MSFS20 Reflecting on MSFS 2020 GA developers, a retrospective

[ryanbatc]

5 hours ago, KaptenEk said:

My GA is

1 FSR500

2 SWS PC-12 not a GA actually 

3 BS 850

PC-12 can absolutely be general aviation.... corporate jets are general aviation too if they are flown under that Part (USA not sure elsewhere)

[martinboehme]

5 hours ago, ryanbatc said:

PC-12 can absolutely be general aviation.... corporate jets are general aviation too if they are flown under that Part (USA not sure elsewhere)

I think it gets confusing because a lot of the time, when people say "GA" they don't mean "Part 91" but rather "owner-flown". (I would assume there are a fair number of owner-flown PC-12s too though?) 

[martinboehme]

9 hours ago, ryanbatc said:

The Dukes are superb in all aspects...  the only difference from A2A is that there's not really a failure/maintenance hangar thing.

The Dukes are great, but the A2A Comanche still has an edge in the area of engine modeling. There's some aspects in the Duke here that are slightly off, even after the 1.1 update. For example, there are some inaccuracies in the way fuel flow changes when mixture is adjusted. IIRC, in some cases, fuel flow initially increases when leaning before starting to decrease as it should. I have a more detailed comparison here.

That said, I love flying the Dukes - the level of systems modeling is great, and they just feel right. I did a tour of Norway from Oslo all the way up to Ny-Ålesund in the Piston Duke, and it was amazing.

[UrgentSiesta]

15 hours ago, ryanbatc said:

The Dukes are superb in all aspects...  the only difference from A2A is that there's not really a failure/maintenance hangar thing.  You know where you have to add oil etc.  Flying them, at least for me, is a surreal experience.  I actually prefer the flight model on the FSR M500 over the Comanche though.  For flight model I'd rate them as M500, PA24, BE60/60T in that order.

Glad to hear on the Dukes FM!

[davenicoll]

Hi guys,

 

They are all wonderful aircraft...

 

Let's not forget the more simpler planes, like the WBSim modded 152....If we are all stuck for time we can be in the air with these in minutes and still get a flight in...

[JWvdH]

The piston Dukes and the Comanche are both exceptional. What gives the Comanche an edge for me is the perfect state saving, the walk around and some extra sounds, mainly from the undercarriage (brakes, taxiing over bumps etc.), which makes the immersion a little better.

[Ixoye]

I like the freeware JP Logistics C-152 as well.

[Ron Lefebvre]

I have not flown the 500 since it come out. I really should give it another try.

The comanche is simply amazing as far as handling goes.

My favorite is still the 414, but not because I think it's the best plane. It's still my favorite.

The TBM is my second favorite after the 414

 

 

[sniper31]

An often forgotten but really good GA aircraft for MSFS 2020 is the Just Flight PA-28 Tomahawk. This little trainer is pretty exceptional, and they added fully support for the TDS GTN and the PMS GTN. Fun little bird.

[Los]

2 hours ago, Ron Lefebvre said:

My favorite is still the 414

Mine too, plenty of system depth, but I can do without the maintenance part, assume I’m flying someone else’s plane… that headache is theirs!

Honorable, mention to the Black Square Baron mod… my engines are still at 99% after I don’t know how long.  

Edited January 1 by Los

[Sonosusto]

On 12/30/2024 at 8:49 AM, Bernard Ducret said:

I do not own the A2A aircraft simply because I don't like the plane they propose (for the time being), but I understand they have done an outstanding job too.

Very interesting as A2A's rendition in both 2020 (and the fix for 2024) is probably one of the best modeled planes in existance.

I do love SWS planes, FlySimWare, BlackSquare. but I digress...

I love the Kodiak, 414 and Black Square more than anything else.

[DD_Arthur]

6 minutes ago, Sonosusto said:

I love the Kodiak, 414 and Black Square more than anything else.

This.

Honourable mention to the SWS PC-12 too. 

[Sonosusto]

I did like at a few points in time (most of the time) but SWS also some issues updating and preventing bugs. It was leaps and bounds better than Carenado's version (of course it would be) but still had some quirks that made me shelve it for a bit. Hopefully their-soon-to-be updates for all their planes will change my mind for the PC12. Though, I do like it.  I am just critical of things I pay hard-earned money for .....a hobby. So, if there are issues and these are not addressed ASAP, it leaves a bad taste for me.

[UrgentSiesta]

The inclusion of the "simple" JPL 152 made me think...

I'm gonna really stretch the definition of "GA" and throw 2 stunningly well executed add-ons into the ring:

the Just Flight Hawk 

and

the MilViz T-6A Texan II

Now, of course, they're both trainers for military Aviators and not GA, but the trainer aspect is exactly why they should be considered.

The experience they provide in developing and maintaining "pure" flying skills, coupled with the extremely high fidelity with which they're executed (e.g., BBS nee MilViz developed the T-6 and T-38 (among others) expressly for the govts virtual training programs), mean that much of what constitutes "GA" flying is intrinsically present in these two add-ons.

Anyone who enjoys a well executed turboprop or light jet would be well served with trying either one of these in for size.

[Bernard Ducret]

10 hours ago, Sonosusto said:

still had some quirks that made me shelve it for a bit.

Anything we can help you with to get you back on board the SWS PC12?

I am currently on a round-the-world tour with it and have yet to experience anything unpleasant.

Edited January 2 by Bernard Ducret