Okay, hear me out. FS 2020 chose a great variety of modern aircraft. The cutting edge of what is available today in Commercial Aviation and GA is available in this new sim. But one aspect about the aircraft selection stands out to me. Where are the vintage aircraft?
It seems like every GA and medium turboprop simply has to have a G1000 or higher system. I know this is the direction aviation has been moving but the reality is that on most of the aircraft selected, G1000 etc are optional upgrades.
Is anyone else craving to see what vintage aircraft or just more analog aircraft would look like in this new, beautiful sim?
FS2004: A Century of Flight had it’s whole theme around aircraft from all eras of aviation. The Douglas DC-3, being one of the most important and significant airliners/cargo/airwork/military aircraft in history got a rightful place in FSX as well. My proposal is what if a 3rd party developer created a study level DC-3 for the new generation of flight simming? I visualize the inclusion of the original DC-3, the military C-47, and the more modern Basler BT-67 Turbine conversion.
The BT-67 or DC-3T is what I fly in my full time job and I can tell you that it is a profoundly fun, unique and challenging aircraft to learn and master (especially the landing). It is fully capable of flying all the approaches, STAR’s etc and uses anything between a pair of Garmin 430Ws and a pair of GTN750s for navigation.
I’m excited for PMDG’s promise to deliver the DC-6 to FS 2020 but would like to see more! Who else would like to see a DC-3 in the new generation? Who else has had enough of synthetic vision and is up for a challenge? Who else would like to see missions or challenges like the bush flying activities but for the DC-3?
You can definitely count me in for a DC-3. It was one of the aircraft I used most in XP11.
A sim without a DC-3 is a bit like bread without butter. Definitely lacking something
I have to imagine the free DC-3 that was so popular in FSX will eventually find it’s way here. No idea what that is going to take, but it was so hugely popular there, I can’t believe it wouldn’t be ported over here at some point.
Actually, there was a free DC-3 available on MSFS Add-ons. It seems it’s not there anymore though.
It’s still a bit rough around the edges, sure needs some polishing. But it’s free and it’s a DC-3, and it can scratch that itch…
There is a really amazing new DC-3 coming out for X-Plane by LES. Since they are still working on it and they need to annyounce anything for MSFS I think chances are very good they will port it to MSFS, once the work on X-Plane is finished.
Or wait a little bit, DC-3s should usually come up. PMDG has already announced the plan to bring the DC-6, although that has 4 engines it is every bit as beautiful and much more complex.
I must however warn everyone that the DC3 is slow, and a handful to fly over long distances. The Sperry autopilot is a very simple mechanical affair that only assist you. You need to perfectly trim the aircraft and landings / taxiiing are not easy due to the tail wheel. Compared to the user friendly glass cockpit planes you will be entering a world of pain!
EDIT: I would personally prefer the Basler BT-67 now because it is simply a more practical option and much faster too.
We had perfect DC-3’s and C-47’s in Prepar3D V5 and FSX, the Manfred Jahn’s and the Aeroplane Heavens. It was a pleasure to fly them. The virtual airline DC3 Airways has hundreds of members.
We all are waiting for native MSFS-ones, not the ported ones, as they generally are missing many functions.
I’d be happy with any steam gauge prop planes from the past 50 years. I bet most of the ga in the air now are at least 20 years old and don’t have glass. Right?
Oh my yes. MSFS needs a really good Gooney Bird. Pray to whatever god you believe in that someone does what’s necessary to bring Manfred Jahn’s and Jan Visser’s magnum opus C-47V3 GCA over. I’ve flown hundreds of hours in it, and some have flown thousands. Easily the best freeware bird ever created, and right up at the top of those that are payware. (Full disclosure, my voice is the copilots and my wife is the saucy stewardess. The affiliation was entirely one of love–with the aircraft but, ok, the stew too.
I would love to have the DC3/C47 as well. With the option of steam gauges only
and I would like to fly some missions similar to those described in the book “Fate is the Hunter”
Therefore some Greenland-Airports need to be added as well.
You can just put a G1000 in every airplane and save the time and work of modelling custom and correct gauges for that particular airplane. I think that’s the background of the G1000 here.
Totally in for a DC3 or similar. But until there will be any sort of “study level” there is a lot work to be done on the sim and the SDK.
