So its a new year. Ive been flying MSFS since launch. Like many people, Im sure, I was sorely disappointed by the lack of steam gauge aircraft in the selection. Premium deluxe owners like myself know that the locked airplanes with steam gauges are buggy and therefore not always enjoyable to fly.
Now its 2021. I dont mind the G1000 anymore. I am a very visual oriented person, and despite my attraction to steam gauges, I have to admit the glass cockpit is growing on me. Its nice to have a fully detailed map. Makes quick VFR flights easy to handle. That said, glass cockpits make it difficult to learn how to fly using VORs and adjusting the VOR parameters in a glass cockpit can be cumbersome. Still, the G1000 has its really nice uses. I suppose it doesn’t win in “sex appeal” but it wins in usability.
What do you folks think? Am I insane or does someone else feel similar.
Happy New Years fellow pilots! Hopefully we will get some more awesome stuff this year!
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Although on its way out, I would have preferred some more steam gauges. I have flown the G1000 in real life, I never liked it. The whole G1000 is a Mickey Mouse system, its such a pain in the behind to program the whole thing with a couple of line select keys and two rotary switches and navigate to all the different menu’s. I guess the G3000 with touch pad is a lot easier to work with.
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I’d say that the steam gauge C172 is probably the best plane in the entire sim overall. I’ve taken a real liking to that one. Even though I rather like the G1000 planes, I have to say I do love flying steam gauge planes with the GNS530/430 combo. The C172SP and Mooney M20 are 2 of my favourites.
But neither can replace the amazing G3000 in the TBM. That’s still my #1 plane overall.
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The same. I’d rather fly six pack with a complete presentation of a panel than what we have. Even though the mods are churning as much as they can, I would’ve been more satisfied the other way around.
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Always preferred gauges to LCD - but I have a better reason to these days, with gauges far easier to read in VR without having to zoom in to the display/instrument.
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And another here. Anything this side of the GNS430 is black magic. But then, there is the GTN750 and the G3000 and if they work as advertised, it is a much closer race.
It took me a while to get used to using the glass displays but I got the hang of it. They’re very fiddly and the flight plan menu system isn’t very intuitive to use while flying.
I have been getting into flying the Mooney and love using the real gauges and radios. It’s got a better feel to it: more like flying and less like just computer management!!!
However. Some of the steam gauges are hard to read on my 15" laptop screen, so I do like the really clear information display on the glass displays. And all of the information and buttons are incredibly well laid-out for navigating. So yes, I’m with you… I’m finding pros and cons with both cockpit styles and it’s nice to switch regularly to experience both. 
I hope you’ve tried out the WT mod for that one. The Relative Terrain mode on the MFD saved my but on a recent flight in the Swiss Alps with nearly zero visibility.
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Been using it from release. Can’t imagine flying the TMB or Longitude without it.
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I don’t have the Longitude, but if someone was to release a HondaJet, I’d buy that in a heartbeat. It also uses the G3000 suite.
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Just call me a Steam Punk.
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I would go for a Cirrus jet as well.
I live five miles from the HondaJet factory!
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I don’t think it’s on it’s way out at all. There are still tens of thousands of GA aircraft out there that barely cost as much as it would to add a G1000 to them (which last I checked was $25,000 and up). Nobody is going to spend $25k for a navigation system upgrade on a $40k aircraft with one that already works.
Something like a GNS530, now that’s a different story, since I got the Carenado PA44 and really started using that a lot, I think I like it even more than the G1000, but that’s probably just a matter of famialiarity. But if I ever get back into the airplane owning business in the real world, I wouldn’t spend G1000 money on a mid 70s 172 myself. Now, if I could afford something much more expensive, say a P210, or a Mooney, or even a light twin of some sort, that might be a different story.
But until (and more importantly, unless) I can get my broken legs working again, it’s all just hypothetical anyway, at least for me personally.
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IMO
Jets = g3000
Prop = steam gauges
Indeed. It’s the evolution of technology. Much like using paper maps in your car are now a thing of the past. GPS equipped planes are the future of aviation. It’s expensive now for the full out high end Garmin and other suites, but with time, that will come down just like anything else. Give it another 10-20 years max and it’ll be nearly impossible to buy any plane with only steam gauges.
Well steam gauges aren’t for free either (and heavy). Its a shame that instead of practising intercepts on a steam gauge aircraft basic IFR training is gonna mainly be practising which button to press, flying magenta lines and PBN approaches. 
That being said I can’t imagine flying an aircraft without autopilot, flight director and EFIS anymore commercially. I am so happy with the company I work for being paperless now, not stupid chart updates, and a pile of paperwork after flight. The only thing left in the cockpit is a QRH (although we use electronic checklist on the EFIS, even in emergency) and a tech log. It is becoming so easy.
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