FSX-SE New to FSX:SE & Sell Me On An Add-On

[3catcircus 1]

I'm a long time FS2004 guy. I've got it along with PMDG 737/747/MD11, Mad Dog MD83, Level-D 767, CaptSim 757, PSS 757/777/Dash8/Concorde, Wilco/FT 737-300/400/500, Wilco/FT Airbuses, ATR-72, SSTSim Concorde, etc. along with many payware sceneries, Active Sky Evo, REX+Overdrive, Navigraph, etc.

Awhile back, I decided to buy FSX:SE in order to buy AS16 in order to plan using CPS-X (due to inability of it to download current METARS, so having to use AS16 weather).

Needless to say, my enjoyment comes from the planning as well as the flying of the sim: figure out a real world flight, randomly generate a load, plan with PFPX, export to both FS9 and FSX, generate performance numbers (CPS-X, TOPCAT and others), import into REX and generate the appropriate textures for the planned route, load FS9, load ASE, run through my checklists to include the CIVA INS or an FMS, and off we go.

Recently, REX stopped downloading METARs, so I've had to manually download and use it as archival weather. Not ideal and it seems like writing in the wall that FS2004 will eventually not be as much fun when the add-ons stop working.

So - I started actually using FSX:SE with AS16. Just playing around with it, because I assumed it would run horribly slow with low frame rates (I'm on a Dell XPS 8300 using Win7 x64, with a 1GB AMD video card). I tried a flight out of PHL using the stock CRJ700 and got 40+ fps with the 2D cockpit (70+ external view).  So now I'm thinking it might actually run well enough on my machine with payware add-ons.

So - should I expect decent performance if I install payware add-ons? If so, sell me on ones that might still be available and that I might enjoy.  TFDI 717? DCD Concorde? Leonardo Mad Dog?

Or should I just wait until I buy a new computer and slowly build up an investment in FS2020?

Edited September 2, 2022 by 3catcircus
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[untoweechja 35]

Here are my favorites from my FSX days

1) Majestic Q400:  Excellent in every way.  You will have to enter your flight plan manually (unless they've changed that recently), but this in my opinion is hands down the best bird available for FSX.  If you're getting decent frame rates with the default aircraft, then you'll be able to run this one as well.

2) Captain Sim L-1011 (yes, really):  I know Captain Sim gets a mostly well-deserved bad rap these days, but their L-1011 for FSX is very well done and a lot of fun to fly, especially if you're into old school aviation.  They usually have a sale during the holidays, so you might want to keep an eye on this one and buy it then.

3) FlySimware Falcon 50:  Another tri-motor with old school avionics.  A fast, high-flying beast that's very well done and a lot of fun to fly.  Though I never bought it, you might also want to consider their Lear 35A, especially now that they have the UNS-1 expansion pack.

I ran each of these in FSX:SE on a sub-par machine for years and got much enjoyment from them.  Hope you're able to do the same!

[3catcircus 1]

On 9/2/2022 at 10:54 PM, untoweechja said:

Here are my favorites from my FSX days

1) Majestic Q400:  Excellent in every way.  You will have to enter your flight plan manually (unless they've changed that recently), but this in my opinion is hands down the best bird available for FSX.  If you're getting decent frame rates with the default aircraft, then you'll be able to run this one as well.

2) Captain Sim L-1011 (yes, really):  I know Captain Sim gets a mostly well-deserved bad rap these days, but their L-1011 for FSX is very well done and a lot of fun to fly, especially if you're into old school aviation.  They usually have a sale during the holidays, so you might want to keep an eye on this one and buy it then.

3) FlySimware Falcon 50:  Another tri-motor with old school avionics.  A fast, high-flying beast that's very well done and a lot of fun to fly.  Though I never bought it, you might also want to consider their Lear 35A, especially now that they have the UNS-1 expansion pack.

I ran each of these in FSX:SE on a sub-par machine for years and got much enjoyment from them.  Hope you're able to do the same!

Hmm. I'm thinking I might like the L-1011. But which one? CaptainSim or Just Flight?

[untoweechja 35]

I can't speak to the Just Flight L-1011 as I have never tried it.  That being said, I hope JF shows their L-1011 the same kind of love they did with the BAE-146 and bring it to MSFS.

[scianoir 610]

On 9/4/2022 at 5:04 PM, 3catcircus said:

Hmm. I'm thinking I might like the L-1011. But which one? CaptainSim or Just Flight?

I have both and they are both very good, but I tend to fly the Just Flight version more often since they released their Professional Upgrade for the L-1011. 

I notice you had a number of PMDG aircraft in your FS2004 days but, as PMDG no longer support FSX, an excellent alternative if you wanted another 737 or 747 are the iFly versions of these airliners. If you want to consider other jetliners you could also look at the 3 Quality Wings products. Their oldest product is the 757 and although it is showing its age, it is cheap to buy so you won't have wasted too much money should you move on to MSFS in the future. I still find it very enjoyable and immersive to fly. Their more recent 146 is excellent and also inexpensive. Their 787 is superb, but costs a lot more and is quite resource intensive with a very big VAS footprint which is always a consideration with FSX. 

I would agree with Richard that the Majestic Q400 is another excellent product and arguably is the best turboprop airliner available for FSX, with the added advantage that it is not a resource hog. Likewise the Flysimware Falcon and Lear are both very good, although if you are looking at an executive jet then the Flight 1 Citation Mustang should also be considered.

Finally, if you were interested in adding an airliner from bygone age, Manfred Jahn's C-47/DC-3 is superb and, better still, it is freeware, so you won't have wasted any money should you later move on the MSFS!

Bill

 

 

[3catcircus 1]

On 9/8/2022 at 11:37 AM, scianoir said:

I have both and they are both very good, but I tend to fly the Just Flight version more often since they released their Professional Upgrade for the L-1011. 

I notice you had a number of PMDG aircraft in your FS2004 days but, as PMDG no longer support FSX, an excellent alternative if you wanted another 737 or 747 are the iFly versions of these airliners. If you want to consider other jetliners you could also look at the 3 Quality Wings products. Their oldest product is the 757 and although it is showing its age, it is cheap to buy so you won't have wasted too much money should you move on to MSFS in the future. I still find it very enjoyable and immersive to fly. Their more recent 146 is excellent and also inexpensive. Their 787 is superb, but costs a lot more and is quite resource intensive with a very big VAS footprint which is always a consideration with FSX. 

I would agree with Richard that the Majestic Q400 is another excellent product and arguably is the best turboprop airliner available for FSX, with the added advantage that it is not a resource hog. Likewise the Flysimware Falcon and Lear are both very good, although if you are looking at an executive jet then the Flight 1 Citation Mustang should also be considered.

Finally, if you were interested in adding an airliner from bygone age, Manfred Jahn's C-47/DC-3 is superb and, better still, it is freeware, so you won't have wasted any money should you later move on the MSFS!

Bill

 

 

Thanks!  I'll have to try that C-47.

I noted today that another of my FS2004 add-ons isn't pulling weather - the Mad Dog 2008 Pro planner attempts to pull weather using FTP and it didn't pull up weather.  

REX not pulling weather is what prompted me to pay some kind to FSX:SE to begin with. As I continue to discover other add-ons not accessing weather, I might just have to bite the bullet and buy a new computer that will run FS2020.

Of course, it makes one wonder just exactly who thought it would be a great idea to hard-code a web site address for the NOAA metars (or worse, proprietary server).