I’ve only flown the Cessna 172 a bit, the stock A320 and I’ve recently been trying out the FBW A32NX, which is really growing on me.
So, the best aircraft for me from the very few I’ve tried is the FBW A32NX.
What’s your favourite aircraft for MSFS 2020 for this year?
The F-16 cockpit looks not very good compared to the real DCS F-16 cockpit, that´s why I cannot vote for this one even if the F-16 is my (personal) favorite plane.
But in FS20 the best plane is… PMDG Cloudmaster or Aerosoft CRJ?
This decision is almost impossible because these two planes are completely different. From a pure optical point of view the CRJ is better (more clean designed cockpit without ANY graphics flaws or short-cuts), from a technical point of view the PMDG Cloudmaster is better (excessive use of steam-gauges, engine damage or engine failure, hyperrealistic procedures).
The negative aspects:
The PMDG Cloudmaster has two minor flaws I already have reported to PMDG, a graphics glitch in this little box over the pilot´s seat (this box is hoovering some millimeters in front of the cockpit wall and not clean programmed to be in one line with the wall) and the Cloudmaster´s heater does not loose temperature when it is shut off or even runs out of fuel (the temperature always stays on 75° Fahrenheit no matter how cold it is outside when the fuel burners and fans that heat up the cabin are shut off.)
The Aerosoft CRJ has the bug or flaw, or whatever one will label it, that the weather radar and the terrain radar is not existent (which is a SDK problem and is promised to be solved immediately when the SDK is getting updated.)
Even the most perfect and sophisticated planes have flaws… but both planes are still in development and get patched and updated on a regular base so both are winners and it all comes down to a matter of taste…
versus the biggest competitor…
Last year I was only flying propellers and VFR because I was scared of all the aviation jargon and instruments. This year I bit the bullet and began to research IFR. Alongside I bought peripherals and started to do VR only. It went from TBM → DC6 (too hard with no touch screen avionics) → Longitude → FBW a32NX.
I’m not a creative type, so I use OnAir for IFR suggestions and Skypark for VFR. Overall, the a32nx is a good free aircraft that gives me hope for more open source aircrafts in the future.
A FBW A380 in 2022 would be my dream aircraft!
The Working Title CJ4
The Aerosoft CRJ
And the FBW A32NX
Are all strong. The Hype Performance H135 is also a standout
Well, I agree as will probably not surprise you. Personally, I think the CRJ pushed the envelope the most (with solid help from Microsoft), but PMDG used every option possible in a remarkable way.
However, what the people at FBW did and are doing is totally amazing. If there is any team that pushes commercial teams it is them. Not only from a technical point of view but to keep a freeware team together like that is simply bloody amazing.
Mathijs Kok
Aerosoft
On XBox so I don’t have as many choices but here are my favorites so far on that platform.
Started playing on console with the C172 - fun little plane to learn on and fly VFR.
Junkers - This was a cool plane to fly, love the look of the cockpit.
Longitude C700 - This may be my favorite, love flying this little rocket ship, it like to
climb fast and cruise fast.
Embraer 110 - Just purchased this and I am really enjoying flying it so far, love all the guages and she flies pretty solidly too.
Right now I switch between the C700 Longitude and the Embraer 110 for my flying needs. Looking forward to 2022 and more releases on XBox!
Look at at the title.It says MSFS and not DCS
Thank you
SWS Kodiak (made it in 2021, just under the wire.)
PMDG DC-6
Just Flight’s PA28 models (Arrows and Warrior)
In random order:
FBW A320
PMDG DC6
H135
For a dedicated VFR flyer I would say:
JF Turbo Arrow
SWS Kodiak 100
Carenado Seneca V (for fun)
Freedom Fox
In that order probably.
Very similar to EyeEyeSir for me…
JF Piper Arrow Turbo & non Turbo.
SWS Kodiak 100
Carenado Mooney M20R (I know it’s not study level but it’s fun and nicely modelled)
JF Hawk (though I’ve not spent much time learning to fly it well yet)
My favourites are the pmdg dc6, crj, justflight arrows, flying iron warbirds and the milviz pc6.
Freeware wise the g36 improvement project and the da62x mods come to mind.
All fantastic quality aircraft with decent to excellent systems depth, great feeling flight models, amazing sounds and just a nice level of polish overall.
Really excited to see what comes out in 2022. I’m personally looking forward to the skymaster and twin otter. I’m sure the pmdg 737 will also be great and I hope they’ll go with more accessible pricing.
Hype Performance group H145 - still in beta and already beats all other aircraft visually hands down, and most of them functionally too. This will set a bar even very high quality large developers will struggle to attain!
Kodiak 100 - very very good visually and functionally. This (along with the H145) is the standard of what the best add-on aircraft should be!
JF Warrior/Arrow - not on the same level visually as the other two, but a huge step above most others with a very realistic flightmodel; and to me the best GA aircraft in the sim (if you don’t consider the Kodiak 100 a GA aircraft). I also fly Cherokees IRL so this is high praise… if only they looked a little bit better in the sim. Must-Have!
FlyingIron Spitfire - a legend, very very well executed, and it keeps getting better! Must-have!
There are many other ones that would easily make the list (like the DC6 or probably the CRJ, the JF Hawk, or the FBW A320, or anything by DC Designs) but neither airliners nor jet fighters are my thing so I cannot comment on those.
If I can add a wildcard to this it has to be @FlightSimUA and their Porter… not released yet, but even though they got a lot of competition from 2 other Porters they keep up their imensely detailed no compromise work, and definitely a great transparency and spirit! A role-model dev for everyone else. Let’s see how the plane will turn out, but I have a strong feeling it will be a top 3 spot next year
There are some developers that might make this list easily if only they’d be a bit more business savvy and kept their endless ranting about the sim (especially in its early days) to themselves (like the 2 hours incoherent stream rant by a well-known developer that creates very high-quality planes but I will never buy from them regardless)
Not an airplane, but no list is complete without @bijanstudio who came out of left field and singlehandedly created the best scenery mod for the sim with the by far best customer service I have ever seen from a dev
Same goes for @ScorpionFilm422 and his GNS 430/530/650/750 mods, these made a recent RL checkride procedural prep a breeze
For me, it is
Islander
JF Hawk
JF Arrow series
Special mentions would be to TDS for their superlative GTNxi 750/650 and PMS for their own 750.
The bar has raised somewhat since this time last year and let’s hope that it gets raised further in 2022. Happy New Year!
Short list here…not in a specific order.
C-172 G1000
Piper Arrow III ( justflight)
Piaggio P-149
Robin Cap10
Pilatus Porter
Got Gravel
Whilst unfortunately the planes you do very well (the CRJ specifically so far) aren’t my cup of tea and hence didn’t make my personal list, you did set the bar very high both in quality of development AND in communications for the sim!
In addition where most others complained and produced nothing much you went ahead and embraced the new way of things, which is something that will not be forgotten!
In no particular order:
CRJ. 2 hours is about the limit I fly for and this fits that perfectly and is also a very high quality. It just feels good and the more hands on nature fits my style more than the a320. Weather and terrain radar will enhance it even more.
JF Hawk. I love military aircraft but don’t really see the point of them in msfs when most of their systems are inop, there is a far batter sim out there for that. The Hawk is different as it has no complicated systems and is brilliant in VR at low level flying or bearing and time navigation. Again it’s another plane that just feels right.
HPG H145. As someone mentioned above its a very high quality aircraft and combined with the HErO app gives the game a while new perspective and contrast to the others. Or sometimes I just love putting on a Police livery and sitting above a major city exploring areas you won’t get to see in a fixed wing aircraft.
CRJ all day!
