Flight simulator

[Reddishlaser]

I keep reading and seeing on several web sites that the Microsoft Flight Simulator program is not as good as advertised but full of bugs. It has to be connected to the internet to work, having bought the flight sim program in the past it was never a good sim program to purchase.

[Scudrunner]

I've been out of using flight sims for awhile now but the graphics I have seen with X- Plane are amazing.
Also down at sim I was mentioning I'm getting a new type rating in the spring and I joked that I was dreading learning
a new type as "my brain is full"

One of the guys said I should check out some of X-Plane add on like the Hot Start CL 650
which basically is professional level study and interaction with the aircraft even right down to picking up the phone to call the FBO etc.

Not my idea of fun but as an aid to learn everything about a new type I think it is worth it.


https://www.youtube.com/live/NzKOL-Awf_ ... 8PrN4b2TZt

[Slick Goodlin]

X-plane is for serious simulation. I haven’t used it in over a decade but back then I was impressed and I bet it’s only been made better since.

MS Flight Sim is more intended for the mass market. It’s quite pretty to look at but it’s intended for a very broad spectrum of users. No doubt it can do top notch simulation but IIRC the newer versions also have much, much simplified gameplay.

Disclaimer: any flight simulation I do these days is in gazillion dollar airline torture chambers and I haven’t used no interest in doing the same for fun. This means I’m either an impartial observer or an idiot.

[Scudrunner]

X-Plane was on sale over the holidays for 59 bucks. I thought I would test it out before I bought the Hot Start CL650 add on.

Wow is all I can say, the graphics are great but the level of detail of the aircrafts systems and ability to flip switches is head and shoulders above any FTD I have used at Flight Safety or CAE.
That being said all those sims I have used are from 2006 when the plane was first built and are showing their age.

New level D sims and FTD aka the paper trainers must be phenomenal.

I think just playing around with the aircraft from removing covers to firing up the apu to get the nose gear doors to open, hell I can even disconnect the battery after flight is just next level.
I won't have any excuse to not know this plane inside out when I go to initial school.

[Scudrunner]