I wonder what the price… ah, Maki152 found it. 
Cough… that money buys you a lot of not great but decent planes even in the 140+KTS category, or at least it did until recently.
I had no idea Just Flight were developing a Cessna 152 for MSFS, do we have a rough ETA for it? I’ve never bought an aircraft before, I just use the stock Cessna 152 and recently, started using the JP Logistics mod. Would love to purchase a true high fidelity version though!
I don’t, sorry. Currently they’re working on their PA-38. I remember reading that Just Flight plan on bringing all their in-house developed aircraft to MSFS and the C152 is one of them.
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I actually can’t … at $164,000
Well it’s been in service for probably 50 years already. I don’t see it going anywhere.
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I share your love for the vanilla C152. I really enjoy flying without mods. I obtained my PPL years ago in a C172, but this C152 has special appealing to me. Maybe because I miss a truly supercub in the sim, and this beauty is the closest thing we have (I find very boring all the club-clones with the rotax engine).
But I have recognice that I miss a lot a humble GPS295 unit too. Mostly for finding frenquencies and RWY dimensions, instead of having ALT+TAB to check in skyvector (moreover it hasn’t all the small airstrips out of the US in its database) or any other moving map addon. I would love to know how to add it as a panel, if possible, a GPS unit in this plane. I don’t need a 3d replica in the cockpit.
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I came to the same conclusion during my flight training, except for the divorce part. My wife actually bought me 10 hours of flight lessons for a Christmas present 8 years ago. Thoroughly enjoy those lessons but with my travel schedule, weather restrictions and other conflicts was difficult to be consistent in lessons and thus maintaining proficiency. I then started adding of the cost of not only lessons, but the cost of maintaining proficiency, cost of rentals, played with numbers for owning a 152 or similar and came to the conclusion that flying is a very expensive hobby. My main concern was flying enough for me to feel comfortable with my proficiency, especially when flying with my family so the simulator (especially in VR) has become my escape.
To stay on topic, the A2A Piper Cub was my favorite aircraft in both FSX and P3D. The 152 in MSFS2020 is imho the best basic aircraft at this time to enjoy the thrill of just flying.
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If you are happy with the stock 152 then I’m sure you’d also love Asobo’s Top Rudder 103 Solo (available in Bundles for little money), great modelling although the [sic] computer could be much improved. Hopefully one day there will be a place holder for a future cellphone or tablet bing maps mod (not yet invented) but if I heard Jorg rightly at least we can soon expect a bit of flapping fabric etc.
Much fun but you need to be really careful as there’s no such luxury as stall warning horn.
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How about an electronic flight bag on your phone or tablet interfaced to the sim? Easier to see and work with than something inside the simulator. I use ForeFlight on an ipad when cruising around the busy LA airspace in the 152 and it’s a snap. There’s lots of free options that will work with whatever mobile device you have too though.
Would be nice to have something like AviTab in MSFS. With many aircraft the tablet can be in the cockpit itself and not just a popup.
Join a flying club. You can fly very affordably. Mine has a nice Cherokee 180 for $90 an hour and a beautiful 150 for $60 an hour. Not saying it’s cheap, but you can fly for less than owning for sure.
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Why not the 172?
I appreciate the advice - I looked into that - my main problem was I was spending 6 - 7 months a year on the road for my cyber-security consulting business - so money wasn’t the real problem (was also running a stable with 48 horses providing boarding and lessons) but time - I would have a week or two without travel and could get two or three lessons in then would be on the road for the next 5 to 6 weeks, by the time I had a chance to get some flight time - would have have an hour or so to get back the muscle memory and feel if you will. I could see the writing on the wall, even after getting the PPL - having the time to stay current to maintain the skill level I would feel safe and comfortable would be a challenge. While I enjoyed the lessons immensely, decided it was an expensive luxury that could be satisfied via simulation since then I could get my 'flying" fix even when on the road and then spend time with the family when home.
As they say - Time, Money, Relationship - pick two
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Because I would love to add another layer of realism with the simulation of a real device like this one. In my humble opinion this mix (C172+GPS295) it’s perfect. Not too much high tech for breaking the “vintage flavour”, but enough powerful to give support for a VFR, even IFR, flight in this lovely tincan.
I got my Private PIlot License in a C 152 back in 1978. It was $19 an hour wet.
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Just don’t really see any need. The 152 does everything I need just fine.
That would be $72 today.
When I was younger I had no money but lots of time. Now I have money and no time. And the little extra money I have now wouldn’t even cover a pilots license. Wish I did it when younger, prices are crazy now. Too much if you are going to fly around VFR for lunch. If you are going to do it now, you really need to go all the way.
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Tried the JPL C152 this past weekend, and it’s impressive. I had originally tried it just after its release, and while I can’t remember what it was, there was something at the time that didn’t quite behave right.
Now, it seems great. And I love that it has a modern transponder and autopilot. Although there’s something about the AP that doesn’t interface properly with external controls…
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Do you find the JPL C152 more “bouncy” then the standard version? I (accidently) flew the stock for a couple hours, then realized the JPL was a new plane. I liked some of the modern equipment, really liked the gauge lights, and could do without the AP (I just pretend it’s INOP for now). But it just seemed super bouncy and twitchy to me, but it might have been weather conditions. I need to test some more…