Very Old Timer, thinking about MSFS 2020

[Bobsk8 12,681]

Got my PPL in 1978, and started simming in 1987/ For the past years, I have been flying P3D, and most of my flying now is on GA aircraft by A2A, mainly the Comanche, C 182 and the Texan T6. About to replace my old Dell PC puchesed in 2012, with a brand new one, and one of the reasons I want to do that is to try MSFS 2020. As I shopped for a New PC, I began watching the many videos on Youtube on MSFS, and I have to admit, I am really impressed by what I have seen. Since I am only flying GA aircraft, I started thinking that this new sim would make flying low altitude flights, almost like flying in real life. The scenery and weather effects and clouds look just like the real thing, and the lighting at night  is awesome. I find that flying in P3D, and looking around, after awhile, isn't doing it for me anymore. 

The one thing I worried about is the flight dynamics of the available aircraft, but the videos I have seen so far, seems to show some pretty realistic looking flight models.  I  also like all the adjustments that can be made in the sim, like camera views, control setting, AI setting, etc. etc. I can't wait until I get my new PC and can download MSFS, Of course I will be eagerly waiting for A2A to get a compatible GA aircraft. 

 

[vgbaron 3,612]

Like you Bob, I've been around a while. Will be 84 in 2 weeks. Got my PPL and CPL in 1962/2 - you will love MSFS. As with any software, it's not perfect but overall, it's the closest thing to real life that I have seen.

I fly P3D5 and MSFS. If I want accurate weather and good IFR practice - P3D is the way to go but when I want to just enjoy the feel of flying as I used to - MSFS. The scenery is breathtaking and on a decent machine, the performance is more than acceptable.

If you want to fly by the numbers, checklists, accurate fuel and energy management, etc - MSFS is lacking. For me, I jump in the a/c, hit CTRL E and go. I do try to watch fuel etc from habit but it's not my main focus - I am sightseeing NOT being a PIC.

I'd definitely keep your P3D but for low and slow - enjoy what MSFS has to offer.

 

[snglecoil 1,828]

@Bobsk8 for VFR this sim is hard to beat. If you want to do any instrument flights, RNAV is a work in progress not particularly useable right now. By the next sim update in February...maybe.  You can do old-school IFR  /A /U all day long, though. MSFS will get there for instruments, it is just going to take time. For visual flight, though, jump on in. The water is mighty fine!

[jpe828 624]

I think you will like the sim. It is really nice to see what it really looks like while flying over an area. For example, 15 years ago I was in Puerto Rico. Recently, in the sim I flew over the area, navigating by using my memory of landmarks. It is pretty neat. As mentioned, there is absolutely room for improvement, which to me is not a bad thing. As well, like you, I used to pretty much exclusively fly A2A or Real Air in FSX. These addons will come, and this sim will be quite good. For now, the community has modded some of the default airplanes in very credible ways. 

Now, what kind of PC are you thinking of going with? In Sept, I built a very mid grade rig which runs it at around 30-35 FPS consistently on High settings. This is pretty good for me, of course I am always wanting better visuals and FPS. Let us know what you are thinking and we can probably offer some advice on hardware. 

[jpe828 624]

1 minute ago, snglecoil said:

@Bobsk8 for VFR this sim is hard to beat. If you want to do any instrument flights, RNAV is a work in progress not particularly useable right now. 

Have you tried the Working Title CJ4? They have RNAV pretty well sorted!

[Bobsk8 12,681]

4 minutes ago, jpe828 said:

I think you will like the sim. It is really nice to see what it really looks like while flying over an area. For example, 15 years ago I was in Puerto Rico. Recently, in the sim I flew over the area, navigating by using my memory of landmarks. It is pretty neat. As mentioned, there is absolutely room for improvement, which to me is not a bad thing. As well, like you, I used to pretty much exclusively fly A2A or Real Air in FSX. These addons will come, and this sim will be quite good. For now, the community has modded some of the default airplanes in very credible ways. 

Now, what kind of PC are you thinking of going with? In Sept, I built a very mid grade rig which runs it at around 30-35 FPS consistently on High settings. This is pretty good for me, of course I am always wanting better visuals and FPS. Let us know what you are thinking and we can probably offer some advice on hardware. 

Right now I am looking 2 pre builds. Past the stage where I want to build one myself. The two I am looking at are supposed to be pretty good ON FPS, both middle of the road gaming PC's. 

[snglecoil 1,828]

2 minutes ago, jpe828 said:

Have you tried the Working Title CJ4? They have RNAV pretty well sorted!

Of course. It is fantastic.  But, the fastest thing I fly in real life is a Baron, and teach in mostly 172s. I guess I'm kinda boring in the sim and stick to what I know 😂

[pmb 5,137]

I have been an apha tester from nearly day one and would encourage you. Opinions on flight models differ, and I woulnd't finally judge as I am not a RW pilot. However, I have been given stick/yoke and rudder in a real GA plane twice and I like how the GA models fly - while their Control/Navaid functionality is not like A2A, of course. Thus, be prepared to find (inop) on several switches and knobs.

There may be also issues with scenery, photogrammetry buildings may appear like molten blocks on occasion, somewhat dependent on settings like zoom.

Overall I agree, for GA/VFR flying it's hard to beat and I really have fun with it. Plus add the multitude of freeware and payware addons already available.

Kind regards, Michael

Edited January 12, 2021 by pmb

[bszuch 95]

Bob,

If you ever get an opportunity to experience MSFS in VR, don't pass it up.  Particularly on the GA side,

it is wonderful.  I built a new computer for that very thing, and half the time, am just as happy taking the 152 up for pattern work as flying the A320NX across the country.  I was using 3) 27" monitors, and VR brings immersion you can't describe if you've not used it.  Each flight is more spectacular than the last.  Not perfect, and still lots to fix, but don't regret the switch from P3D for a minute.  Have Fun!

[regis9 4,013]

If you’re primarily a GA virtual pilot and enjoy VFR I think MSFS is a no brainer purchase for you, especially given the relatively low cost of entry and the fact that there’s so much freeware available to really help enjoy the sims without spending another dime.  It’s got some growing to do, but in it’s current state is a ton of fun.

To put it in perspective, prior to MSFS I probably flew 90% airliners and 10% GA.  Now with MSFS that has flipped to 90% GA, it’s just such a great  experience for me.  I still go back to P3D for some of my airliner flying (mostly for my FSLabs fix) but other than that I spend most time doing GA flying.

[Glenn Fitzpatrick 3,798]

34 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

Right now I am looking 2 pre builds. Past the stage where I want to build one myself. The two I am looking at are supposed to be pretty good ON FPS, both middle of the road gaming PC's. 

I would suggest if you are thinking of anything bigger than a 1080p monitor or if you want to go with a VR headset an absolute minimum of an RTX 3070 or the AMD equivalent and a good processor.

To give you an idea below is a FPS meter enabled test video from a few days back of the Carenado Mooney landing at Juliana St Maartens.

This was recorded at 1080p but was actually a 1440p monitor on an I5 8400/32GB/RTX 3070 with NVME SSD.

 Note that the FPS is mainly 40ish but drops to 20s over the sceneries beach party at the threshold and once you approach the static aircraft and airport buildings (and the message changes to mainly "limited by GPU" instead of "limited by main thread" in normal flight) and this is by no means a large airport.

Note the stutter at the very end is the OBS recording software struggling, not the sim itself which with gsync is very smooth on a 3070 even when it drops to mid 20s FPS.

 

 

Edited January 12, 2021 by Glenn Fitzpatrick

[Steve Dra 7,588]

Hey Bob!

While not quite in the silver-hair club yet (but rapidly getting there....this is the year of the big 60).....but have been simming since the beginning and have been here on Avsim coming up on 2 decades (well probeaby more than that if you count the really early days and Mike Mirando's site before that)

Anyway.....age and experience credentials aside, MSFS has been for me, hands down, the most incredible iteration of a flight sim to date.  

To put it perspective....I have never, ever had the desire to use a flightsim screenshot for my desktop background as they never conveyed what I'd like to see...I've always had stunning pics of real planes at interesting angles and environmental conditions as my background (or no background at all)

There are no words that I could type out enough to convey the feeling of flight this shot inspires in me, and as my desktop background on my 55 inch 4k TV, it is quite the site to see when you walk into my office. 🙂  

When I flew this flight and broke out through the clouds into the orange glow of the setting sun, it was almost a religious experience. 😉   The atmospherics in MSFS would be reason enough to experience this sim.....never has breaking out on top had more of an immersion factor than in this sim, hands down, period, end of story.   

If you only bought it just to do that in a low, solid overcast in the morning to break out a dazzling white sun and blue skies above, or....break out of one layer...only to see there is one more to go....like in this flight....

And seeing an actual HOLE in the 2nd overcast that is casting bright sunlight down on the 1st overcast layer.....

And............to finally break out on top....for real this time! 🙂  Oh, and pick up some icing along the way too (yes the icing model is not great in the current state...but we have it by default...1st for any sim).....finally....those boots ARE INFLATING and DEFLATING...that about made my heart skip a beat when I 1st saw that on the TBM. LoL

This shot...the inner boots are inflated......

And a few moments later, the outers inflated while the inners deflated....

 

For just this flight alone...I was quite satisfied that I got the full entertainment value of my purchase. 🙂 

 

 

 

[Nyxx 6,993]

Hi Bob,

This sim for GA flying is a dream. The carenado mooney, RealAir Rob Bonanza mod and the TBM are all great.

I truly think you will be blown away by being able to fly anywhere in the world you can think about and go fly. 
 

It’s truly wonderful.

[Nyxx 6,993]

1 hour ago, vgbaron said:

Will be 84 in 2 weeks.

Happy birthday Vic for then, stay safe in these times.

Edited January 12, 2021 by Nyxx

[loop_n_roll 7]

You didn't tell us how old you really are but from your description I'm guessing we are about the same age. I started flight sims with the original Sublogic program on an Apple IIc. I can't recall all the following sims but I'm looking at the boxes for FSX and I know there's a box with 2004 in it around here somewhere. I think your experience will depend on your expectations. Even though I've been at this a long time, I never got really good at flying with autopilot and long haul tube liners. So, when I got MSFS I was extremely happy with flying low and slow to enjoy the pretty scenery. Out of the box (so to speak) it is pretty stunning and the add-on scenery is making it even better. So far, though, I've resisted the add-ons and have stuck with stock. If you want to go into airliners and autopilot, etc. it's a little more challenging. Also, there are some glitches that can drive you crazy. Example: yesterday was perfect without CTDs, This morning I couldn't even get off the ground before I had a CTD, about 3 in a row. I was trying some autopilot programming I'd never done before and quit. Came back later and the sim was perfect. I was able to program the FMS and had a perfect flight. The programming glitches are maddening but I'm confident they will be resolved. After all, ASOBO told us it is a work in process. 

My favorite airplane for just flying around and enjoying the scenery is the ICON A5. Easy to fly and fun to land on land or water. Second is the Cessna Skyhawk with the G1000 autopilot. That's the one I'm trying to program and learn now. Also, I have several GoFlight modules that I'm learning to program in the GoFlight Interface Tool  (not a GoGFlight program) since GoFlight seems to have abandoned the market. All in all, this and a crossword puzzle every day) is keeping my aging gray matter occupied and alive. 

I am a frustrated pilot who never took time or had the money to get a real license. However, our son is a commercial pilot (works for company that works with the FAA) and his wife is a pilot for Delta. So at least I can discuss some rudimentary flying with them. 

My final thought is if you just want to have fun "flying" this is the sim for you. If you want serious airplanes with serious procedures and a perfect experience you could be disappointed. It will get better and is now being updated once a month. Problems are being attacked over time and I believe it will soon be a perfect simulation for most of us.

PS, You may need a new computer. My specs should be in the signature. These run pretty well with no overclocking. I just passed my 80th birthday and am glad I have this to really exercise my brain. Best wishes.