Suggestions on Good General Aviation Payware Planes?

[JohnnyBoythePilot]

I may end up buying my first FSX payware plane soon and I'm looking at the following aircraft to purchase with a budget of $50:

Cessna 172N Skyhawk II ($20)

CSA Sport Cruiser ($20)

Rutan Long-EZ ($10)

Rutan Q200 ($20)

Out of the 5, I'm definitely buying the Cessna 172N and maybe the Rutan Long-EZ but I can't really choose a 3rd plane I can purchase with the left over $20. For the 3rd plane I'd like the Sport Cruiser or Q200. Any suggestions?

[APUtech]

A2A. Bar none.

[[57th] AngryHatter]

Originally posted by APUtech:

A2A. Bar none.

^^^This

Their C182 is superb. The Comanche lands hot like the real thing.

Do not waste money only to find out that most 3rd party aircraft are nothing but pretty pictures.
They fly on rails, nothing breaks, boring.

[JohnnyBoythePilot]

I've heard of A2A and I would love to get their Cessna 172 some day but it's a bit out of my price and I'm purchasing off of a Steam gift card. And Carenado can't be that bad. It's got to be at least better than the default aircraft.

[[57th] AngryHatter]

Originally posted by JohnnyBoythePilot:

I've heard of A2A and I would love to get their Cessna 172 some day but it's a bit out of my price and I'm purchasing off of a Steam gift card. And Carenado can't be that bad. It's got to be at least better than the default aircraft.

No, they have bad avionics. You'll need to find a 3rd party GPS that works.
They ride rails.
Carenado is the epitome of a pretty picture and nothing more.

Save your money until you have enough.

[JohnnyBoythePilot]

I'm aware Carenado isn't too realistic, especially their complex aircraft which I've heard are terrible, avionics wise, but I'm purchasing through a steam gift card and can't buy A2A with a steam gift card. So I'm stuck with aircraft in the FSX DLC Steam Store.

Also is JustFlight's Cessna 152 freeware more realistic than Carenado's 152? I already have JustFlight's 152 and I also have a 150L from FrenchVFR and I think I'll just cross off the Carenado 152 from the list.

[Slim Pickens]

A2A Comanche

[JohnnyBoythePilot]

I'm not buying any complex aircraft yet, and when I do for sure I'm getting JustFlight's Beechcraft Duchess 76 since many flight schools near me have the Beech 76. Here is the outline for my purchasing of aircraft:

*Needs to be from the FSX Steam Store

*Has to be a single engine, fixed gear, non-comlplex with fixed-pitch prop

*Must be under $20 (So I can purchase up to 3 aircraft with $50)

A friend of man has the CSA Sport Cruiser and highly suggests me to get it too, saying it's a fantastic airplane to fly and a very fun "low and slow" type of plane. Also, looking at the main discussion of the CSA Sport Cruiser, eveyone says it's a greate airplane to fly. So I'm definitly getting the CSA Sport Cruiser and Long-EZ.

[Lezren]

Carenado are not "bad" aircraft, they're just far sub-par to A2A. But then again, all FSX aircraft are sub-par to A2A. If A2A is a perfect diamond, all other companies make Walmart knockoff diamonds.

I would even go as far as to say PMDG are sub-par to A2A. That's my personal opinion, but I only enjoy flying GA aircraft. At least PMDG make failures apart of their sim.

That said, you can't go wrong with Carenado or JustFlight, they are great planes and far better than the next lower "tier". I just wouldn't plan on using Carenado for study level, because they're not detailed enough. They'll have switches and fuses that you can't play with, and failures can't occur. Unlike A2A which every little switch and button is actionable, and the plane will age with time and usage.

A2A is designed for you to actually learn something about owning and flying your own plane. "Study Level" some would call it.

If all you can spend is on Steam, then I'd go for either Carenado or JustFlight. I doubt you'll be terribly sorry you did... Unless you buy A2A later in life and realize you should have went that way to begin with.

[JohnnyBoythePilot]

Originally posted by Lezren:

Carenado are not "bad" aircraft, they're just far sub-par to A2A. But then again, all FSX aircraft are sub-par to A2A. If A2A is a perfect diamond, all other companies make Walmart knockoff diamonds.

I would even go as far as to say PMDG are sub-par to A2A. That's my personal opinion, but I only enjoy flying GA aircraft. At least PMDG make failures apart of their sim.

That said, you can't go wrong with Carenado or JustFlight, they are great planes and far better than the next lower "tier". I just wouldn't plan on using Carenado for study level, because they're not detailed enough. They'll have switches and fuses that you can't play with, and failures can't occur. Unlike A2A which every little switch and button is actionable, and the plane will age with time and usage.

A2A is designed for you to actually learn something about owning and flying your own plane. "Study Level" some would call it.

If all you can spend is on Steam, then I'd go for either Carenado or JustFlight. I doubt you'll be terribly sorry you did... Unless you buy A2A later in life and realize you should have went that way to begin with.

Thanks for the reply. According to a Carenado Cessna 172N review I saw on YT (the reviewer flew real Cessna 172's before), he said that the 172N's main downsides are the flight dynamics and controls, which he said are too sensitive with not much travel, and the yoke travels more than the control surfaces. He also said he didn't like the panel and avionics of the 172N, but I don't think that's really on Carenado's part as most 172N's have a very basic instrument pack with basic radios. Also there's not autopilot, which isn't a big deal as I love flying the airplane and trimming it just right. :).

I don't mind if Carenado's 172N isn't spot on realistic, I just want a good first payware plane that's better than the default planes. I've flown at the controls (Cessna 172N and SP, and Murphy Rebel) IRL before and I'll decide if Carenado's 172N is good for my minor training usage.

[SteveFSX/P3D]

I have both the Carenado 152, 172, A2A 172 and have used the Justflight freebie. The Carenado's are much better than default in feel, sounds, and look and land somewhere between default and A2A.

Personally I would recommend buying the Carenado Commander 114 instead. For me it's one of the better Carenado aircraft of that type. It's more versatile, interesting, and unlike their 152 and 172 has autopilot, built-in gps. Also like the other aircraft it also has the full set of radio Nav instruments. The Carenado 152 and 172 are very limited for IFR compared to the stock C172. They are much nicer as hand flying VFR aircraft though.

I have six or seven Carenados and the Commander is a good one that I will use despite having a couple of A2a's.

The freebie Cessna is not that far away (and in some ways better) than the Carenados Cessna's - so I would settle on that and go for the commander to take things to a different level. I don't recommend getting a 152 and 172, as they are just too similar in my opinion.

I would make do with the freebie 152 and await a sale on the A2A 172 if I really wanted one. I think I got my 2 at 40% discount. If you eventually get the A2A 172 you will never fly another 152 or 172 - but you will still get enjoyment out of that Carenado Commander.

[Rogen]

If a Steam voucher is what you've got I'd go for AccuFeel and a plane. I have the Carenado C182RG to which I've installed a highres texture pack (from Orbx), I also have the A2A C182 and as people are saying, they are chalk and cheese but the C182RG is stil nice to fly around in.

For $50.00 you could get AccuFeel which provides a greater imersion level with bumps squeeks, rattles and tweekable handling characteristics, a $19.99 plane of your choice and Rex Soft Clouds.

Heres a couple of pics where all three items are in use.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=920072486
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=775474752

Cheers

[[57th] AngryHatter]

Originally posted by Rogen:

If a Steam voucher is what you've got I'd go for AccuFeel and a plane. I have the Carenado C182RG to which I've installed a highres texture pack (from Orbx), I also have the A2A C182 and as people are saying, they are chalk and cheese but the C182RG is stil nice to fly around in.

For $50.00 you could get AccuFeel which provides a greater imersion level with bumps squeeks, rattles and tweekable handling characteristics, a $19.99 plane of your choice and Rex Soft Clouds.

Heres a couple of pics where all three items are in use.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=920072486
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=775474752

Cheers

Accufeel and a plane will equal the cost of the A2A plane...with Accufeel included. :D

[JohnnyBoythePilot]

Originally posted by Steve Mak:

I have both the Carenado 152, 172, A2A 172 and have used the Justflight freebie. The Carenado's are much better than default in feel, sounds, and look and land somewhere between default and A2A.

Personally I would recommend buying the Carenado Commander 114 instead. For me it's one of the better Carenado aircraft of that type. It's more versatile, interesting, and unlike their 152 and 172 has autopilot, built-in gps. Also like the other aircraft it also has the full set of radio Nav instruments. The Carenado 152 and 172 are very limited for IFR compared to the stock C172. They are much nicer as hand flying VFR aircraft though.

I have six or seven Carenados and the Commander is a good one that I will use despite having a couple of A2a's.

The freebie Cessna is not that far away (and in some ways better) than the Carenados Cessna's - so I would settle on that and go for the commander to take things to a different level. I don't recommend getting a 152 and 172, as they are just too similar in my opinion.

I would make do with the freebie 152 and await a sale on the A2A 172 if I really wanted one. I think I got my 2 at 40% discount. If you eventually get the A2A 172 you will never fly another 152 or 172 - but you will still get enjoyment out of that Carenado Commander.

Gosh I completely forgot the Rockwell Commander was on Steam. That's a sweet plane and I'm definitly buying that plane when I move to complex aircraft (currently fly strictly single-engine, fixed pitch prop & gear, land plane). I also crossed out the 152 from my list of Steam payware aircraft for FSX since I already have JF's free 152 and FrenchVFR's 150L.

[Lezren]

Originally posted by JohnnyBoythePilot:

Originally posted by Lezren:

Carenado are not "bad" aircraft, they're just far sub-par to A2A. But then again, all FSX aircraft are sub-par to A2A. If A2A is a perfect diamond, all other companies make Walmart knockoff diamonds.

I would even go as far as to say PMDG are sub-par to A2A. That's my personal opinion, but I only enjoy flying GA aircraft. At least PMDG make failures apart of their sim.

That said, you can't go wrong with Carenado or JustFlight, they are great planes and far better than the next lower "tier". I just wouldn't plan on using Carenado for study level, because they're not detailed enough. They'll have switches and fuses that you can't play with, and failures can't occur. Unlike A2A which every little switch and button is actionable, and the plane will age with time and usage.

A2A is designed for you to actually learn something about owning and flying your own plane. "Study Level" some would call it.

If all you can spend is on Steam, then I'd go for either Carenado or JustFlight. I doubt you'll be terribly sorry you did... Unless you buy A2A later in life and realize you should have went that way to begin with.

Thanks for the reply. According to a Carenado Cessna 172N review I saw on YT (the reviewer flew real Cessna 172's before), he said that the 172N's main downsides are the flight dynamics and controls, which he said are too sensitive with not much travel, and the yoke travels more than the control surfaces. He also said he didn't like the panel and avionics of the 172N, but I don't think that's really on Carenado's part as most 172N's have a very basic instrument pack with basic radios. Also there's not autopilot, which isn't a big deal as I love flying the airplane and trimming it just right. :).

I don't mind if Carenado's 172N isn't spot on realistic, I just want a good first payware plane that's better than the default planes. I've flown at the controls (Cessna 172N and SP, and Murphy Rebel) IRL before and I'll decide if Carenado's 172N is good for my minor training usage.

Guess what, you're in luck!!

http://store.steampowered.com/bundle/3593/FSX_Flash_Sale__Carenado__Alabeo/

[7heAngryVe7eran]

My most recommended is the Lionheart Creations Quest Kodiak found here[www.lionheartcreations.com]. $24.95 on their main page.