Flight Simulator heads up: Two amazing freeware planes

What happened to them!?

You used to be able to design your own planes for FS4, set wing width, length, wingtip sizes, tail sizes, main body sizes etc. Then you could see if it would fly. I actually got some pretty insane things to fly :)
 
You used to be able to design your own planes for FS4, set wing width, length, wingtip sizes, tail sizes, main body sizes etc. Then you could see if it would fly. I actually got some pretty insane things to fly

Oh dude....X-Plane is so made for you if you like designing and flying your own airplanes :)

Also its aerodynamics and physics is much more accurate than Microsofts product. So from a technical airplane-geek standpoint its the superior sim in that respect.

http://www.x-plane.com/
 
Anyone got the PMDG MD-11? I know it isnt payware but this is the most recent thread on FSX.

If anyone here has got it how about a mini review + 1 or 2 screenshots ? :).
 
Do they have relaistic damage models?
Damage modelling has never really been the aim for flight simulator, for certain planes there is damage modelling but if you fly your aircraft correctly there should be no need to model the damages. There's also addons that create explosions but due to simulator limitations real damage modelling isn't really possible.
 
Is this game actually any good?i see people play it and the rest moan about it so its a mixed decision.

It depends on your expectations, calling it a game misses the point, it's a simulator which is a totally different animal. It's more a tool to help you learn about the many and varied aspects of flight (navigation aids, the weather, aircraft types and configurations, airport protocols, air traffic control, flight computers etc) so that you can put your knowledge to the test and make a successfull and realistic flight in your chosen aircraft. I would guess most of the people who moan about it have barely scratched the surface.
 
Anyone got the PMDG MD-11? I know it isnt payware but this is the most recent thread on FSX.

If anyone here has got it how about a mini review + 1 or 2 screenshots ? :).

Wait til the FS9 version is released and I'll get a few words up about it.
 
It depends on your expectations, calling it a game misses the point, it's a simulator which is a totally different animal. It's more a tool to help you learn about the many and varied aspects of flight (navigation aids, the weather, aircraft types and configurations, airport protocols, air traffic control, flight computers etc) so that you can put your knowledge to the test and make a successfull and realistic flight in your chosen aircraft.

Very well put mate :)
 
I installed 2004 after many years last night because FSX still runs too poorly for me and the mod so far are not that great(make the game run worse)

Tried this 737 add-on and it's mad.. 58 page guide from starting the engines up, all the way up to flying/landing and shutting them off again. Albeit a bit too long to get there when you want a quick flight on a week day.
 
Tried this 737 add-on and it's mad.. 58 page guide from starting the engines up, all the way up to flying/landing and shutting them off again. Albeit a bit too long to get there when you want a quick flight on a week day.

Is that the PMDG 737? If you are into that kinda super-real stuff then you will like the iFly 747-400. Its freeware but really capable.

And if you like Russian planes flown the Russian way then check out the Project Tupolev TU154. Smashing virtual cockpit and the realism is INSANE. If you learn how to fly that thing you will gain a real appreciation of how different Russian machines are and the crew-cordination thats needed. Even today their airliners fly with 2 pilots, radio operator, navigator & flight engineer. Totally different world to the blinged-out glass cockpits of 737NGs, A320s etc!
 
Wait til the FS9 version is released and I'll get a few words up about it.

Ha I know what you mean, Just reinstalled FSX and it runs like crap.

Kind of thinking of picking up a used 2004 copy and just putting it to max gfx.

Edit: Just noticed the PMDG 747 in the sig, you fly on VATSIM much?

I tried to get into it a while back, gave up becuase I didnt have the time to learn everything. But I think once I get 2004 Ill give it another shot :).
 
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Ha I know what you mean, Just reinstalled FSX and it runs like crap.

Kind of thinking of picking up a used 2004 copy and just putting it to max gfx.

Edit: Just noticed the PMDG 747 in the sig, you fly on VATSIM much?

I tried to get into it a while back, gave up becuase I didnt have the time to learn everything. But I think once I get 2004 Ill give it another shot :).

FS9 with maximum settings still will run like a pig with a full array of add-ons. Talking unplayable single-figure FPS.

I've never tried VATSIM, the main (and for me, critical) reason being no AI. I like my FS world to be as realistic as possible and I just can't imagine approaching through busy terminal airspace and landing at such as LHR with nothing on the stands and at the gates.

I fly for a virtual airline, only logged a couple of hundred hours mind, which is as good as anything approaching online 'play' gets.

As for the PMDG stuff - start off with the 737NG and if you can get your head around that - wait until you're comfortable with it, the aircraft, it's systems, performance and limitations then have a bash at the 747.
 
FS9 with maximum settings still will run like a pig with a full array of add-ons. Talking unplayable single-figure FPS.

I've never tried VATSIM, the main (and for me, critical) reason being no AI. I like my FS world to be as realistic as possible and I just can't imagine approaching through busy terminal airspace and landing at such as LHR with nothing on the stands and at the gates.

I fly for a virtual airline, only logged a couple of hundred hours mind, which is as good as anything approaching online 'play' gets.

As for the PMDG stuff - start off with the 737NG and if you can get your head around that - wait until you're comfortable with it, the aircraft, it's systems, performance and limitations then have a bash at the 747.

Im supprised, I would say VATSIM is the closest you can get to the real thing atm without acctually being a pilot.

They do have some good events going, where they have a packed airport with all the ATC stations manned. But yeah it would be nice if there were more people online in general.

I know that if you get on a virtual airline on VATSIM they will usually all fly out in a convoy of planes, making their own traffic.
 
Im supprised, I would say VATSIM is the closest you can get to the real thing atm without acctually being a pilot.

They do have some good events going, where they have a packed airport with all the ATC stations manned. But yeah it would be nice if there were more people online in general.

I know that if you get on a virtual airline on VATSIM they will usually all fly out in a convoy of planes, making their own traffic.

I don't mind periods of unmanned ATC, nor the usual trans-atlantic -pacific lack of traffic on VATSIM, it's the physical AI aircraft in the sky and on the ground. I have a wonderful AI package from my VA, with updates to every commercial airline, their departure/arrival times and routes. Combined with the detailed AFCAD's from the payware airports and I get real-world airlines parked at real-world gates that depart at real-world times to real-world airports.

All the above can't happen with VATSIM - and that's my one single (but huge) bugbear with the online ATC system.

I use Radar Contact which gives me the most realistic artifical ATC environment possible. I can fly SIDs, STARs, published holds, missed approach and go-around procedures that a pilot would encounter. I even get my crossing restrictions and occasional denial of flight level changes for traffic.

Also on another personal level, I tend to fly long-haul. I'm usually busy when flying so I'll take time to hand fly somewhere up to top of climb then LNAV, VNAV, set Radar Contact to auto tune and auto reply then go away and do something else, whilst periodically checking in on things - EICAS scans, fuel state, step-climbs etc. Then I'll make sure I dedicate enough time to hand fly the approach and landing. I can't sit in front of the PC for hours on end with headphones on waiting for ATC calls.
 
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