What are the most realistic planes for FSX?

[RaptorF22]

I've been playing around with a Mirage 2000-5 and I learned how to cold-start it. I remembered how much fun it is to learn how to start a new plane.

So, does anyone know of any planes for FSX that can be started from the VC?

Thanks!

[edit]Forgot to mention, I'd prefer freeware.[/edit]

[Meck]

A good start would be Phil's List. 

[idahosurge]

Aerosoft F16
PMDG MD11
Coolsky MD80

You will have to read the manual for each of the above three before you will be able to get them started and in the air!

As far as my experience all three are going to be about as close as you can get in FSX to replicating the actual systems and actual flight dynamics of modern jets.

Rod

[RaptorF22]

Thanks guys, I'll check them out now!

[edit]Also, any one know of a guide of how to start all the default planes from the VC if it can be done?[/edit]

[Cessna the Aerial Hawk]

Thanks guys, I'll check them out now!

[edit]Also, any one know of a guide of how to start all the default planes from the VC if it can be done?[/edit]

Press shift + F10 to open up the kneeboard.  Then go to the checklists.  There should be instructions there.

[RaptorF22]

I've looked at that, all it says is to press Shift-E.

[Daube]

Starting the default planes from the VC is rather easy in fact:
- swith the battery on
- switch the avionics on
- put the mixture to 100% (press SHIFT+CTRL+F4 in case the mixture control is not available in the VC, for example in the liners)
- put the prop pitch to 100 % (or CTRL+F4 is the control is not in the VC... should be right next to the mixture)
- make sure the fuel tank selector is on the correct position (not OFF, else your engine won't have any fuel to burn)
- press the engine start button, the engine will start
- switch the generator on
- switch the ligths on
- if the weather is cold, or if you plan to fly at high altitude where the temperatures are cold, switch all of the deicing stuff on (pitot heat especially).
- you're good to go

[B_7772]

A2A's Boeing 377 Stratocruiser with Accu-Sim Expansion pack.

As for freeware, iFly's 747-400 (http://www.simviation.com/simviation/st ... 60&page=19), it's the freeware equivalent to PMDG's 747; http://www.avsim.com/pages/0309/iFly/747.htm.

[pete]

Let's not get obsessed with payware here guys otherwise this will become a payware thread & be moved accordingly.

Remember there are lot's of payware quality (or better) freeware out there.

Think Warwick Carter, Thomas Ruth, Tim Conrad, Brett Henderson, Dino Cattaneo, Section F8, Milton Shupe, SimTech, Roy Chaffin, Kirk Olssen, PAD to name a small few. Aircraft don't have to be true FSX models to be fully functional or brilliant in FSX ... and many updates from the likes of Joel Aramendy, Danny Garnier, Nor Cal and Bob Chicilo are as good as anything I've been sent for review from payware companies.

[snippyfsxer]

Let's not get obsessed with payware here guys otherwise this will become a payware thread & be moved accordingly.

Remember there are lot's of payware quality (or better) freeware out there.

Think Warwick Carter, Thomas Ruth, Tim Conrad, Brett Henderson, Dino Cattaneo, Section F8, Milton Shupe, SimTech, Roy Chaffin, Kirk Olssen, PAD to name a small few. Aircraft don't have to be true FSX models to be fully functional or brilliant in FSX ... and many updates from the likes of Joel Aramendy, Danny Garnier, Nor Cal and Bob Chicilo are as good as anything I've been sent for review from payware companies.

It must be a slow day in Administrator-ville...

[SeanTK]

It must be a slow day in Administrator-ville...

And it looks like you're living up to your namesake, snippy...
Pete has a very valid point here.

@ Raptor,

Pete's list pretty much covers the best stuff out there for FSX right now, and I'll just highlight a few specific creations from that list that you may want to focus your attention on first.

Henderson's Beech Bonanza.

Conrad's (known as "Piglet") Antonov An-32.

Shupe's de Havilland DHC-7. (Made for 2002/2004, but works great in X with a prop fix.)

Dino's T-45 Goshawk and F-14 Tomcat.

(Not sure if these work in FSX, but try...) Samdim's An-24, Tu-114, and Mudry CAP-10.


Also, a very new release that will probably find it's way to our library very soon. In the meantime, try searching for "Ultimate Bipe Aerobatic Aircraft" on some other FS sites. Created by Simon Smeiman.(Mods can link to our file when/if we get it.)

[Daube]

I agree with Pete that there definitey are some freewares that are up to the payware standards.
However I would not be so enthusiastic. The freewares that can be compared with Paywares are extremely rare. Some I know:
- Mirage 2000-5 by Rollus (FSX)
- HS.748 by Rick Piper (FS9)
- iFly 747 (FS9)
- and some more that will certainly come back to my mind later.

As much as I love the realizations from Tim Conrad (you all know how much I advertise about them), they cannot be compared to paywares. I'm speaking about RECENT payware, not the kind of "paywares" that Alphasim or IRIS has recently made freewares, or the aircraft packages that Abacus shamelessly sells to the unaware simmers. Same goes for Dino's realisations. They all look extremely good, but the modelisation of the systems is quite limited. Engine starters, lights, autopilot and that's pretty much all.
Those cannot be compared to the real paywares like LevelD, PMDG, A2A+Accusim, recent IRIS and Aerosoft etc... which are providing extreme details, almost complete system modelisation, damage and system faults handling, etc... It's another level. For example, the FS-KBT Super Hornet is one of the best freeware military jets available, but no one would want to compare it to the VRS Super Hornet.

In the end, it all depends on what the original poster was really looking for. In his edit, he has specified that he would prefer freeware and indeed he has some choice. However, since he was firstly refering to his satisfaction about being able to start a very complex aircraft like the Mirage 2000-5 by Rollus, it's not suprising that most of the proposed choices are payware.

Now, if the original poster is looking for "nice" freeware planes with virtual cockpits, and that can be started without using the 2D panels, here are my propositions:
- BAC 1-11 by David Maltby
- De Havilland Comet 4 by David Maltby
- HS.Trident by David Maltby
- The T-45 (FSX native) and the Tomcat (FSX native) made by Dino Cattaneo
- All of the FSX native planes made by Tim Conrad
- All of the FSX native planes made by Thomas Ruth
- All of the planes made by Milton Shupe: Howard 500 (FSX-native), Spartan executive (FSX-native), Puss Moth (FS9), Beech D-18 (FS9).
- Some of the default FS9 planes, that work really good in FSX (Ford Trimotor, Cessna C-182, DeHavilland Comet, Lockheed Vega, Curtis Jenny)
- The planes made by Alejandro and Brett (especially the CitationX and the Bonanza)
- The Piaggo P-180
- The TBM-700
- and many more.

[pete]

These are freeware you won't beleive.
I would have to vote for the freeware B-25 from Roy Chaffin 
http://www.simviation.com/simviation/?ID=66&page=9&mark=3840

and any and all Constellations and there are a ton of them form Manfred Jahn 
amazing amout of complexity for freeware for these and others.  The "connies" go the entire fleet from L749's to the 1649's .  Fabulous support for these as well

[D. Miller]

Where did you get your Mirage 2000-5?  I am have Aerosoft's F-16 and UH-60.  They both are great for cold starts, but they cost.  I have been looking for another good jet to try out.  Can you send me the link?

[RaptorF22]

Yes, I did get the Mirage, and you'll find it if you google "Mirage 2000-5 Rollus".

You probably won't be able to download it till next month because his website has a very small monthly bandwidth.