New training aircraft advice needed

[Gaz 15]

Hi

I'm looking to buy a new aircraft for training. Like in the real world, I'm guessing a small cessna is a good start, but I'm up for suggestions. 

The important thing for me is the G1000. Whatever it is, I want a modern cockpit, such as one having a g1000. 

I would appreciate advice on what to buy. 

Thanks, Gaz

[hs118 707]

Requiring a G1000 limits your purchases to Carenado as far as I know. Maybe someone else has some other experience.

[ryanbatc 12,801]

Use the default Cessna honestly... it's decent.  Then buy REP for the G1000 variant:

http://store.x-plane.org/Reality-Expansion-Pack-for-Laminar-Cessna-172SP_p_670.html

[fppilot 4,350]

3 minutes ago, ryanbatcund said:

Use the default Cessna honestly... it's decent.  Then buy REP for the G1000 variant:

http://store.x-plane.org/Reality-Expansion-Pack-for-Laminar-Cessna-172SP_p_670.html

P3D forum.....

[fppilot 4,350]

32 minutes ago, Gary McCluskey said:

I'm looking to buy a new aircraft for training. Like in the real world

You are talking about a real world, go to local airport, fuel up, fly..... Right?  Real world, or "like" real world?  A bit ambiguous. 

[Indy511 686]

1 hour ago, Gary McCluskey said:

Like in the real world

The real thing? One that you can smell the exhaust?
I would get this. http://cessna.txtav.com/en/piston/cessna-skyhawk

Otherwise for simming that would be the A2A C172 but it doesn't include a G1000. I have the Reality XP Garmin GNS 750 and it works great.

Edited June 24, 2018 by Bills511

[Bill Griffith 160]

The A2A C172 or C182 and the Flight1 GTN 650/750 would work well for you.

 

Bill

[fppilot 4,350]

21 minutes ago, Bill Griffith said:

and the Flight1 GTN 650/750

?????  Please, I do not wish to get into a brand argument. Only there is another GTN available out there that uses a much more recent March 2017 Garmin GTN trainer with new features and a much more up to date nav database.....  

Edited June 24, 2018 by fppilot

[ryanbatc 12,801]

58 minutes ago, fppilot said:

P3D forum.....

Ooops mobile doesn't always show it well lol

I'm thinking F1 C182 with G1000 but I can't remember if that's P3D ready yet

[Indy511 686]

Carenado has C172SP Skyhawk G1000, C208B Grand Caravan EX HD Series, CT206H Stationair G1000 Extension Pack.

Edited June 24, 2018 by Bills511

[Chock 17,769]

I'd recommend the Alabeo Diamond DA42 Twin Star. It comes with a G1000 by default which, whilst not a completely accurate in functionality replication of the G1000, does the job. It's certainly okay considering its thrown in with the price of the aeroplane (the thing cost about 22 quid, so quite inexpensive for an add-on aeoplane really given you do get a fancy nav system in there) and of course you can swap the included G1000 out for a more authentic third part G1000 add on easily enough if you like and you at least know it will fit the panel correctly with a suitable gap.

A big plus point for the DA42 is that it is used as an advanced navigation training aircraft in the real world (If I recall correctly, I think Easyjet use them for IFR and engine-out training since they are well suited to the role of training airline pilots who will likely end up on A320s). The DA42 is a bit faster than a single engined Cessna or similar type, since it is a twin, but it's not so fast as to be a handful to fly and is manageable with an engine out, since it actually has relatively low powered diesel engines rather than the bigger, more powerful Lycoming/Continentals you invariably find in classic twins. But, if that doesn't float your boat and you do want one of those older classic twins, then the Cessna 310 is probably the one to go for, as it is a bit of a classic choice for IFR training and there are several to choose from for P3D although the Milviz one is probably the one to go for if you want realism. I have both of those and can recommend them.

These days real-world single engined PPL training aircraft are far more likely to be something like a Tecnam Sierra, Tecnam Eaglet or a Diamond DA20 Katana (from which the DA42 Twin Star was developed), these lightweight singles are a hell of a lot cheaper to run than a Cessna 172, which might well have been a suitable choice for training years ago when fuel was cheaper, but these days it's not an economical choice for the role of trainer, not least because it is a four seater, so you're hauling a lot of unnecessary metal around the skies, not forgetting those two additional seats. The 172 also has a Lycoming/Continental engine, and that's way more costly to run froma maintenance standpoint, far more so than the Rotax 912 found in stuff such as those Tecnams.

The DA20 can be found with a flat four Continental more like you'd find in that Cessna, but it can also be powered by the Rotax 912 and frequently is. The downside for you with those Tecnams is that they are specifically designed as trainer/light tourers, so they don't come with very sophisticated avionics in terms of complexity, but they do come with more modern avionics than you'd find in a typical Cessna or Piper, and of course you can shoehorn in a payware add on avionics package if you want to although how erll things would fit in their panels is open to debate. But, if those float your boat, Ant's Airplanes make both a Tecnam Eaglet and a Tecnam Sierra for P3D and these are not only inexpensive, but also really top notch P3D add-ons, I have both those Tecnams and do recommend them although don't expect to get anywhere in hurry in either of them lol. Aerosoft's DA20 is another good one, but I only have that for FSX and am not sure if there is a P3D V4 version of it, although I certainly can recommend the FSX version and indeed its motor glider sister, the DA36 Dimona, which is also very good, but again, FSX only.

More traditional training aircraft, i.e. a bit more old school if you prefer something of that nature, would include the Piper PA38 Tomahawk, Cessna 150/152 and the Scottish Aviation Bulldog, all of which can be found for P3D (made by Alabeo, Just Flight and Black Box Simulations, and they are all good add-ons too which I also have and can recommend).

Since these are all two seaters, they were designed primarily as training/light touring aircraft, thus they all have some aerobatic capabilities, but unlike the Cessna 150/152, the Piper Tomahawk was actually designed to not recover from a spin without the correct inputs from the pilot, which makes it not quite as safe as the 152 for novice pilots, but a better ab initio trainer, the visually very similar Bulldog is the same in that regard which is why it was often used by the military as an initial trainer. Again though, they aren't likely to have much room on the panel for a lot of fancy avionics and aren't going to break any speed records either, since that isn't what they were designed for.Really, you're more likely to find that something like one of the Mooney fast singles, or even a Bellanca Viking (which is a a very fast single) would be better for IFR type flights with fancier avionics, although you'd have to add them to the Viking, whereas you can find Mooneys already suitably equipped.

So overall, I'd say the Alabeo Diamond DA42 would be a very good choice for what you are looking for, it's pretty to look at, is reasonably fast (ish, about 155 knots), has good visibility, is economical on fuel with a fairly decent range (thanks to those winglets) and it comes with pretty decent avionics as standard, which you can tart up if you want to.

Now of course some of the above is of limited  relevance for a flight sim, i.e who cares about maintenance costs, TBOs and fuel prices in a flight sim lol, but if you want realism, maybe you do want to factor those things in to reflect the real world more.

 

Edited June 24, 2018 by Chock

[Gaz 15]

38 minutes ago, Bills511 said:

Carenado has C172SP Skyhawk G1000

Brilliant! That's exactly the sort of thing I need. 

21 minutes ago, Chock said:

So overall, I'd say the Alabeo Diamond DA42

Yeah, I bought this one, but I have to admit I do have some difficulty controlling the aircraft, especially when I make a slightest change to the engine thrust. I can control it in flight - generally without problem, but when it comes down to the last 20feet off the ground it seems to react as if it is hitting serious turbulence. I find it frustrating and thought I would try another plane, but if you think this is normal, I will continue training on that plane. 

1 hour ago, Bills511 said:

 The real thing? One that you can smell the exhaust?

2 hours ago, fppilot said:

You are talking about a real world, go to local airport, fuel up, fly..... Right?  Real world, or "like" real world?  A bit ambiguous. 

Well, I did say 'like the real world' - on a simulator forum, so no, I don't want it to be the real thing, just what I can get of it from Prepar3d! It seems you both think I'm asking for which plane to go and use in real life, I'm sorry  - I'll try and make it clear (from now on) that in this simulator forum - asking about simulators. Liking something to the real thing means I'm asking about a simulated item here.

Thanks, Gaz

[fppilot 4,350]

10 hours ago, Bills511 said:

Carenado has C172SP Skyhawk G1000, C208B Grand Caravan EX HD Series, CT206H Stationair G1000 Extension Pack.

The 172SP is the closest to a trainer.

[Bobsk8 12,541]

I have many hours real life in the C 172 and Cherokee. I would recommend the A2A Cherokee for a good trainer. 

[Bill Griffith 160]

12 hours ago, fppilot said:

?????  Please, I do not wish to get into a brand argument. Only there is another GTN available out there that uses a much more recent March 2017 Garmin GTN trainer with new features and a much more up to date nav database.....  

I don't think that anyone is arguing.  I wasn't aware of another GTN add-on for the A2A aircraft.  I would be interested in learning about that one.  Thank you.

 

Bill