After a search I discovered this topic hasn’t come up very often and there isn’t a living thread that covers the topic.
So what are your favorite first party aircraft, right out of the box, and why?
I figure this would cover all Asobo craft in the vanilla, Premium Deluxe, Reno Expansion… etc. You know? The planes we are allowed to talk about in this forum. Not 3rd Party stuff.
Mine is definitely the 172 with steam gauges. I love the simplicity of steam gauges, and am not a fan of glass panels. Surprisingly, I’m not an old guy either; I’m only 24. I’ve flown this plane the most in this sim, and it’s probably the type I’ll fly most often if I ever get my PPL. It seems like Asobo has done a pretty good job overall on this one. This is probably because they’ve done actual flight testing in a 172, as well as it being the most popular plane ever made, so maybe they’ve focused more on it.
Yeah, steam works well on a monitor.
I love the Cessna Citation Longitude no matter how many mountains I’ve hit with that plane with autopilot on I still love it really fun aircraft to fly
If I want to fly an airliner, I go for the 747 in spite of its warts, I just like it and it reminds me of all the amazing places I’ve traveled to in the world because of its presence in real life.
The 152 is just so well done, it’s hard to find faults with it and it flys extremely well. I love the simplicity of its equipment and how you can do so much with so little.
I totally dig the Icon A5. It’s easy to imagine one on a trailer behind my excursion vehicle. It’s got an extremely interesting design ethos and its high-revving engine is pretty unique among the aircraft we have. Plus, how can you not love landing in a lake and bobbing around?!
Yeah, the A5 is s fun little thing.
I also recently discovered the XCubs, they are super modern, simple and amazing VRF VR airplanes. The lack of steam gauges isn’t even a thing.
My favorites:
The Beechcraft Baron, Icon A5, Diamond DA40NG, Bonanza, “all” Cessnas (including Citations), Shock Ultra, Extra 330LT and the A320.
I have kids older than you! 
I’m a spry 50 something, that could pass for 30 something-ish. So I have an appreciation for the classic gauges that I simmed when I was 13 and I love working with the Garmin systems too. But I love an airspeed and vertical speed gauge setup. It’s just a much better flying feel.
My youngest son (18) is a WWI buff with deep crazy knowledge of that time period. I suspect he would only be interested in the biplanes if he were into MSFS.
If asked to pick just one, I would pick the Cessna 172 with the “six pack.” It’s how I learned to fly, and having a panel with round instruments feels better to me. VOR to VOR any day… who needs GPS? 
I still regularly fly these, enjoy them.
I just think they work well, modelled nicely and are enjoyable for me.
The new prop physics has added new interest and motivation as well.
Still love my 3rd party aircraft as they add extra features and details but nothing wrong with any in my list either. It’s all fun.
Happy flying!
Yeah, I have been flying 3rd Party a lot these last several months. Then I tried it on the Cloud and didn’t have most of my planes and kinda rediscovered the Asobo fleet. There’s some really good stuff there.
DA62 and Bonanza.
I like modern aircraft with a G1000 the best.
Those aircraft just work, fly well and look great.
The WT G1000NXi is a lot of fun to use.
Great all around aircraft for all kinds of purposes.
Simple to operate, which is also a bonus for me.
I really like the steam gauged C172. This relies to my small home cockpit and is easy to fly.
Lately I have flown the single engine diesel powered DA 42(?). Really fun and smooth to fly. Extremely stable, fast and quiet. If you into GA with glass cockpit, which I generally despise wholeheartedly, give it a shot.
C152 all the way.
That is an interesting point. Home cockpit gear really seems to help you pick a favorite plane.
The DA40NG? That’s a great airplane for the view and simple operation. It’s interesting being diesel and having the ECU controlled prop.
My only complaint is it likes to roll, so AP is needed for long stretches.
I think there is a DA42 but not in the sim. I have the actual checklist for the DA40/DA42 and it mentions landing gear. So perhaps that is the difference?
I agree, I think the C172 with steam gauges is my favorite 1st party a/c…. But I typically only fly 3rd party these days as the aircraft are far superior.
DA40 is single engine/4 place, the classic with Thielert Diesel,NG with Austro Engine, DA42 twin-engine/4seats and DA62 twin engine/6-Seater.
Yes indeed. You are bound to certain features by the instrumentation. For my cockpit it is single engine combustion planes with engines similar to the Lycoming IO 360 L2. Fuel injection only (no carburetor heat). C172 works best, the Beech Bonanza does not work because it has another fuel system and I cannor get the fuel selector to work. C172 has L, R, Both and OFF. Bonanza has L, R, OFF. I have Throttle, Mix and Prop control as well as landing gear.
Since I constructed, 3D-printed, painted and assembled all instruments by myself, any alteration would be a lot of work. Here is a description: 3D-printed dashboard
SR-22 (which now operates at POH performance numbers) + G1000 NXi from Marketplace. Combo is available on both platforms.
I have not looked at it for more than the occasional flight in over a year. Always liked the plane. Like a Piper that flys itself. Very modern and clean. A real airplane for the age of Tesla.
I will give it another look.