I would be interested to know the thoughts of anyone here that has experience of the simulated floatplanes in both FU2/FU3 and FS2002. Which do you consider is more realistic ?Chris Low,ENGLAND.

I like FU3 for the way it simulates getting on the step. You really see the speed increase when you do it right.In FS2002 it's nice that floatplanes have retractable rudders like the real thing.

That's my take on it too. They're both quite good, acxtually. As a sisde-light I've heard float pilots say that those water rudders can also be used in-flight, to augment the regular rudder. On some, the water rudders work independantly of each other..for wtaer brakes, you turn them both outboard.

I haven't seen water brakes before. Neat.

I would say FU3, even though I've never been in a floatplane in real life. I feel more satisfaction landing one in FU3 than in FS2002! Maybe it is the water droplets on the windscreen, or the better simulated bobbing up and down of the plane in water, plus what Peter said, the step.

I have never experienced the FS2002 floatplane, but I always suspected that the FU2/FU3 version would have more "feel". That's what the Flight Unlimited series always did better than any other.Chris Low,ENGLAND.

Hi together,since I designed the DC3 XC-47 I tested both (FS2002+FU3) and would mainly agree to the above:+ FU3 makes perfect water drops on the cockpit windos+ in FU3 the plane is moving very realistic (up/down bobbing) in the water+ in FU3 the behavior during start/landing is also very realistic; we can "feel" the drag of the water- the water drops from outside view (F5) are realistic animated, but don

The feel is what I am more concerned with here Ansgar. It seems that FU2/FU3 does this better than FS2002.That suits me fine !Chris Low,ENGLAND.

I agree. I fly inside the cockpit, not from the external view. ;-) It would be nice if there could be a rudder switch on FU3 planes.

Another very important aspect of flying using only the cockpit view concerns framerates. They are higher from this perspective, and that's pretty important now that huge amounts of trees and other objects have been added to the FU3 scenery.Chris Low,ENGLAND.

I always fly from the cockpit views (F2/F3 in FU, 2D in FS). The virtual cockpits might be more appealing if I had VR glasses; I find panning with conventional controls to be tedious and a bit slow. I guess I'm just used to quickly switching views in the cockpit.

I'm not keen on the virtual cockpit in FU3. It always looked too basic in my opinion, but I'm sure that some people like it.Chris Low,ENGLAND.

>the water drops from outside view (F5) are realistic >animated, but don

Hi Daniel,dont

It's all been said really but I just want to throw in a related issue. It's true that virtual pilots ought to stay inside the cockpit, especially during take-offs and landings. However, FS2002 presents one useful "outside option", namely the instant replay. In the latest version one may set the replay for as long as he wants and make it loop (the replay, that is :-)). I tend to review most landings in outside view, choosing 200 - 300 seconds to capture the entire final. This way I may judge the attitude of the plane and judge whether I flare at the right point and to the right extent. I know, I could make a FU3 blackbox file to check a flight but it's more fuss.best regards,Hans Petter