Hey all,

I've been flying DCS mainly for quite a while and thought I'd give civilian jets a go. In MSFS, is the FBW320 the best jetliner available? I've seen there's also a well regarded CJ4 but I'm much more interested in something bigger. Is it superior to the Aerosoft CRJ? Not in terms of aircraft performance, but general realism/functionality/ability to fly like you would in reality.

 

Thanks

The FBW A320 and CJ4 mod are both good but you could say the CJ4 is in a more "complete" stage, roughly the same ballpark as the CRJ.

Apart from the CRJ the other two are free to download so give them both a go.

Neither of the 3 are the type of aircraft where you can just jump in and start flying without at least reading some documentation though. The A320 is probably the simplest aircraft to learn if you've flown any type of fly by wire aircraft in DCS.

Why not try for yourself the FBW and CJ4 are free.

Just a quick note that the CJ4 is by Working Title, and can be found here:

https://www.workingtitle.aero/packages/cj4/

1 hour ago, Bigbluss said:

Hey all,

I've been flying DCS mainly for quite a while and thought I'd give civilian jets a go. In MSFS, is the FBW320 the best jetliner available? I've seen there's also a well regarded CJ4 but I'm much more interested in something bigger. Is it superior to the Aerosoft CRJ? Not in terms of aircraft performance, but general realism/functionality/ability to fly like you would in reality.

 

Thanks

I came across this comment in the official MSFS forum of somebody who said the FBW A320 is about 80% the fidelity of a PMDG airliner, if you consider PMDG airliners to be "study level":

Quote

There are three versions of the FBW, all are different.
The experimental version is by far the closest to a PMDG quality aircraft.
How close?
Bear in mind, nothing from PMDG other than the DC6, which isn’t a fair comparison, have been released yet, so it’s hard to compare, but based on PMDG from other sims, for the most part I would say the FBW exp. version is about 80 - 90% of that.
The reason for the variance is if you are including failures, circuit breakers, that kind of thing, it’s definitely in the 80% range.
About the only thing for normal operations the FBW exp. version is missing right now is RNav capability.
Don’t forget, the experimental version is updated at least once a day, so it is constantly evolving.
Personally, in my opinion, as far as freeware goes, it is extremely well done.
I have purchased payware in other sims that were nowhere as good as it.

From what I have read, it seems like the FBW A320 is getting closer to the fidelity of a PMDG airliner, or the Zibo.  It's not quite there yet, but it's getting closer (perhaps 80% from this evaluation is a fair evaluation?)

Edited February 18, 20224 yr by abrams_tank

1 minute ago, abrams_tank said:

perhaps 80% from this evaluation is a fair evaluation?)

Perhaps. Important to note though that the gap is closing fast. I’m already at the point where I will seriously debate the value of buying Fenix when the FBW A32NX is already so good and only getting better, quite literally on a daily basis. (Yes, I know the Fenix is not a NEO). A32NX is already a fantastic aircraft to fly. 2 years into MSFS and PMDG have so far only set a prop-liner benchmark with their DC6 in MSFS and Fenix have yet to set any benchmark in MSFS.
FBW are THE benchmark in MSFS right now for modern twin jet airliners.

FBW are also the benchmark on the price. Don’t see PMDG or FENIX beating FBW on that front!😉 That also has to count for something.

The FBW is the model I use the most with MFS when not using a glider to soar over familiar terrain :-)

I love Airbus aircraft, more than Boeings since a few years, although the 747s are still on my preferred list.

I always use the "Experimental" version of the FBW A320, and keep it updated. It gives a very good - and freeware ! - alternative to the default NEO that comes with MFS but is rather limited in many aspects.

I do not own the Aerosoft CRJ, and never used the also acclaimed CJ4 MOD so I can't comment / compare with these.

FBW add features and update the A320 at a rate that rivals with a well known freeware tittle for X-Plane - Zibo mod 737.

Strongly encourage you to try it.

14 minutes ago, jcomm said:

Strongly encourage you to try it.

yep, best thing since sliced bread. go for the exp mode, just flying EHAM EGLL, autoland at these windspeeds is awesome EDIT: right now 148kts headwind at FL260!

Edited February 18, 20224 yr by DAD

Good? No I would not say that. Excellent!!!

It is actually incredible to get a freeware of this quality that moves ahead each day. It is not a buggy "iffy" piece of software made by amateurs but a real team of passionate pro delivering the very best Airbus simulation in MSFS so far (I use the Development version), which is - in my view - superior to the Aerosoft CRJ. I also warmly recommend the CJ4, another work of art by a brilliant team of developers who will soon transform MSFS for us. Both are outstanding in their own respect, we are very lucky to have these two planes.

Another up-vote for FBW. 

If you use the experimental or development versions, you can look on Github and see all the wonderful new updates they have made. The future is community addons. 

3 hours ago, abrams_tank said:

About the only thing for normal operations the FBW exp. version is missing right now is RNav capability.

It also doesn't have a working VNAV...YET! But, if you're a pilot with any kind of chops, that shouldn't be an issue. I agree with what everyone else has said. The FBW and CJ4 Mod will get you the closest. They're very good freeware aircraft that will definitely hold you over until more heavy-hitters come out in a couple of months. 

The FBW A320 is very, very good. It does need a few tweaks but essentially it is a very solid simulation. The biggest challenge (in my opinion) is the ground handling and the transition between initial take off and the fly by wire takeover at around 50-100 feet, and the commensurate reverse scenario: the transition between FBW final approach and the manual flare on landing. It is miles better than the default A320 which is hopelessly bad in the same transition. Rudder/nosewheel steering control is also very tricky to get right (there should ideally be a seamless transition between the two), but there are sufficient parameters to adjust that make take-off run rudder adjustments reasonably realistic, although by default I find the take off rudder too abrupt. This is easily tweaked by toning down the elasticity params in the flight-model cfg file.

Thank goodness the FBW files are open to private editing, unlike all the official MS store aircraft addons which Microsoft have encrypted (whether the developer requested it or not). For that reason I find the vast majority of Marketplace aircraft unflyable because they are not tweakable.

The CJ4 is also very well done, and it is also tweakable if you wish. 

 

Edited February 18, 20224 yr by robert young

3 hours ago, RaptyrOne said:

Perhaps. Important to note though that the gap is closing fast. I’m already at the point where I will seriously debate the value of buying Fenix when the FBW A32NX is already so good and only getting better, quite literally on a daily basis. (Yes, I know the Fenix is not a NEO). A32NX is already a fantastic aircraft to fly. 2 years into MSFS and PMDG have so far only set a prop-liner benchmark with their DC6 in MSFS and Fenix have yet to set any benchmark in MSFS.
FBW are THE benchmark in MSFS right now for modern twin jet airliners.

FBW are also the benchmark on the price. Don’t see PMDG or FENIX beating FBW on that front!😉 That also has to count for something.

Had the same feeling, RaptryOne; in fact, if the FBW team implements VNAV, Flex Takeoff and Autoland before Fenix releases thier model, I doubt I'll feel compelled to buy the latter.  FBW also is WAY ahead in ancillary features...it has the remote CDU, Simbrief integration, and multiple Virtual Copilot options I find indispensable.  

I love flying big commercial jets in any flight sim, and I would also like to vouch that FBW A320NX is an amazing plane! I'm originally a boeing person but also love the buses as well. They have came a long way since these past 2 years and it keeps getting better. The only thing I'm really waiting for is fully implemented VNAV and decoupled MCDU's! Everything else is just a bonus.

The Aerosoft CRJ is very nice and beautifully well modeled, especially the cockpit. Best looking CRJ by far in any flight sim. However I don't like flying the CJ4 or CRJ because it is more hands on. I like the A320 as it's easier to fly and that gives me time to relax and do other things while I fly.

Is the FBW320 good?

No, it's terrible, easily the worst plane currently available for MSFS.

An eyesore. Flies like a Cessna. 

Free? Nah. Wouldn't fly this if FBW paid me money to do so. 

 

 

 

😏