Looking for a freeware small plane

Can anyone think of a small GA plane that will work with P3D? I know there are loads of good payware planes but I just blew my money buying the program. I am not particular, just a small plane that works.

I have the old FS 2002 Flight One Cardinal with the 2004 upgrade. Someone on the FSX forum said they had installed it on FSX but I can't figure out how to do it because it wants to be installed in the sim's root directory. That won't work with P3D. I have the mitigation tool but keep getting errors when I try to install under it. Anybody ever done this?

No chance. You might get FSX aircraft to work but you have zero, nada, zilch chance of going back any further in sim history.

 

I'd also recommend you forget freeware going forward in this sim - while I'm sure some happy soul will provide some freeware, this is a very different simulator with different objectives.

 

For now you can have a look at some of the FSX freeware as it may - or may not - port over to the new sim.

After a lot of digging through the files I found a wonderful C177 Cardinal RG. Though it is a little twichy the specs are just about right on the one I used to fly. Part of my problem with it might be that my rudder pedals died and I am using a twist stick. Hopefully get new pedals soon.

 

Brett Henderson c177rgbh.zip

Standard in P3D you have the Mooney, the Extra, the Bonanza, the Cub, the Maule.

 

Not small enough? :)

 

Vic

FSX/Prepar3D Zlin Z-142

 

Have a look here, this one is a beauty:

 

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/fslib.php?do=search&fsec=0&fname=pwdt_z142.zip

 

Cheers

 

Dom

Almost all of my real world flying has been in Cessna 150s, 172s etc. To stay on the same page as my real world flying, I need a light, slow airplane. I have spent some time in a Mooney M20G, but it is a 135 mph with conventional avionics, not like the Bravo or Acclaim.

Thanks Dom, I will download it.

I'd also recommend you forget freeware going forward in this sim - while I'm sure some happy soul will provide some freeware, this is a very different simulator with different objectives.

 

I dont know why you keep on saying this. You´ve done it many times. Like id P3D is some kind of voodoo sim that will only work with this and that magic addon. In my experience P3D accept most fsx aircraft. Just manually install it or use the migration tool. Few things can go wrong when istalling aircraft if you know how to delete them. Scenery is another thing.

There are some good freeware aircraft out there. There are are also a lot of crap, but so are there a lot of expensive payware aircraft which look flashy with high def. textures and pop up crap, but fly like an old door giving you a very poor sim-experience. In the end, the airfile is what matters the most.

 

There´s a freeware fsx Cessna 150 or 152. Its a fs9 upgraded plane. I havent tried it in P3D, but used it in FS9 for a while but dropped it because of a lousy VC.

 

There´s a Bill Lyons Luscombe 8A that works and flies well. As all Bill Lyons stuff, it sounds really good but the textures are low-fi and I ended up deleting it (but kept the sound folder for another day.)

I dont know why you keep on saying this. You´ve done it many times. Like id P3D is some kind of voodoo sim that will only work with this and that magic addon. In my experience P3D accept most fsx aircraft. Just manually install it or use the migration tool. Few things can go wrong when istalling aircraft if you know how to delete them. Scenery is another thing.

There are some good freeware aircraft out there. There are are also a lot of crap, but so are there a lot of expensive payware aircraft which look flashy with high def. textures and pop up crap, but fly like an old door giving you a very poor sim-experience. In the end, the airfile is what matters the most.

 

There´s a freeware fsx Cessna 150 or 152. Its a fs9 upgraded plane. I havent tried it in P3D, but used it in FS9 for a while but dropped it because of a lousy VC.

 

There´s a Bill Lyons Luscombe 8A that works and flies well. As all Bill Lyons stuff, it sounds really good but the textures are low-fi and I ended up deleting it (but kept the sound folder for another day.)

 

+1

I say it because it is worth reminding.

 

P3D is at V2.4 and climbing, you are not dealing with a static project but a moving, developing platform - an alien concept to most who have migrated from FSX. Most updates or patches to the sim are likely to cause problems with portovers. If not now, then 'eventually'.The TRUE porting channel is P3Dv1.4, NOT P3Dv2+.

 

The migration tool has been shown to cause all sorts of problems for all sorts of people, and should ONLY be used to migrate products that have express permission under the EULA to be ported to FSX, but you will then find it is done so without warranty or endorsement - and in most cases, support.

 

The reason is simple: It is nowhere near as easy to recover a bodged P3D installation compared to FSX, and we see every day those who haven't prepared for the bodged FSX installation. It's called the FSX forum!

 

So advising caution with a platform that has higher expectations of the operator is a very sound call. After that, it is a simple fact that there is very little in the Flightsim or Avsim library branded as P3D freeware. And what is, mostly is branded as FSX/P3D. So striking that cautionary note.

 

Really, if you can't adopt the different mindset for P3D, you have no place using it. IT IS NOT A GAME, and is not sold as such. There's some deliberate and careful sleight of hand to accommodate the sim user who really, truly doesn't meet the EULA requirements but has aspirations (or delusions), but there is a higher standard of awareness required.

 

And that is also a fact, because this forum demonstrates the ability to seek help and advice for this platform is limited. And if you think it's any better over at Avsim, well that's where the delusional are advised by the incompetent. Loads of posts, many many topics. Most of them filled with absolute brown smelly stuff.

 

If the P3D owner accepts the obligations and rises to the challenge then sure, there's plenty of product that can be drawn in. But if it goes wrong you better know how to fix it, because you'll get precious little help in the official forum, scant answers here, and positively sent round in circles in other places.

 

At my flying club, we've replaced FSX with P3D as the desktop sim of choice (it gets a lot of use when the weather is too bad for flying, which in England at the moment is practically a permanent fixture). Aside from upgrades and patches the sim has had to be re-installed three times already, because some dopey individual tried to install something that shouldn't be there. The system is now locked to prevent this happening. We never locked the previous FSX-based unit. QED.

Try Simviation.com, or Flightsim under General Aviation

 

Bontik

I agree, the airfile is where the quality must be. I can deal with clunky graphics or not having all the bells and whistles but I downloaded a Cessna150 that had 2 26 gallon tanks and did 125 miles an hour. I have never seen a 150 break 105 mph in straight and level.

 

What companies for payware can be depended on to have the flight dynamics right. I might be able to afford one plane but I can't buy several trying them out.

 

Really, if you can't adopt the different mindset for P3D, you have no place using it. IT IS NOT A GAME, and is not sold as such. There's some deliberate and careful sleight of hand to accommodate the sim user who really, truly doesn't meet the EULA requirements but has aspirations (or delusions), but there is a higher standard of awareness required.

 

Is it really necessary for you to do this all the time. Its not very nice to come here just to read so many times that other members are not serious enough for P3D. Its not only about what you think is correct and serious. Leave a little space for the rest of us. We might be a LOT more serious than what you think. And just because we dont have the money to spend on flight simming that others have shouldnt mean we are not qualified.

 

If this continues, I will leave. And I hope I can find another place where there´s a little bit more respect. I dont need someone threatening me with EULA etc. And its not the first time.

Any discussions of the EULA get threads locked.

 

It's like this - if you can't read - you shouldn't be flying a flight sim anyway - if you CAN read, you should read the EULA and "MAKE YOUR OWN DETERMINATION" as to whether or not you comply. When you make that determination - keep it to yourself. PERIOD and that means do not interpret the EULA for anyone else.

 

Now, third party a/c - some devs approve use in P3D, some don't care and some do NOT approve.

 

ANY discussion of how to install an add-on UNAPPROVED by the developer will get the thread deleted.

 

Vic

Jeffery - Most Fs9 a/c will not work in P3D. SOME FSX a/c will - unfortunately there is no real way other than trial and error to determine what will run other than some things already posted in "compatibility" threads. Browse through our library and see if any freeware strikes your eye. As far as payware, any of Bill Lyon's stuff is exceptional and reasonably priced ( http://www.lionheartcreations.com/Lionheart_FlightSimulations.html).

 

Also Carenado and Alabeo make some nice stuff for P3D that might fit.

 

Vic

Of course there is a soo much freeware out there, Even some that are better than Payware. Just because you pay for a plane does not make it better than freeware.

 

Have a look at the list of planes in the library at this very site, as well as the other sites.

I just installed this into p3d and took her for a quick spin.

 

http://www.justflight.com/microsoft-c152

 

Worked OK.

 

The installer did not work at first, "Couldn't find FSX", whatever, so I created an empty text file in my install folder and renamed it to 'FSX.EXE'. The installer was happy with that.

 

Chris.

Thanks for the link. :)

 

I installed it and enjoyed a little hour of scenery watching in this little bird. Its very nice. The VC is not the highest definition, but this I knew, but I strongly prefer the flying over the Carenado C152 I had in fs9 and which I didnt like very much.

This one is more lively but still easy and predictable like it should be. I did some 8 - 10 knots crosswind landings and it reacted very well.

Good with a nice free addon and exactly the tipe of bird that I like.

I downloaded the Justflight c-152 and love it. I have not personally flown a 152, but I have quite a few hours in a 150 and this is a lot like the 150 I have flown. It is stable and forgiving, sits just about 100 mph at 2400 rpm, and takeoff and landing seem about right. I have not tried spins and stalls and such, but the "feel" is right.

 

Having a 2d panel available too is nice for those of us that like to start from a cold start and flip all the switches ourselves. Since I am using this to back up my flight training, which I can't afford right now, it is good to go through all the motions. I did note however that the VC doesn't have a lot of clickables and for radio adjustments and such it works much better in the 2d panel.

The only small plane in P3D that I fly occasionaly is the Maul, it's really pretty good. All others I fly are A2A and the Baron 55 from Real Air. Have you given P3D's maul a good try-out?

The only small plane in P3D that I fly occasionaly is the Maul, it's really pretty good. All others I fly are A2A and the Baron 55 from Real Air. Have you given P3D's maul a good try-out?

 

I agree Jim. The default Maule is a great little aircraft.

 

Vic

Here´s a simple little freware bird. A Jodel D 112 .

Its not the most advanced thing, but it flies well.

 

http://frenchvfr.free.fr/download.php?lng=en

 

If you like me like small classic taildraggers, and especially the low wing French Jodel and Robin planes, then this is whate there is that works directly out of the box. They call it a P3D plane, but installation is manual.

With the more an more advanced sims we are having, there are less "different" planes. Especially the smaller ones are deserted. Its a pity, because there are some very nice flying to be found in some of these planes.

The Jodel and Robin aircraft were very wellknown for their flying and (at that time) efficient aerodynamics. Compared to most other aircraft with the same engines they were faster and more nimble. This little 2 seater has a Continental A65 engine, just like the Piper Cub, but it has a 12 - 13 knot higher cruising speed and better climbing which is correct.

 

Like all small taildraggers without flaps, you need to prepar landing well. Its good aerodynamics makes slow down a lot slower than the Cub and just like all small taildraggers, it tends to "float" over the runway. I learn a lot from flying these little birds and its a very good scenery watcher with a good look over the low gull wing.

 

Screenshots. (the red one is a repaint that you can find out there) As you see, its very basic and the instruments are in the mdl.file so you cant change them. But it flies well and has a decent soundfile.

 

If you are interested in knowing more about Jodel and Robin aircraft, here you have a link to a very nice webpage (in english)

 

http://www.jodel.com/index.asp?jodelcom

 

I´ve have seen some of these flying around in France and I hope to find an airshow this summer and have a look close up. Its the kind of aircraft I would like to have myselt and i think the small ones can be used with European UL license.

 

I´m currently working on making a fs2004 Jodel DR 221 flyable in P3D. It was considered being one of the best FS2004 freware aircraft by many and it was converted to FSXsp2.

It still flies very well, but it need new instruments and radio, and the VC clickspots dont work. But its a very nice plane to fly. I will make an update when I have finished if anyone is interested.

It has a Lycoming O-235 engine, just like the Cessna 152, but its a bit faster and more fun to fly

Here you have a screenshot that I found on the net:

Thanks a lot Donny and all the others. You have given me a couple or three good things to play around with. I would love to see a Jodel upgraded to P3D. If you ever do finish it, please upload it.