sims model flight differently, but just curious over all everyone's impressions.  

[188AHC 2,138]

Just a note  - Please do not attempt to discuss the DRM as that will result in this post being locked. Avsim has determined that it prefers to remain neutral in this controversy.

Thank you.

 

[pegruder 65]

1 minute ago, 188AHC said:

Just a note  - Please do not attempt to discuss the DRM as that will result in this post being locked. Avsim has determined that it prefers to remain neutral in this controversy.

Thank you.

 

No interest in discussing that.  Only the product itself.  :)

[dmarques69 316]

I dont own the FSLabs version, but i already flew it 2 or 3 times in a simulator friend, it's a wonderfull bird and the best A320 you can get in P3D or FSX, but in my opinion the Flight Factor is superior(this one i own), FF gave attention to all the minor details, and the FF version is not even finish yet, and in my opinion is already superior to the FSL version, of course this can be a unfair comparison since they run in different simulators, XP as we all know as a better flight model and FF implemented a similar FM in their bird, something that FSLabs cant do unless they wanted to make a brick.

Im a big fan of P3D and ive been flying all kind of birds in LM's simulator, i only bought XP 11 because of the native VR implementation, but then the FFa320 was released to the public, since then is the only plane i lfy, P3D is collecting dust, im completed addicted to it, i risk saying is the best plane simulator i already tried, and i tried a lot.

Just my opinion.

You have here a video with a good attention to details, petty that the guy dint make the remaining parts, at least i didnt find it...

 

Edited March 9, 2018 by dmarques69

[pegruder 65]

Awesome - I def agree on the flight model.  Im a huge fan of the P3d/FSX series just based on its history and all the addons, but flight model winds hands down to me in XP.  Ive only flown cessnas in real life, but XP is the only thing that doesnt feel like its on rails for me.  I may have to give it a go.  Hows the FF version compare to the JAR?  I've flown the JAR version quite a bit before switching back off to P3D for a bit.  Honestly my only XP complaint is the night lights popping in at night in the distance.  If that gets fixed I may never go back to P3D! lol!

Edited March 9, 2018 by Jim Young
Removed excessive quote

[carlito777 712]

The FSL bus is great. Attention to detail is supperb, sounds are great. But performance sucks big time. Compared to the FF bus in X-Plane, the FSL is a stutter fest. And smooth flight is my highest priority. Therefore I have almost grounded the FSL and fly the FF almost on a daily basis. And the FF is also great in terms of system depth. 

[dmarques69 316]

1 hour ago, pegruder said:

Awesome - I def agree on the flight model.  Im a huge fan of the P3d/FSX series just based on its history and all the addons, but flight model winds hands down to me in XP.  Ive only flown cessnas in real life, but XP is the only thing that doesnt feel like its on rails for me.  I may have to give it a go.  Hows the FF version compare to the JAR?  I've flown the JAR version quite a bit before switching back off to P3D for a bit.  Honestly my only XP complaint is the night lights popping in at night in the distance.  If that gets fixed I may never go back to P3D! lol!

I dont even like it to compare with the Jar, is such a difference that i would not know where to start, its like a toy and a real plane comparation.

As for the night light poping XP still as that problem, but there are some addons that can extend the light and maket it almost barely seen with a performance cost... but is so beautifull that i forget it almost  immediately.

[pegruder 65]

51 minutes ago, carlito777 said:

The FSL bus is great. Attention to detail is supperb, sounds are great. But performance sucks big time. Compared to the FF bus in X-Plane, the FSL is a stutter fest. And smooth flight is my highest priority. Therefore I have almost grounded the FSL and fly the FF almost on a daily basis. And the FF is also great in terms of system depth. 

I agree on the stutters.  They seem even more apparent on 4.2 for me even with eye candy down.  Crashes at least seem to be nonexistent now where I had a few on 4.1.  Nothing worse than a ruined flight from a crash.  Makes me want to give up on the hobby.

2 minutes ago, dmarques69 said:

I dont even like it to compare with the Jar, is such a difference that i would not know where to start, its like a toy and a real plane comparation.

As for the night light poping XP still as that problem, but there are some addons that can extend the light and maket it almost barely seen with a performance cost... but is so beautifull that i forget it almost  immediately.

Really now?  I think I'm going to have to just give this a go tonight.  BTW - what addons are you referring to to extend the light?  I've been MIA from XP for at least a good 6 months now.  Not sure whats changed.  I was heavy in to it when XP11 first released then got pulled back tp P3D land for a bit after missed a few addons.

[Guest]

I have both and used both ... I don't like to compare, but it's a fairly common question and to be expected.

• FSLab seems to implement the LAWs more accurately than FF
• FF Performance is "slightly" better than the updated FSLabs version 
• Taxi in the FSLabs seems more accurate  
• Flight models on both seem pretty close to me but it's an "automated" aircraft so hard to say  
• There are other difference in knob layout and systems
• Sounds in FF are not very good, FSLabs has better sound
• Visuals, this is a hard one ... both look great, but I'd give the edge to FF
• External lights, no contest, FSLabs wins by a country mile
• The FF VC knobs controlled via mouse is hotspots seem "off" and are difficult to manage
• Weather Radar in FSLabs is working and fairly accurate, I'll have to check but I don't recall seeing a weather radar in FF version?

But keep in mind I'm no expert nor do I pretending to be one (there are plenty of others with more hours in these aircraft) as I'm still learning much from both FF and FSLabs depth of systems.  I've never flown or will fly an A320 and the A320 is very much a "mode" aircraft that really isn't meant to be flown "by hand" much.

But to be fair to FF, they do indicate the aircraft is still in "Beta", so I'm expecting to get some updates in the future.  The FF is the cheaper at $90 vs. $140 for FSLabs P3D version.

Cheers, Rob.

[evaamo 549]

50 minutes ago, Rob Ainscough said:

Weather Radar in FSLabs is working and fairly accurate, I'll have to check but I don't recall seeing a weather radar in FF version?

Fair review, Rob. 

BTW, the Weather radar is a work in progress. It's still not implemented.

Cheers

-E

[nawarren 83]

Hi Rob,

" I've never flown or will fly an A320 and the A320 is very much a "mode" aircraft that really isn't meant to be flown "by hand" much."

The same could be said for all large commercial aircraft. However the A320 series are very nice to fly by hand, with fly by wire making them easy and predictable to fly manually. In fact they are arguable the easiest aircraft to fly by hand as autotrim takes care of much of a pilots workload. The simple fact is that a lot of airlines SOPS restrict manual flight as they believe it is safer and more economical to let the computer fly the thing! But that's another story. :)

 

 

 

 

[pegruder 65]

I appreciate all the feedback.  I may pop for it and give XP another go.  I guess I could have worse things to spend my money on :)  I'm in the mood for something different from P3D.

[Guest]

I don't think you can go wrong with either version to be honest, both very high quality at different price points.

2 hours ago, nawarren said:

In fact they are arguable the easiest aircraft to fly by hand as autotrim takes care of much of a pilots workload.

Not having manual trim (in most LAWs) was perhaps the biggest adjustment I had to make, but agree, it's easy to fly ... where I might get lost is when failures happen and knowing how to respond ... but that's not something I typically do ... yet.

Cheers, Rob.

[pegruder 65]

1 hour ago, Rob Ainscough said:

I don't think you can go wrong with either version to be honest, both very high quality at different price points.

Not having manual trim (in most LAWs) was perhaps the biggest adjustment I had to make, but agree, it's easy to fly ... where I might get lost is when failures happen and knowing how to respond ... but that's not something I typically do ... yet.

Cheers, Rob.

I have the FSL bird already and have used it pretty extensively for the past 4 months.  I just loaded up the FF version and I have to say the VC feels like better quality to me.  Not sure if this is just limitations in P3D but the VC in XP seems much more clear for some reason.  The tablet built in is also pretty sweet!  The sounds could certainly use an improvement for sure as you mentioned.  Maybe BSS will make a pack for this one day.  This could also be me not used to the XP controls as right click is used alot in P3D whereas in XP its a view manipulator.  I haven't done much other than taxi and takeoff (taxiing feels better to me in the FSL in P3D).  A few maneuvers during climb felt VERY responsive, maybe a little too responsive.  Now this could be the flight model, or the fact that I have a nice steady 40 fps.  I'm not used to frame rates this high over in P3D land.  I'll certainly be putting it through its paces.

[mikealpha 266]

Thete was an interesting remark some days ago by Blackbox711, who is regularly streaming both at Twitch. He`s quite independent regarding platforms, and he`s real pilot with 20000 hours on A320, 747 and 737.

However, there was a short discussion regarding the dreaded term `study level`. What is that, and even more important : For whom ? For beginners, for experienced simmers, or even for real pilots ?   Well, what he said was no Airliner Addon can be study level for real pilots, the price tag for that would be significantly higher. But he also said the FSL comes close. And anything else is nowhere near to that.  

I watch his streams since months and I think that is related to depth , details and so on.

Now, as others have mentioned, FF is somewhere at version 0.8, while FSL is out already since quite some time. So I think any comparision should be made maybe in a year, but not now.