In my defense, I hadn't given X-Plane a fair shack since version 10 and I stuck with Prepar3D. But given that it was on sale on Steam and I got the impression that Laminar never has a sale I took the bait. I have to say that I am blown away and I'll have to eat my words re Flight Dynamics and the looks of the sim:

The thing is I really don't have the storage to have both sims on my system so I had to make a decision and I decided to uninstall Prepar3D and clean my system up to make room for X-Plane 11 exclusively. Doesn't mean I am jumping ship just yet. I have to say I am blown away with first impressions but I have a lot invested in Prepar3D.

So my project is to emulate the early user of Flight sim and see what's the best I can do with X-plane 11 using exclusively freeware plugins and addons.

Well for the time being I am now exclusively an X-Plane 11 User.😁

I still have the luxury of having space for two sims. 

While there are another 2 days for the x-plane org website, it's a good time to add some aircraft such as the FlightFactor A320.

 

Welcome, congratulations, and you're arriving at a great time since we're about to get 11.30, and with it a lot of fine tuning of stuff that you simply don't even think about in P3D / FSX unless it's a totally external flight dynamics model being used in an add-on, and because sooner or latter we will have HiFi's ASXP !!!!

X-Plane 11 is by far and behold IMO the most promising civil flight sim, and a very inexpensive one if you consider the amount of detail you get for free regarding airports, navaids, default weather even with it's quirks, ...

 

1 hour ago, Jude Bradley said:

it's a good time to add some aircraft such as the FlightFactor A320.

Sorely tempted as I am, I'm going to stick with my plan of what I can get out of this sim with freeware only. So far I have just being playing around with with the default 737 and 172 since I am reasonably familiar with both of them. I have found that I can get 60fps no problem with the 172 with great setting (see video) and I am very happy about that. Moving on to the 737 I've brought my Prepar3D experience to bare on that on and set my refresh rate to 30hz with great affect. So far I have only gone around the block in the 737 but with great setting with a very smooth 30fps.

I understand there is a freeware mode for the default 737 so that's the first thing I am going to do and then I will be adding what I think is called OrthoXP scenery for the Pacific north west.😁

Edited July 2, 20187 yr by Guest

Yes, you are right. The Zibo mod is an excellent aircraft - it's been updated to 4K recently. 

https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/forums/topic/138974-b737-800x-zibo-mod-info-installation-download-links/

Read the instructions carefully, especially after an update which it gets quite frequently. 

1 minute ago, Jude Bradley said:

Yes, you are right. The Zibo mod is an excellent aircraft - it's been updated to 4K recently. 

https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/forums/topic/138974-b737-800x-zibo-mod-info-installation-download-links/

Read the instructions carefully, especially after an update which it gets quite frequently. 

Thank you!

You're welcome. 

🙂
 

Long time FS2004/FSX'r - never bought into P3D and finally took the plunge into XP11 waters.  Though I do have a massive software graveyard, am encouraged by all of LR's current innovations and what they're planning next.

Same boat, once i fired XP11 was a nver going back.

On 7/2/2018 at 4:45 PM, Jude Bradley said:

Yes, you are right. The Zibo mod is an excellent aircraft

Well I had some time today so I installed the Zibo Mod of for the 737-800 and The other goodies that go along with it. Sound Pack, Terrain Radar and more realistic cockpit textures. I continue to be blown away by this sim. This is the Furthest I have ever gotten into X-Plane and not been frustrated by it. It has definitely come a very long way in the last couple of year.

I was 5000' flying circuits around KSFO in a stormy night with lots of wind shear and got a super smooth 50fps. I love the info shown in the top left. I've already got the hang of getting the setting right for a flight. I set my refresh rate to 50hz and and see the frame time at .002 and CPU around .0017 and the GPU time around .0015 so its super easy to to get the setting right and see which is under the most stress the CPU of or the GPU. Just Awesome😁

 

I agree, this is the "golden age" of X-Plane. I bought some sceneries on the .org sale  - SBRJ to go with the freeware https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/file/25481-sbsp-congonhas-international-airport-brazil-rubensgons-in-memorian-versão-x-plane-by-richard/ (same developer) and it is a very under-rated airport. That is the beauty of x-plane, so much free scenery 

 

 

And, if you're a fun of tubeliners and want some sophistication at the level of identical products for FSX / P3D then, for Airbus you can chose between or both Toliss A319 and FF A320 U.

I honestly don't use any other airliners with X-Plane, but these offer me my preferred rendition of Airbus among the sims and add-ons I have used.

For GA you have a wide range of choices.

Soaring, well, still leaves a lot to be deserved IMHO.... I see you share that passion IRL just like me :-) 

Maybe with the advent of ASXP we can have something worth the try ;-)

 

Is there a spreadsheet or website somewhere which lists all available  high quality payware/freeware airports / aircraft for Xplane?

Compiled from another thread:

Zibo 737-800 (Freeware!)

Flightfactor A320

VSkyLabs DC-3

SSG E-Jets Evolution

Felis Tu-154M

JustFlight's GA aircraft

FlyJSim 732, 722

PMDG DC-6

FJS 732

IXEG’s 737

Avia71 Aerostar 601P

LES Saab 340A

Reality Expansion Pack(s) were also mentioned as a side alternative.

 

Bell 429 (Freeware!)

X-Trident Bell 412

Dreamfoil Bell 407

 

 

Edited July 9, 20187 yr by VeryBumpy

On 7/9/2018 at 5:43 AM, ErichB said:

Is there a spreadsheet or website somewhere which lists all available  high quality payware/freeware airports / aircraft for Xplane?

I think https://forums.x-plane.org/

at least that is where I am looking