Favorite planes..

[birdguy 3,943]

John, you haven't lived until you had to stand on a float to hand crank the Luscombe.  That's exciting especially if you are solo.  Just make sure you are in the middle of a lake because you have no brakes.

I think what gives the Luscombe that special feel is the stick instead of a yoke.  

The one I flew way back in the mid 50s had no lights and no radios either.  I suppose the aircraft we first soloed in is our first love.  But the Luscombe is more than that.

Noel

 

[birdguy 3,943]

Sue, I do have the Lionheat Pipers.  Very nice aircraft.

I also have Bill Lyons Apache and Tripacer and Goose and several others.  He was a master at crafting simulator aircraft.

He once gave me a royal chewing out when I contacted him and asked for permission to modify his goose for an ai package I was making for CalClassic.  He thought I wanted to include the whole aircraft in a package.  When I explained to him all I wanted was to modify it for ai use and the customer would have to download his airrcat and follow the modification instructions he became somewhat apologetic and gave me permission.  It's in the California seaplane bases package I made for Tom at CalClassic for FS2004.

Noel

Edited April 1, 2018 by birdguy

[John_Cillis 2,406]

1 hour ago, birdguy said:

John, you haven't lived until you had to stand on a float to hand crank the Luscombe.  That's exciting especially if you are solo.  Just make sure you are in the middle of a lake because you have no brakes.

I think what gives the Luscombe that special feel is the stick instead of a yoke.  

The one I flew way back in the mid 50s had no lights and no radios either.  I suppose the aircraft we first soloed in is our first love.  But the Luscombe is more than that.

Noel

 

I could not imagine hand cranking the Luscombe on a float.  I hand cranked my friend's Luscombe and it was surprisingly easy to start, just one determined pull down and whammo, engine started.  A nearby pilot was not so lucky hand cranking his cub to start.  I might have purchased the Luscombe but there were restrictions that if you hand crank, you had to have someone else with you.  But boy how it flew, it just took feather touches on the stick to get the aircraft to do what I wanted and very little rudder was needed to coordinate the turns.  It was like "I think, it flies"

John

[jcomm 5,886]

I believe the FSlabs A320 became my preferred P3D module, and actually the only one I presently use.

[John_Cillis 2,406]

On 4/1/2018 at 12:11 PM, jcomm said:

I believe the FSlabs A320 became my preferred P3D module, and actually the only one I presently use.

I still love the Carenado 550 the most for P3D followed by the Aerobask Eclipse for Xplane11.  Jet performance in the flight levels but prop handling down low when coming in to land, two personal airliners.  The 550's IAS hold is wonderful, using pitch to hold airspeed in climb for fast and efficient cruise climbs on the sweet spot, into the flight levels.

John

[JLuis 409]

My favorite is Milviz C310 Redux.

[birdguy 3,943]

On hand propping the Luscombe on floats John, there was handle mounted on top of the cowling to hold onto with your other hand  when you were propping.  It usually took just one stroke.

Of course that was back in the days when we were young, virile, good looking and dumb as a load of bricks.

Noel

 

[Alan_A 1,650]

On 3/27/2018 at 10:08 PM, birdguy said:

And the MAAM DC-3!

If you love the MAAM DC-3, you owe it to yourself to try Manfred Jahn's freeware version - better than most payware, and the team members include some of the MAAMsim crew, including Jan Visser, who's responsible for the wonderful "vintage VC."  Flight dynamics are by Alexander Metzger, who's also responsible for the PMDG DC-6.

Because this is a freeware project, it can take a little work to track down the files and updates you need - fortunately, this post from the A2A forums lists them all, and provides links to the main ones.

Enjoy!

 

[n4gix 4,947]

...brown paper packages tied up with string,

these are a few of my favorite planes!

[scianoir 610]

14 hours ago, Alan_A said:

f you love the MAAM DC-3, you owe it to yourself to try Manfred Jahn's freeware version - better than most payware,

Absolutely agree - definitely better than most payware!

Bill

[John_Cillis 2,406]

4 minutes ago, scianoir said:

Absolutely agree - definitely better than most payware!

Bill

Ant's Drifter ultralight is one cool aircraft for P3D.  The freeware Pottier P130UL is a nice Light Sport aircraft for Xplane, a very good hands off flier once trimmed in flight.

John

[birdguy 3,943]

Yes, I do have Manfred's DC-3 and C-117.  I agree it's better than most payware that I have tried.  But I've been in love with the MAAM DC-3 since FS2002.  I've also been married to my wife for 57 years.  Lots of new models around but when you've gotten used to a certain woman for oh, so many years, it's damned hard to let her go.  Especially when they've trained you so well.

Noel

 

Edited April 4, 2018 by birdguy

[Mace 1,901]

On 4/2/2018 at 4:41 PM, Cactus521 said:

I still love the Carenado 550 the most for P3D

I am considering adding this one to my hangar soon.  I've always loved the cruciform Cessna jets.   I'm interested in the possibility of adding the GTN750 to it, and isn't there a way to mod in wx radar into its VC as well?

[Guest]

Majestic’s Q400. My most favorite simulated plane ever. It’s the only plane I have installed. When TrueEarth Netherlands has been released I will probably also install A2A’s Comanche, my second best favorite. 

[John_Cillis 2,406]

On 4/7/2018 at 1:39 PM, J van E said:

Majestic’s Q400. My most favorite simulated plane ever. It’s the only plane I have installed. When TrueEarth Netherlands has been released I will probably also install A2A’s Comanche, my second best favorite. 

Maybe one day I will purchase the Q400, I have heard so many good things about it!  Now that I have the hardware to run it.

John