Switching to X-Plane 11? Good for helicopters?

[Avenger2000 3]

I am learning helicopters in FSX but am looking forward to what’s next.  I have MSFS 2020 installed for airplane flying but it is just too buggy and I am fed up with it.  I have a 10th generation processor with 32GB RAM and a 3080 rtx graphics card.  Is X-plane 11 a good choice?  I also own Air Manager 4 to display panels on separate monitors and I think it should work with X-Plane.  I would like to run Garmin g1000 bezels on it for planes that have that device.  Also how is the helicopter flying in the sim?  Thanks!

[RichieFly 728]

IMO, X-Plane is better than FSX, by far. And DCS is better than X-Plan by far.

[jbee1a 12]

For X-Plane there's a freeware Bell 429. That should be enough to test the X-Plane helicopter flight model.  For payware there's (among others) the Bell 407 and a Bell 412. If you buy the GTN 750, a guy called Tom Woods has written patches to integrate the GTN 750 into the instrument panels. He's also working on integrating a G1000 into the Bell 407. Check out his YouTube channel.

The G1000 in X-Plane is good. Check out the Phenom 300.

[Janov 2,383]

Why don´t you "try before you buy"? You can download the free demo, it is EXACTLY like the full program, except for the limited flying area (around Seattle) and a time limit of 19 minutes iirc, after that the joystick stops working. But you can run the demo as many times as you want.

You can fly the default S-76 helicopter, or download any freeware (or payware) helicopter to try flying it in the demo.

Cheers, Jan

 

[Paraffin 2,197]

XP11 is the best currently available sim for civilian helicopters (DCS is for military 'copters). As recommended above, try the free Bell 429, it's great, and you can learn some of the more advanced features on larger helicopters like force trim release, beep trim, and autopilot. 

My favorite helicopter in XP11 is the payware Bell 412, but there are some other great payware ones like the Bell 407.

As with any helicopter sim, it's better if you have separate joystick and throttle controllers to act as cyclic and collective, and rudder pedals are essential for the full experience.

Have fun!

 

Edited April 26, 2021 by Paraffin

[Chock 17,769]

 

Lines Studios' Helicopter Simulator is worth a look if you want a chopper sim. At present it only has a Robinson R22 (hence the song) but it is well done, allowing you to walk around in the sim, check out the chopper on that walkaround, customise your chopper and has fun missions as well as a load of tutorials. As you can see from the review, it is only 20 quid and runs very well on even a modest computer and is certainly more realistic than anything XPlane, MSFS, P3D or FSX can offer and even gives DCS a run for its money:

 

Edited April 26, 2021 by Chock

[jbee1a 12]

This is work in progress. It demonstrates the G1000 and the GTN 750 in the Dreamfoil 407. The G1000 is X-Plane's implemenation, the 407 and the 750 are payware.

 

[mSparks 2,086]

https://www.vskylabs.com/vsl-robinson-r44

Mary Poppins (practically perfect in every way, esp. in VR)

 

[Murmur 3,941]

1 hour ago, mSparks said:

https://www.vskylabs.com/vsl-robinson-r44

Mary Poppins (practically perfect in every way, esp. in VR)

Hard to judge by just a video, but to me the flight model in this looks more convincing than in Chock's video. Even comparing them to RL cockpit videos. Also, a lot smoother.

[mSparks 2,086]

1 hour ago, Murmur said:

Hard to judge by just a video, but to me the flight model in this looks more convincing than in Chock's video. Even comparing them to RL cockpit videos. Also, a lot smoother.

I'd say it has a slightly greater tendency to overspeed the rotor than the real one (and that might be a control calibration/w&b thing - i havent checked), but other than that, mary poppins.

orders of magnitude better than the freeware one by brett s - which as it comes is absolute garbage.

[jcomm 5,894]

14 hours ago, Chock said:

 

Lines Studios' Helicopter Simulator is worth a look if you want a chopper sim. At present it only has a Robinson R22 (hence the song) but it is well done, allowing you to walk around in the sim, check out the chopper on that walkaround, customise your chopper and has fun missions as well as a load of tutorials. As you can see from the review, it is only 20 quid and runs very well on even a modest computer and is certainly more realistic than anything XPlane, MSFS, P3D or FSX can offer and even gives DCS a run for its money:

 

Alan Kudos for your youtube, and the nice song ! and review of Helicopter sim !!!

We have an artist in the crew and we didn't know about it 🙂

[corbu1 1]

Hello,

check the Eurocopter EC135 V5 by www.rotorsim.de . It‘s freeware and offers lot‘s of features.

 

[jfri 42]

On 4/26/2021 at 8:55 PM, Chock said:

 

Lines Studios' Helicopter Simulator is worth a look if you want a chopper sim. At present it only has a Robinson R22 (hence the song) but it is well done, allowing you to walk around in the sim, check out the chopper on that walkaround, customise your chopper and has fun missions as well as a load of tutorials. As you can see from the review, it is only 20 quid and runs very well on even a modest computer and is certainly more realistic than anything XPlane, MSFS, P3D or FSX can offer and even gives DCS a run for its money:

 

I am surprised over this praise after reading the reviews on Steam. Even real Helicopter pilot who has flown the R22 says it is unrealistic

[Chock 17,769]

28 minutes ago, jfri said:

I am surprised over this praise after reading the reviews on Steam. Even real Helicopter pilot who has flown the R22 says it is unrealistic

I know you the review you are talking about on Steam, I read that too, and what he actually said that there were aspects of it which were not as realistic as the real thing. But frankly, I think he was expecting a bit too much from a 20 quid chopper sim which was still in beta at the time he wrote that. If he had a bit more realistic expectations, it would be a more balanced opinion.

Edited May 17, 2021 by Chock

[jcomm 5,894]

11 hours ago, Chock said:

I know you the review you are talking about on Steam, I read that too, and what he actually said that there were aspects of it which were not as realistic as the real thing. But frankly, I think he was expecting a bit too much from a 20 quid chopper sim which was still in beta at the time he wrote that. If he had a bit more realistic expectations, it would be a more balanced opinion.

It's on my to-buy list when I return to flight simulation... 

Aerosoft's about to be released Glider Simulator is yet another must buy....

I believe both will run flawlessly even being a rather outdated rig I have here !

Cheers ! and Take Care !!!!

P.S.: If you ever visit us in Porta, please let me know Alan - I really want to know the simmer guy with the same name as the famous uk metoffice and glider pilot personality 🙂