how do you guys feels about career addons like Air Hauler 2, Fly the Line, OnAir, Neofly...etc...  What do you like or hate about them ? What feature do they never get right or what does get you hook ?

 

I am just curious. 

I think it partially depends on what you like to fly. If your preference is to fly airliners, then these may be reasonable options. Personally, I fly GA and corporate aircraft, so I find that FS Economy works the best for me (and it's free). I tried NeoFly and had issues with the software and so haven't gone back to it.

 

Never use 'em. Been simming for 19 years.

I'll stand out on that limb🤣

My pet peeve is the game style setup.

1. The Chore: Some products have you chore you way through getting into different types of aircraft and once you make it, it's lack luster. I feel that if you want to simulate certain operations, you should have the option to dive right into the ops you want.
2. Realism: In one addon, I had to chore to get a 777, actually, I just cheated😅. When I bought the 777, I had to pick it up from a 4500ft runway. In those cases, minimum taxiway widths and runway lengths should be considered for flights offered for the type. That's how it's done in the real world.
3. Challenges: One addon would give high pay to deliver an item with a short timing window. These times would be so short that you wouldn't have time to preflight and get clearance and push. I notified the dev and he said it's part of the challenge. That's not realistic unless you are sitting standby or alert. You would still have to go through the process. Some also had these fragile cargo flights, I laughed at those🤣. I've done cargo, passenger and VIP operations. I've never done landings outside of normal criteria unless I had a malfunction that needed a specific sink rate. Like, overweight landings. I have seen a requirement to be 360FPM or less.  You want to give me a challenge, set the weather so that I have to pick the correct approaches and minimums. Pick airfields where I would have to actually pick out a taxi plan. I have been to places that I would have to back taxi because I could only use one of the taxiways. Difficult approaches and departures bring in the real challenge. 

Those are the things that come to mind. Because of those issues, I build my own flights and plan them so that I would meet those challenges as needed, no need for an addon. 

Edited February 13Feb 13 by G550flyer
Idea

I would have to register as 'no interest'. 

6 minutes ago, G550flyer said:

I'll stand out on that limb🤣

My pet peeve is the game style setup.

1. The Chore: Some products have you chore you way through getting into different types of aircraft and once you make it, it's lack luster. I feel that if you want to simulate certain operations, you should have the option to dive right into the ops you want.
2. Realism: In one addon, I had to chore to get a 777, actually, I just cheated😅. When I bought the 777, I had to pick it up from a 4500ft runway. In those cases, minimum taxiway widths and runway lengths should be considered for flights offered for the type. That's how it's done in the real world.
3. Challenges: One addon would give high pay to deliver an item with a short timing window. These times would be so short that you wouldn't have time to preflight and get clearance and push. I notified the dev and he said it's part of the challenge. That's not realistic unless you are sitting standby or alert. You would still have to go through the process. You want to give me a challenge, set the weather so that I have to pick the correct approaches and minimums. Pick airfields where I would have to actually pick out a taxi plan. I have been to places that I would have to back taxi because I could only use one of the taxiways. Difficult approaches and departures bring in the real challenge. 

Those are the things that come to mind. Because of those issues, I build my own flights and plan them so that I would meet those challenges as needed, no need for an addon. 

so a Free Flight mode with no career progression path or start at a specific level because that's what you want to do ?

I used to use them but I pretty much gave up on them.  I get the appeal, but as a GA flyer, it becomes more work than fun.

My biggest thing is I spend money on 3rd party airports (plus download a bunch of great freeware).  Not to say I can't fly into a default airport, but I don't want to.  I'd rather stick to enhanced airports.  Flying "assignments" might not take me where I want to go right now.  A great example is all Victor's great freeware airports in California.  I want to hit those airports specifically, not some random default airport that might have a plain building.  

For my GA flights, I just keep track of where I left off and then just kind of explore around.  I have multiple planes around the world, but no economics behind it.  

Again I get the appeal.  I dove deep into FSEconomy back in the day.  

Edited February 13Feb 13 by kerosene31

Just now, fogboundturtle said:

so a Free Flight mode with no career progression path or start at a specific level because that's what you want to do ?

Yes, but you can also add the career in a sense that I start as a low pay First Officer for my chosen type. That chore would be fine to work up pay and up to captain. In the real world, you may start out in something heavy. It depends on the companies needs. Like in the USAF. Your first assignment could be a C5, C21, C130 etc. All depends on the needs of the USAF. I started out in the C-141B, it was a heavy. 

Just the same as I feel about native career modes; no interest whatsoever.

To me, it feels expressly 'gamey'. However, I acknowledge that everything we do in the sim could be considered 'gamey', and thus I'm not judging those who enjoy career mode or addons.

I don't get the concept of 'choring' - having to spend your free time doing something repetitive that you'd rather not be doing.   Career modes tend to reduce choice and options.  To me, choice is hte biggest draw in a flight sim.  I can't understand the appeal of having to fly 100 hours in a C172 because that's what the program insists you do.

Edited February 13Feb 13 by JYW

I keep changing my mind every other flight on what type I want to fly. One minute it is the Comanche, the next a 737, then a Citation X. That kind of flying doesn't lend itself to a more disciplined structure that some of the add-ons mentioned need. I am interested in reading about them though. I am also always happy to put money down on something and only use it for 5 minutes too lol.

I love OnAir. It's the one that works for me, though there are others I haven't tried so I cannot speak to OnAir vs. others. I fly primarily GA and small jets, and the big benefit of OnAir is the management side of things along with discovering airports and locations I would have NEVER otherwise come across. I'll pick a job leading me to "Oh, I've never even heard of that place before" and I almost always end up enjoying it and learning something new - geography, history, culture... It's a blast and makes exploration easy for me.

For airline flying “A Pilots life” is great.  It’s essentially the way I do 95% of my sim flying.  The add on is easy to use, very stable and gives a sense of purpose to the flight.  Obviously the only issue is you are restrained to the airline you chose actual route system so you do go to the same airports a lot but that does not bother me.

22 hours ago, fogboundturtle said:

how do you guys feels about career addons like Air Hauler 2, Fly the Line, OnAir, Neofly...etc...  What do you like or hate about them ? What feature do they never get right or what does get you hook ?

 

I am just curious. 

If you just want a very light, web based app and interested in your flight to be checked in details, Newsky is for you. https://newsky.app  No companies or setup, just gets your flight plan from SimBrief and you can fly. If you are more interested in company or an airline manegement , I think you can also go in detail. But, I tried it for flight check only and it is good so far. And it is free.

Edited February 14Feb 14 by kt069

I have not used any, but enjoy the thread.

I have on OnAir account and undecided on whether to renew.

The missions do give you the incentive to visit small airports which gets you out of the rut of always flying the same routes.  You make cash and purchase new planes and such.

I’m just not sure I fly enough to justify the cost.  If I was retired and flying hours each day then I’d keep it.  
 

I’d give it a B grade though.  Has good depth but at times feels like a spreadsheet simulator outside the cockpit.