After having not flown P3D since September, I decided that I wasn't able to do what I wanted to do in the "other" simulator and came back to P3Dv5. And this isn't one of those "versus" threads.

My needs are pretty specific: I am training for my instrument rating in real life, and I had basically a perfect setup in P3D. I need a non-G1000 Garmin glass cockpit and a real, functional GTN750. And with the RXP750 and the just phenomenal Alabeo PA44 with the G600, I am in business! My training philosophy is that in real life, I fly a Cherokee 180 with the GTN750 and dual G5s. Can't get the G5s in P3D (at least not in the panel), so the G600 will do just fine. All I really want to do is train my eye to look at glass. And by flying a twin engine, complex airplane that's about 15% faster than my Cherokee, I need to do more, and faster, in the sim, which will make flying a simple single like the Cherokee a snap when I'm in my actual airplane.

So over the past week or so I've updated everything and gotten my Alpha and Bravo set up using FSUIPC, and I just did my second full IFR flight in the Seminole, and wow what a phenomenal IFR trainer this simulator is! What's really amazing is how enveloping EA is. I set the weather to a stratus layer at 500 feet AGL and 1/2 mile visibility, and you really get the feeling of transitioning to instruments on takeoff and being in the soup. I just got sight of the runway at minimums on this flight, and what a treat!

I enjoy what I use the other sim for, and I truly enjoy this one as well. Glad to be back!

Edited May 8, 20215 yr by mtr75

Makes sense to me.  I find that each sim has its strengths and weaknesses therefore it gets down to what your flying goals and objectives are.

22 minutes ago, 1st fltsimguy said:

Makes sense to me.  I find that each sim has its strengths and weaknesses therefore it gets down to what your flying goals and objectives are.

Yep. This is an extremely capable IFR simulator the way I have it set up. It’s an excellent training tool. 

Agree. I did instrument training (not rating) with dual G5 and GTN650 in an Archer III. Any simmer would feel right at home in that cockpit.

P3D will help immensely in these areas, I just never got used to the touch interface of the GTN! For simplicity of use, I actually prefer physical knobs of older Garmin units.

good luck with the IR.

I have much the same experience as you.  In my case, when I simulate airliners, the v5 version is rock solid and adaptable to my needs.  Whether it be editing airports gate assignments, editing sounds, adding good PBR traffic; it all just works really well know that I am used to how the v5 looks.  I find having EA on and HDR off in the config file to give good visual results along with orbx and my library of scenery over the years.  Performance is reliable and good.  For what I am simming now it works really well.

Hence the name "Prepar3D"... 😉

Got in another good IFR flight today, KART to KRME via V145, holds at FLOOR, then I improvised and went to STODA, did a hold there, then to the UCA VOR for the ILS33. I tell ya, for flying IFR there is nothing like this sim. And when doing in my Cherokee at 115 knots instead of 145 I’m going to look like a genius. 

mtr75 - Correct this is the go to for proper simulation as a training and proficiency aid!. I am a retired C&T Captain and former IR Testing Officer and I have used sims for over 2 decades for that very reason. You can sort your procedural technique, scan and work flow very well indeed. I have used sims for training air force pilots and civilians and done my share fair of time in real world full motion simulators over the years. 

Now comes the hard part the faster the aeroplane the faster you have to think. Big difference to the world happening at 120 knots to 240 knots to 360 to 480 knots if you get my point, the better your basic skills are set in concrete the more thinking space you will have as you move along in real world aviation. Good luck with IR and after that you get to do it again every 6 months so remember that the 1st pass is that and after that you resit the same demanding test to renew. So the more proficient and recent you are the better. P3D is a very good way to help that!