With the big motors, very much a STOL.

dd

1 hour ago, rmeier said:

As I'm still on 2020, my favourite (yeah, I converse in the "Queen's English"  🙂 ) STOL, short, unimproved airfield aircraft is the piston Islander from Blackbox. I can't speak to the turbine version/update. Yes, not the best graphics and certainly not "study level", but, a fun aircraft none-the-less. Hand flies wonderfully! It's also a high wing with great 180 degree forward visibility for VFR flights.

Will echo all these points. I like the engine sounds too! I was considering whether to mention it but shied away from it because it's a piston twin, not a turboprop single. But it can do many of the same missions, and it's heaps of fun.

Regarding the PC-12 -- a very capable aircraft that's designed for operation from unpaved runways, but it's really a different category than the Caravan or Kodiak. Faster and pressurized, but takeoff and landing distances are much longer than certainly the Kodiak. I couldn't see a PC-12 ever operating from a soft grass strip in Papua New Guinea, for instance.

As a default aircraft, the controls mapping for the 208 is quite easy.  Load her up and watch your actions at default.  Also it is quite simple to use with more sophisticated controllers.  Give it an hour or less of your time to try.

So I've spent some time with the default Caravan, and it is certainly much easier to fly with a load, as it's not on a knifes edge at lower torque settings. I'm guessing they haven't modelled the massive torque steer on take off as you don't need an insane amount of rudder trim like you do in the Kodiak, but that won't be missed at all. 🙂  You also don't need to dial in an insane amount of elevator trim at take off like you do on the Kodiak which won't be missed either. 

It's just much easier to control on approach and hit a short runway landing without stalling or crashing.

Controls wise, it shares a lot of common controls with the Kodiak.  I didn't have to change any of my control assignments in AAO to get it flying.

Its also nice to have the 2024 EFB integrated into the cockpit.

Another bonus is the C208 has several choices of configurations for different missions. One thing I liked about the Kodiak was that it would add people in seats or cargo in the back and I just selected the cargo variant of the C208 and it came with boxes strapped down in the back. So it's just as immersive that way.

I think this will do nicely and save me a lot of frustration.

Edited July 19, 2025Jul 19 by Virtual-Chris

Just wanted to echo support for the Blackbird PC-6 Porter. Flies smoothly in both MS24 and MS20 with my system (Intel i7-10700 2.9 GHz 32 GB RAM, RTX3080 10 GB). An ITT bug was recently fixed by Blackbird so the plane hasn't been forgotten. If a fully updated 24 version comes out I'll be one of the first in line. 

As well as being a mild mannered taildragger with lots of power, the PC-6 is renown for its real life ability to support steep beta descents. The Blackbird version models that effectively, unlike the in house version. Fun to do that occasionally in the sim. Better not try with a sinus cold though. 😉

Just finished flying in the Porter to 749 airports and airstrips scattered throughout western New Guinea and Papua New Guinea. Lots of community scenery contributions at iO as well as native in-sim representation of destinations. Great for bush flying.

Just an update on this journey...

I got in touch with CCM (Captain Mustache) on his Discord and he let me try is Kodiak mod. One of the things that had me optimistic was that he significantly reduced the drag of the flaps which should improve flight at lower torque settings... preventing it from falling out of the sky.

So over the weekend, I gave the Kodiak another chance. Did a bunch of touch and go patterns on a flat paved runway and it seemed a bit easier to control. It still feels like it's on a knife edge and it still has a tendency to drop like a brick with lower torque settings, but not as bad, you can actually recover gracefully from an under power situation. No major issues though.

So then I did a few Neofly jobs on the big island in Hawaii. Ended up at HI31... which is a bush strip on the side of the big volcano.  It's short, inclined, and has a nasty drop on either end that means you need to nail the touchdown - and floating over the threshold really isn't an option due to the length and inclined angle. I encourage anyone looking for a tough bush strip to give it a go. (In fact I'd love to hear from anyone who tries it).

So I wasn't too surprised that I crashed flying in there in the Kodiak. But I thought, this is a good difficult strip to learn on... So I tried many times.  I maybe landed in an acceptable way 2 in 20 attempts.  I thought, screw this... it CANNOT be that difficult. So I switched over to the Caravan. OMG! I nailed multiple landings in a row. It's just so much easier to control, get the speed, angle, etc nailed. I've concluded three things:

1. The Caravan is probably too easy to fly

2. The SWS Kodiak is way too difficult to fly into difficult situations reliably

3. Life is too short for the SWS Kodiak.

ps. I just wish for some 2024 Caravan liveries. I'm not sure why there are none out there. Very strange to me given it's a popular plane in career mode. I'm guessing Asobo made liveries much more difficult in 2024?

 

On 7/18/2025 at 12:39 PM, UrgentSiesta said:

The SWS PC12 seems to have its own share of FM issues, as well (tho it’s getting steadily better). 
which is a shame, as I really enjoy both types over in X-Plane (esp with the REP upgrade).

but for what they do, MSFS is where I want to fly those sorts of aircraft, especially with 2024’s improved rough field experience. so I look to other Hi Fi aircraft, even if they’re not cargo haulers IRL. 

Yeah noticed that myself with the Kodiak and the PC12. Kind of a shame. When it was first released I thought it was great, for sure (Kodiak). I haven't flown the Kodiak for a while. The PC12 is better though. 

In comparison to a STOL vehicle.... TBM is basically a rocket ship. 

Edit: that being said, the BS TBM works really well in 2024. I would get it. 

Edited July 28, 2025Jul 28 by Sonosusto