Hey there. I’m an XP user but am wanting to try out MSFS and get an addon for some island hopping. I’m looking at both the BN-2 and EMB-110 for this and wanted to get some opinions from folks to see which one (if either) is the best product for some island hopping and overall MSFS experimentation.
EMB-110: Just Flight - NextGen Simulations Bandeirante MSFS
BN-2: BlackBox Simulation :: BN2 Islander
Thanks for feedback!
You can read forum users’ impressions of the EMB-110 in this thread: New Release: NextGen Simulations' Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante - #298 by PhantomStreak generally they are less than positive.
The thread for the BN-2 is here: Update v1.2 released! BN2 Islander available now from Blackbox Simulation the developer is active on the forum and making continual improvements with many satisfied customers.
For me I would say get the BN-2 every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
BN-2 is awesome. Developer has been regularly updating it and it’s a fine-tuned machine now, with some of the best sounds of any third-party planes.
Widgeon has a few signs of its origin as an FSX portover, but the author’s been steadily improving it, and it’s pretty solid now. Solid choice if you want to land on water, but not as refined a plane as the BN-2. Also, if you get the Widgeon, get it from Marketplace, because the version from the publisher’s store has Draconian copy protection that won’t let you install it on more than one PC even if you have more than one computer you play MSFS on. (IE: My gaming laptop.) The MSFS Marketplace version should avoid this. I wish I’d waited.
As for the Bandeirante, I haven’t purchased it due to all of the negative feedback I’ve seen online. But you can read yourself and decide. I hope it someday gets fixed up, as I’d like to add it to the hangar, but given the current discussions it doesn’t feel there yet.
I have both the Islander and the Widgeon, no 110 as I’m on Xbox. Slight edge to the Widgeon for me, mostly because the sim has some lighting issues on textures with the Islander for me and I find the Widgeon’s engines more soothing in cruise but they are both solid - great sounds and flight models. Some of the textures on both are pretty rough. I find the Islander easier to get in and out of short strips and has more autopilot features but I tend to hand fly both a lot - the Widgeon technically has better short field performance but takes a bit more finesse.
I have the Islander and the Bandeirante. The Islander is great, and great support from the dev.
The Bandeirante has definitely taken a lot of flak in these forums (fora?) I like it a lot, even though it isn’t perfect. However, right now it’s somewhat broken from SU5 stuff that the developer can’t seem to fix, so I’d wait a while before purchasing it. Before SU5, it was a decent plane to fly. A lot like the Islander, but more work has been put into the Islander to make it more realistic.
thanks. think i’ll go with the Islander!
also get the widgeon
Don’t overlook Ozwookiee’s excellent Grumman Goose, available free from
Paired with the Islander for amphibian and STOL options, you can’t go wrong…
+1 for the BN2 Islander. It has been updated several times since its initial release and is a bunch of fun:
Just don’t expect default aircraft levels of visual fidelity, the model and texturing is fsx portover level with some very jarring low red textures visible from the cockpit.
I’m holding out hope for the aerosoft twin otter myself.
So I ended up getting the BN-2. However I can’t find the manual or instructions or any documents. Can one of you Islander Owners point me in the right directions? Thanks!
The BN-2 Islander was an excellent choice. I have it and love it! The developer is responsive and the freeware livery developers have created some amazing liveries.
Not a manual, but a nice checklist/procedures guide: BN 2 Islander - JDs Comprehensive Checklist & Procedures » Microsoft Flight Simulator
thanks thats helpful. can you point me to the forum where the developer is active? I have several questions/issues already since i’ve been flying it all evening 
By responsive, I just meant they seem to fix bugs and dealt with the SU5 fallout very quickly. I would email them. And actually, there is a manual on their site: BlackBox Simulation :: Tutorials & Manuals
oh ok. i was looking for a forum to ask questions (like carenado has).
also i saw that manual but it looks like its from the real thing. i was more looking for a manual from the sim plane that shows your what the buttons do and where different click spots are or other features that you wouldn’t know about intuitively
The BN2 dev is most responsive here.
The Islander manual download is here:
BlackBox Simulation :: Tutorials & Manuals
Agreed it’s not default aircraft levels of visuals. But “FSX portover” is a strong exaggeration and if people remain this hypercritical of aircraft that aren’t simulated visually to the exact atomic structure of the real thing, it’s not going to be healthy for the future of the hobby.
thanks. you mean just in that thread there or do i tag them? sorry all of these forums get confusing
