Hi all

After a break of many years for various reasons from flight simming I’ve got the bug to get back to it.  I previously had fsx with a couple of addons and dabbled with Vatsim too.

im looking at getting p3d. I’m looking for advice please on what addons will help with creating realistic simming.

I'm interested in:

• ground services which I believe GSX covers?
• Realistc sky/weather and clouds (I wasn’t a fan of REX)
• realistic sounds, especially the clattering you get on touchdown
• model matching when flying online, I like seeing the correct aircraft and liveries that other pilots are using.
• i used to fly easyJet (online) like career with the airline club - can’t remember what it was called. Are there other airline specific groups?

Are there any programs/addons/freeware/payware that might assist with the other that are recommended?

Many Thanks

 

I'll take a stab at a few answers - 

GSX is the goto in that area

HiFi's ActiveSky4 for P3d with ASCA ( Active Sky Cloud Art) is a great combo

A2A SImulations AccuFeel and Old Prop's PrecipitFx are solid

Model matching - I amnot aware of any programs that do that - usually you must have the aircraft/livery installed on your system for it to display

There are quite a few Virtual Airlines around,

Have fun!

Vic

model matching:  https://www.alpha-india.net/

 

Hi Steve,

Welcome back...

This gets a little pricey - might want to wait a bit on some for the Holiday sales period...

Sky: Active Sky 4, ASCA, ENVTEX, ENVSHADE (pretty common cocktail used by many - they all play nicely together).

Ground: ORBX Global, ORBX Vector, ORBX Land Class.

Essential Utilities: Chaseplane (Camera Utility)

Traffic: AIG (free) - One click auto installer.

Regards,

Scott

Welcome back Steve.

I second what the other mates said and stress on that Chaseplane is nearly a must have.

For sky and clouds, I was not a REX Fan either but finally got REX Sky Force. In the beginning I did not like it so much but I have completely changed my mind.

For weather, Active Sky is the way to go if you are not satisfied with the Sky Force integrated weather engine.

For pushback and towing, FS2CREW: ULTIMATE GROUND CREW X is going to be released in about 2 weeks. I advise to stay tuned.

 

 

 

 

19 hours ago, scottb613 said:

Essential Utilities: Chaseplane (Camera Utility)

Yeap I just can't see myself without Chaseplane in P3D or also Little Nav Map.

Not trying to be funny but why Chaseplane? Do you really need to spend money just to look around, or am I misunderstanding the program?

12 minutes ago, IanHarrison said:

Not trying to be funny but why Chaseplane? Do you really need to spend money just to look around, or am I misunderstanding the program?

 

Hi Ian,

When used with TrackIR - it’s indispensable...

My normal PIC view is free with normal TrackIR - try tuning a radio or hitting some switches in that mode - while bouncing around in turbulence... In CP - you build predefined views where you need them to operate the various instruments around the cockpit - you can assign multiple views to the same button on your joystick that cycle with each press... You can turn TrackIR on and off on a per view basis as desired... In every aircraft to keep consistency - I assign the views to the same (4) way hat - left is PIC views - right is SIC views - up is overhead - down is center stack - my trigger is used to get back quickly to the primary PIC view... 

The interface is the most intuitive I’ve ever seen in FS and super simple to setup...

CP also has all the various turbulence and head motion effects to make the cockpit more immersive...

CP has a ton of other features but that’s what I use it most for...

Indispensable for VC flying in my book...

Regards,

Scott 

Edited August 25, 20196 yr by scottb613

I agree that chaseplane is a must, Chaseplane is an add-on in my opinion that revolutionizes the sim...It truly does, I’m not sure I would be able to use the sim without it after having used it.

22 hours ago, vgbaron said:

I'll take a stab at a few answers - 

GSX is the goto in that area

HiFi's ActiveSky4 for P3d with ASCA ( Active Sky Cloud Art) is a great combo

A2A SImulations AccuFeel and Old Prop's PrecipitFx are solid

Model matching - I amnot aware of any programs that do that - usually you must have the aircraft/livery installed on your system for it to display

There are quite a few Virtual Airlines around,

Have fun!

Vic

Does PrecipitFx show raindrops on the windscreen in P3Dv4?

49 minutes ago, IanHarrison said:

Not trying to be funny but why Chaseplane? Do you really need to spend money just to look around, or am I misunderstanding the program?

If you fly liners, you need it absolutely to zoom quickly or change view to certain parts of the panel, especially in critical phase of flight.

There's also Ezdok Camera which might be a little bit cheaper than Chaseplane. Their support is really sketchy though. The latest version to support P3Dv4.5 is still in beta and has bugs and it's been several months since they have posted any updates or even responded in their message boards (apparently they have been on vacation for months?). IMO it's more powerful than Chaseplane but gives more headaches. Chaseplane is more user friendly and has better presets.

Thanks for the info.

However at $39 I think it will go into my "Hope for Christmas" basket.

I will continue to manage without it for the time being😉

I use a nifty little free camera utility named "Banking Camera", I think it is in the avsim file library?

Essentually it banks the view vitual cockpit view with the plane, is run via the exe.xml file, communicates via simconnect and works with FSX-SE all the way up to the current 4.5 P3D and beyond I expect.

I have the latest version 1.2 from the author (who has since disappeared along with his website) but it is blurbed as freely distributable.

It can be turned on or off and the maximum bank angle can be defined, I have it assigned to a joystick button so I can enable / disable whenever I want quite simply.

Cheers

On 8/24/2019 at 10:38 AM, steve_starsky said:

• realistic sounds, especially the clattering you get on touchdown

Some aircraft come with touchdown clatter sounds, and rollout/ taxi sounds.

If you have an aircraft that does NOT have these sounds, there is an addon called SimSounds that can add them.

The aforementioned A2A Accusim has some airframe clatter, but I've found SimSounds finishes out the immersion of the taxi/gear rumble.  I use both, depending on my aircraft.  For the PMDG 747, for example, I disable SimSounds, as it is not needed.  For the old CLS DC-10, I do need it.

It's all $$$$$ money though.  Probably A2A Accusim is the most agile, as it affects so many areas.