Lots of sim pilots were raving about the Hot Start Challenger 650 and how complex it is and how it is super high fidelity. Well I like a challenge. How hard could this be. Oh my gosh. The level of detail. I now know what study level is. I jumped in the cockpit and started flipping switches and pressing buttons. I was not in the mood to read manuals or work through 5 pages of checklists. When I got stuck I fired up YouTube and left it running in the background. This plane is really over the top for me. There is no Ctrl+E to start engines and no starting in the air, You have to push all the right buttons and set the plane up by being procedurally correct. This plane is a super challenge for me. I am going to read all the manuals. I learned a lot already just fumbling through the start up. Wow!!!!
 

 

Edited May 24, 20251 yr by alanw2005

5 minutes ago, alanw2005 said:

Well I like a challenge. How hard could this be.

Famous last words.  😆

Glad you're enjoying it.  

If you're interested in joining our discord, let me know, and I'll throw you a link.

9 minutes ago, GoranM said:

Famous last words.  😆

Glad you're enjoying it.  

If you're interested in joining our discord, let me know, and I'll throw you a link.

Yes please. I own it so I have to learn it. 

https://discord.gg/Ctb5fPCZ

Also, take a look at Reflected Reality Simulations video series on the 650.  He did a stellar job at teaching people how to fly it.

This was my reference video to hotwire this plane. It is a totally insane level of immersion.
 

 

 

That is actually the only aircraft addon that is worth that kind of money. I would buy it in an instant if I am financially stable and actually have the patience to learn one aircraft so much in detail. I feel like I must learn so much information about HS 650, like I'm preparing for an exam. It's that detailed.

Also, sadly for me, I tend to fly a different aircraft on each flightsim session, so I'm afraid HS 650 would cost me 20-25$ per flight, since I doubt would fly it more than few times in a year (even if I'm extremely hooked). That addon simply demands love, focus and dedication.

Edited May 24, 20251 yr by Pe11e

1 hour ago, Pe11e said:

That is actually the only aircraft addon that is worth that kind of money. I would buy it in an instant if I am financially stable and actually have the patience to learn one aircraft so much in detail. I feel like I must learn so much information about HS 650, like I'm preparing for an exam. It's that detailed.

Also, sadly for me, I tend to fly a different aircraft on each flightsim session, so I'm afraid HS 650 would cost me 20-25$ per flight, since I doubt would fly it more than few times in a year (even if I'm extremely hooked). That addon simply demands love, focus and dedication.

Some Challenger pilots say that this sim aircraft has features that the real simulator doesn't even have. 

6 minutes ago, alanw2005 said:

Some Challenger pilots say that this sim aircraft has features that the real simulator doesn't even have. 

Yes. And the price is not even worth mentionning, knowing 1h in a professional level D sim would cost around 200-300 Euros. Nowadays addons have reach an incredible level of realism (the CL650 being at the top) and cost like nothing compared to the complexity they have. I remember having payed close to the amount of today's addons 12-15 years ago for addons that didn't even have 1/10 of the features they have today. We really can be thankfull for all great devs we have today and offer us such great simulations.

10 hours ago, alanw2005 said:

This was my reference video to hotwire this plane. It is a totally insane level of immersion.
 

 

I like Q8, but since he covers a LOT of flight sim add-ons, his videos aren't the best for tutorials.

In addition to the excellent series recommended by GoranM:

This guy is an IRL C 650 pilot:

https://m.youtube.com/@foxtrotalphaaviation/featured

 

This guy is a 737 Captain & Instructor Pilot who is a strong proponent of X-Plane, and he doesn't take himself too seriously:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BfKV5Z71Mcc&t=7s

Edited May 25, 20251 yr by UrgentSiesta
Sp

I've been on the fence regarding this aircraft, specially because it's not the type of aviation I like the most IRL, but it's probably the most sophisticated ever created addon aircraft for a generic simulation platform, only comparable to something like Aerowinx PSX I guess...

It's expensive, but I've spent useless money in some addons over  the last 3 years that could better have been saved for this one 🫤

Maybe one of these days I stop resisting 😁

Edited May 25, 20251 yr by jcomm

And for those of you who embrace the CL650 and want to build out a dedicated cockpit, have a look at the Challenger collection over at Avionique Simulation:

https://avioniquesimulation.com/product-category/challenger-650/

It's bespoke gear at reasonable prices. I've got his DCP/CCP panel along with a few of his GA aircraft panels and am very happy with them.

Wow!  I had no idea someone created all that.  

Kudos.

14 minutes ago, Malaromane said:

And for those of you who embrace the CL650 and want to build out a dedicated cockpit, have a look at the Challenger collection over at Avionique Simulation:

https://avioniquesimulation.com/product-category/challenger-650/

It's bespoke gear at reasonable prices. I've got his DCP/CCP panel along with a few of his GA aircraft panels and am very happy with them.

Precious!!! 🙏🙏🙏🙏

I bought this plane on day one, it is theee best aircraft out of the lot on all platforms and I have them all, the depth of simulation is bonkers! I fly this now all the time, Ive knocked microsofts flightsims on the head and this is my go to aircraft...waiting on the TBM of course! Love it!

Regards

Paul EGCC