Update after 10 years away.......

[frangagn]

I started to get interested in flight simulation with FS98, way back! I then upgraded with every version of the MS Flightsim but eventually went on to play with the real thing. I did my private pilot licence with instruments and stopped using flightsim as I had already enough hours to do on a real sim to maintain my qualifications....

 

But life being what it is, I had to sell my beloved real-life bird (a Piper Cherokee 180) for medical reasons. So I'm back in the sim world, a little disoriented with all innovations and changes especially after Microsoft decided not to pursue their sim (which, ironically, was better in many aspects than the sim I had to use to maintain my instrument qualifications....).

 

So, my questions are:

 

- what is the best software available today? I know there is always a debate on this, but my latest virtual bird was FS2010, so if you had any suggestions and were in my place, what would you fly with?

 

- What is the best scenery around? I've grown picky since I did fly for over 10 years in the real airspace... but also I know that instrument flying is done when you can't see the scenery anyways! lol!

 

- I have a CH-products yoke (probably very old today) and pedals. Any suggested upgrades to my hardware? What about the hardware radios/interface that are for sale? Worth it?

 

Thanks for any guidance! Fly safe guys!

 

FG

[lnuss]

I'd take a close look at Lockheed-Martin's Prepar3d, a further development of the FSX engine that makes heavy use of the graphics card (unlike FSX), as well as the CPU, giving recent machines better performance overall, along with some additional realism factors such as good shadows, whether from clouds or airplanes or trees or most anything, along with volumetric clouds (better clouds, no more milky undercasts), among other enhancements that are not possible without the performance of the GPU.

 

I'd also look at the ORBX scenery (I have all their North American Regional sceneries, along with some other stuff) which in many areas looks almost real.

 

Still, some folks seem to swear by (I swore at) FSX, and some even prefer FS9 (FS2004). Then there are also those who swear by X-Plane, though it's not my cup of tea.

 

As to stick, I'm using a Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS, relatively expensive, but I love it. Saitek makes some X-* sticks that are pretty good, too. For pedals, I'm using old CH Pro pedals, but they're awkward. Still, until I can actually try PFC or some other advanced pedals in person, these work (sort of) for the moment.

[Rupert]

Welcome Back! And as a disabled guy my self, sorry about your luck.

 

As to software I have P3D and FSX and prefer the FSX. But as Larry noted, that's just personal opinion. (Think Toyota cars versus Hondas.) Assuming you can't get FSX discs, it is downloadable in a slightly updated form called Steam or FSSE. I understand it's available fairly often at as low a price as $5. P3D is also available online and has several prices depending on which version you buy. The nice thing is you have a trial period with P3D. If you're not satisfied with it during that trial period they'll refund your money and shut down your P3D license.

 

Scenery, I agree I'm happiest with ORBX and have more money in it than in my computer itself. But at this point you might want to get a piece of Photoreal scenery and see what you think of it. If you want scenery to correspond to all your old charts Photoreal will probably do that better at altitude. However if you're into low and slow Photoreal makes all the scenery look like it has been smashed by Gulliver in Lilliput.

 

Before you made your mind up about a lot of payware scenery and planes, I suggest you download some of the free stuff in the File Library on this site. At least that will give you a starting point idea-wise.

 

I would think your CH controls should still work fine. If not, I'm not unhappy with Saitek. Bang for the buck they're not bad. People complain about the yoke being sticky. It

s not nearly as sticky as several RW controls I've used that work with cables and bell cranks!

 

Bottom line, Welcome! Ask questions, we all do! Someone, like me will always offer free advice which you of course are free to take or not.;) And yes, we all have slightly different belly buttons as well!:rolleyes:

[ScatterbrainKid]

- what is the best software available today?.. my latest virtual bird was FS2010..

- What is the best scenery around?

- I have a CH-products yoke (probably very old today) and pedals.

 

1- If you mean what's the best sim, click 'Forum' at the top of this page and scroll down through the list and you'll see that more people are always 'Viewing' the FSX forum than all the rest combined, THAT'S how popular it is. (What's the 'FS2010' you mentioned?)

 

2- If you want scenery that shows your house, Photoreal scenery is the ONLY way to go.

 

3- If your yoke/pedals are working fine, keep 'em..:)

 

PS- Have a browse through this thread to see the wonderful things people do with FSX-

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?248567-How-do-you-keep-FSX-interesting

[lnuss]

- If you mean what's the best sim, click 'Forum' at the top of this page and scroll down through the list and you'll see that more people are always 'Viewing' the FSX forum than all the rest combined, THAT'S how popular it is. (What's the 'FS2010' you mentioned?)

 

Of course you must discount those of us flying other sims who also read the FSX forum, in my case it's at least partly because I used to fly FSX and there's still info in that forum relevant to P3D, so those figures aren't as meaningful as they might be at first glance. Still, it likely is still more popular, especially since that forum includes the steam version too (two sims, original boxed and steam).

 

2- If you want scenery that shows your house, Photoreal scenery is the ONLY way to go.

 

As Rupert indicated, from high altitude that works wonderfully, not so much when you're down low.

 

Lots of choices.

[frangagn]

Thanks a lot guys for your comments! I mentioned FS2010.... I was confused, I meant FS10, wich is FSX..... That's how outdated I am! Told ya!

 

Many thanks for pointing me in the right direction for scenery and sims. I was wondering if I should consider purchasing a Cherokee virtual plane, or if the one in the free download is good? I'm worried not only about the panel, but also about the flight dynamics.

 

Also, anyone have experience with the Saitek or Goflight hardware, or any other? Having used a real-life GNS430, I'm quite frustrated now with clicking the buttons with the mouse.... yes I have become spoiled... But I'm wondering if it's just smoke and mirrors or if it works decently.

 

Many thanks again!

[ScatterbrainKid]

..I was wondering if I should consider purchasing a Cherokee virtual plane, or if the one in the free download is good?..

 

I haven't got it myself, but you can always try it and see, it's freeware so you've nothing to lose! If you don't like it, delete it and try another, I do it all the time. Same with free scenery and stuff, try them first before thinking of splashing out money for payware.

There are currently these two freeware Cherokees in the file library, so try 'em both..:)

 

 

 

PS- for you and newcomers, this is how to access the freeware file library, for example when I wanted a Spitfire I typed in the word 'spitfire' and made the other red-circled selections, and 34 Spitfires came up-

 

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-file1_zpsdtqfysgd.jpg~original

 

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-files2_zpsqt3fvlvf.jpg~original

 

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-files3_zpsqvo7fxhr.jpg~original