What 3rd party aircrafts did you get and how do you rate them?

Discussion Hub Aircraft
41

I am not a “as real as it gets” simmer. Instead, I love a moderate level of accuracy and complexity, mixed with a lot of sightseeing. So I guess MSFS was practically made for me! These are my thoughts on the 3rd party planes that I fly a lot:

  • Carenado Mooney: Perfect for GA cross country flying in a more or less realistic way.
  • Carenado WACO: Awesome for shorter trips, local sightseeing and having fun
  • FlyingIron Spitfire: What a plane! I am nearly finished with my UK round trip and enjoyed every second of it. In real life I would not survive any of the takeoffs, but that’s okay.
  • T-45 Goshawk: To me it is just another fun plane, climbs like crazy and covers a lot of ground quickly. I did some island hopping around Hawaii with it and hat a lot of fun. Surprisingly the ILS works quite well.
  • Aerosoft CRJ: The right level of detail and complexity for me. This is the first airliner that I actually like to fly, recreating a lot of flights that I took as a passenger in the past.
6 Likes
42

Hard to say much about the JustFlight Arrow that hasn’t already been said, it’s just amazing. I also have the Zenith CH701 and it is super fun for landing on baseball fields and shopping center parking lots, and easier to maneuver on the ground than other bush planes of similar performance because of the tricycle gear.

4 Likes
43

I like it when add-ons have at least some decent depth but I can also appreciate what’s fun to fly even if there aren’t too many buttons to push (literally). This is what I got so far, in no particular order:

Aerosoft CRJ
I love this one, not my go to aircraft because I’m not mainly an airliner guy, but certainly most interesting, very well done and sporting really great documentation. I use it whenever I have a few hours of flight simming time.

IndiaFoxtEcho MB-339
I found it to be a little underwhelming when I first purchased it (almost at release), but it got much better with time, looks good, flies nicely. My main issue with it - something strictly personal - is that many buttons don’t work.

Carenado M20R
I really like this one, looks great and flies well. Coming from X-plane I wasn’t expecting too much from the developer aside from a beautiful model, but this one exceeded my expectations.

Carenado YMF-5
I’m not a huge fan of taildraggers, to be honest it must be because I pretty much never came to terms with landing them graciously. Well… I feel like I got a lot of aircraft for the price I paid and would buy this again in a heartbeat. Looks gorgeous, flies well and I love that it actually makes me want to fly it: take-offs and landings are challenging, in flight it’s lovely - even more so if you fly in VR.

Carenado PA-44 Seminole
Good looking, flies well after the updates. Not a huge fan and nothing bad to say about this one, it’s just not a plane I fly often. Why did I get it? It was on sale and I was curious. Don’t regret the purchase.

Just Flight PA-28R Arrow III
Top marks from me. A GA-masterpiece, one of the planes I fly the most. I agree with some reviewers that a couple of textures could be improved but to be 100% honest it’s not something I really look at for more than a few seconds during each flight.

IRIS Simulations J160 & J170
Got it on release and was already pretty happy then. In the meantime it has been updated and now it’s even better. Plenty of panel configurations, fun to fly.

Lionheart Creations Trinidad TB-21GT Turbo
I find this to be a nice product, I really hope they’ll improve the textures a bit because it would make it even more enjoyable to ‘sit in the cockpit’. There’s also a performance mod for it that works quite well.
Addendum v4.0 - The aircraft has some issues that will definitely bother you if you fly at night, i.e. the cockpit lights are bugged when switching views from internal to external and back in the cockpit…

AT Simulation Piaggio-Focke Wulf P.149
It has one annoying bug related to ATC and ATC volume in other aircraft, like BostonJeremy77 and others reported. To be honest I more often then not put up with it: I think this is a fantastic aircraft and I hope the developer will fix the issue soon. When he does I will recommend this every chance I get. Really a work of love, looks fantastic and is an absolute pleasure to fly.

Sim Skunk Works Fiat-Aeritalia G.91
Do the buttons all work? No, so I have the same small, personal issue, that I have with the MB-339. But, this aircraft is in a class of its own. Is it because it can ‘drop’ bombs? No, that’s not it - even if I really like the configuration utility and the possibility to adjust the loadout on the fly (non-Marketplace version). What makes this one a keeper is that it flies like no other plane in the simulation and it feels pretty accurate too - the included manual literally is the real thing and even if I got the plane only recently and didn’t have time to verify all the numbers the ones I started with check out. The model looks amazing inside and out. It feels like the developers put a lot of passion into it. Highly recommended, also, have a look at the ‘typical landing pattern’ presented in the manual - definitely not something I was expecting.

I’d like to thank you all for sharing your experiences and opinions, you certainly helped me make informed decisions.

5 Likes
44

Since my last reply I’ve also bought the NextGen Simulations EMB-110. Finally a cabin class twin with the familiar steam gauges, and for something that can carry 19 people it feels surprisingly light and responsive, actually more so than the default TBM 930 which weighs about half as much, and not so much of a rocket that I’m running up against Vne just by sneezing. Very nice for VFR touring when I want something faster than the Piper Arrow.

1 Like
45

A small update to my post from a couple of days ago.
I actually added the Wing 42 Bleriot XI to my hangar (it’s on sale now that World Update 4 has been released).

This thing is indeed ‘special’ - as @BostonJeremy77 already remarked - I managed to have a flight today and I can only add that this thing is quite terrifying. I never really paused to imagine how it must have felt to get those pioneering contraptions off the ground and then safely land them again while avoiding death or injuries. Now I definitely can make an educated guess :slight_smile:
Extra points for the attention that has been put in the accompanying documentation.

The only issue I seem to have is that the engine sounds don’t seem correct when switching from ‘cockpit’ view to external view. Will have another listen soon and report to the developer if the problem persists.
Happy flying.

Edit: just found a ‘lesson’ from an actual Bleriot XI pilot, you might find it informative (especially from 9:14):

6 Likes
46

I have the G91 now and all I can say is beware of the Marketplace version. I haven’t gotten the bombs to work and the fuel/payload menu is whack. Otherwise it’s fine, and I’m sure these issues don’t exist if you buy directly from the developer.

1 Like
47

That video is not just informative - it’s hugely entertaining!

1 Like
48

The Marketplace version doesn’t support weapons per Microsoft’s policy. Beware, indeed.

1 Like
49

Probably to avoid the wrath of the ESRB and equivalent censorship boards internationally. But still, how hard would it be to slap on a disclaimer for “third-party products unrated” like they do for online interactions? Lame.

1 Like
50

I agree, but… it is what it is. I am not all that bent on dropping bombs anyway. I was in the Air Force and have seen enough war.

4 Likes
51

Indeed, a clear disclaimer on the store page would be the right thing to do as this applies to a few planes already.
For those that bought it via the marketplace, the developer’s posted a notice here: Sim Skunk Works - FIAT Aeritalia G-91 Released - #681 by AlphaPancake155
seems you can get in touch with their help desk for some assistance.
Hope it helps!

52

Carenado M20R: Pretty decent. Looks great and flies nice. Pretty quick too for a GA plane so good for those longer trips. I fly it from time to time but I mostly do shorter trips and prefer other planes for that.

Carenado WACO YMF5: Quite like this one. Looks and flies great. Kinda wish the cockpit was a bit more old fashioned and less pristine but eh what can you do? Plus biplanes rule. I fly this one a fair bit and quite enjoy the experience.

ATSimulations Cri-Cri: An interesting one. Got it for the novelty factor mostly. Guess it’s decent enough even if I don’t fly it often. Jet version is kinda insane.

FlyingIron Simulations Spitfire: As a Brit I’m required by law to fawn over the Spitfire. It looks great and flies quite nicely. The best part about this plane is when you come across someone else flying one and you join up for a spot of formation flying or a impromptu mock dog fight. Great fun and highly recommended.

IRIS Jabiru J160/J170: A nice little package. Not the greatest looking but flies nicely. You get two different variants each with cockpit variants from older steam gauges to modern displays. it’s nice to have a choice. Used to fly this quite often but it’s been relegated a bit since I got the JF Arrow. Still recommend it though.

IndiaFoxtEcho MB-339: Looks great and real fun to muck about in. I do most of my flying in smaller GA craft but now and then I just wanna tear through some valleys in a jet and this is great for that. Fly this on and off when I’m in the mood and slightly prefer it over the G-91 (but not by much!).

JustFlight PA-28R Arrow III: This is my favourite of the payware planes I have. Feels very well modelled and although some of the textures might not be the greatest it still has a lot of character with a slightly worn and battered look which I really love. I love its quirky autopilot as well. Fly this one a lot for most of my GA trips.

Sim Skunk Works Aeritalia-Fiat G-91: Most of what I said about the MB-339 could be said for this. A bit more challenging to fly and has a lot of character. As I said I slightly prefer the MB-339 but both get about equal flight time. I quite like both. I guess if you’re gonna buy just the one then go with whatever one you like the looks of best! This one does have some more visual variances in the external models which is also nice.

Wing42 Bleriot XI: Despite hardly flying this bird I love it. It’s a real experience. The rare times I do take it up I always enjoy it. Not for everyone though. It is for me as I’m quite fond of this early era of aviation history. It handles like nothing else out there (more like a truck!), and the wing warping animations really add to the experience. Nice PDF document covering the history of it as well. Get this if you’re a a fan of the era or are looking for something really unique and then cross the channel on a cold cloudy morning.

I might get around to buying the Cessna Bird Dog at some point as well as the Powerstol.

8 Likes
53

Wow, thanks for that. I just sent them an email asking if they’re still honoring that offer. Fingers crossed!

54

From the ones on Marketplace I only regularly use the Long EZ and I like it a lot.

I bought four other ones, one I have not used yet, one I did not like, two I haven’t flown enough to give a rating. I will comment on them once I have flown them enough.

From freeware planes I like a lot and am using currently

Cessna 172 Bush Kit Cessna 172 Bush Kit » Microsoft Flight Simulator

and Robin DR250 Robin DR250-160 Capitaine » Microsoft Flight Simulator

1 Like
55

Troll alert.

3 Likes
56

I do apologize for that. My intention was to come back and write a thorough opinion on each one. I was holding off on writing my opinions because most of those aircraft have had updates since I purchased them. I’ve also been procrastinating.:pleading_face: I’ve probably tripled that list now. Since I can’t currently do any serious flying due to constant CTDs, I’ll use the time to do a proper writeup instead.

1 Like
57

You didn’t get the EMB-110? That one’s (or similar) about as close as I’d get to airline flying (unless someone came out with a Cessna 402 for Cape Air/Nantucket Air).

2 Likes
58

That was posted a LONG time ago, before there WAS an EMB! Of course, I have it! I enjoy flying it. But it needs some work. Also, the sim needs turbo prop logic fixed.

Should probably update my post later today with all the new stuff. I have all the payware - all of it, now that Deimos has been removed from the market

1 Like
59

UPDATED for the stuff that’s out so far.

AEROSOFT:

  • Bombardier CRJ 550/700 - This is essential for small airliner flights in the sim right now. Really enjoyable and quality. 10/10

ASOBO STUDIO:

  • Top Rudder 103 Solo - Really fun, great looking ultralight. Great for low and slow sightseeing. 9/10

AT SIMULATIONS:

  • Michel Colomban Cri-Cri - Quirky, weird thing. Not at all essential, but unique enough. 7/10
  • Piaggio/Focke-Wulf P149 - Enjoyable save for some comm stuff issues. Volume brought down in all other aircraft after flying this one. Updates are rare and developer is not responsive to anything. 6/10

BIG RADIALS:

  • Curtiss Tomahawk P-40B - Great, fun warbird! Lots of attention to detail. 9/10

BLACKBOX SIMULATIONS:

  • Cessna L-19 Bird Dog - The seaplane variant is magic. Really nice aircraft to fly, developer is very on top of things. 9/10

BLUEMESH:

  • Skywaves Amphibious Ultralight - Quirky, fun seaplane for low and slow flight. 8/10

BREDOK3D:

  • Eurofighter Typhoon EF - The less said the better. Frankenstein. 3/10
  • Boeing 737 MAX - Potential is there, but so many things are wrong operationally that it’s jarring to start it manually and develops bad habits. 5/10

BT STUDIOS:

  • Kitfox STi - Abandonware, terrible STOL capability as implemented. 2/10

CARENADO:

  • Cessna C182T Skylane - Eh. Good looking. Annoying sound. Better stuff out there. 7/10
  • Mooney M20R Ovation - REALLY great GA plane with medium fidelity. 9/10
  • Piper PA-28R Arrow III - Nice slow GA aircraft. Good looking. Good trainer. 8/10
  • Piper PA-34 Seneca V - Really fun medium fidelity twin. 9/10
  • Piper PA-44 Seminole - Nice twin trainer. Looks great, flies well. 8/10
  • WACO YMF-5 - Introduction to tail dragger flight. Looks amazing. Sounds divine. 8/10

DC DESIGNS:

  • F-15 Eagle - Fun to fly, work in progress. Basic fidelity, but believable. 7/10

FLYINSIDE:

  • Bell 47-G2 - GREAT flight model. Visually needs work. DRM less than fun. 7/10

FLYING IRON SIMULATIONS:

  • Spitfire L.F Mk IXc - Labor of love. Great warbird to fly. Challenging. 9/10

INDIAFOXTECHO:

  • Aermacchi MB-339 - Military jet trainer. Fun to fly. Basic fidelity, looks great. 9/10
  • Rutan Model 61 Long-EZ - Interesting for those who like quirky things. No AP. 8/10
  • T-45C Goshawk - Really well-done military jet. Pretty high fidelity. 9/10

IRIS SIMULATIONS:

  • Jaburu J160-D/J170-D - Fun low-speed cruiser. Great for Bush Trips. Many configurations. 9/10

JUST FLIGHT:

  • Piper PA-28R Arrow III - Best GA aircraft on the market right now. 10/10

LIONHEART CREATIONS:

  • Socata Trinidad TB-21 GT Turbo - Really fun but has some bugs/systems deficiencies. Manual has religious propaganda shoved into it. 7/10

MILVIZ:

  • Vought FG-1D Corsair - Best warbird on the market. Challenging. 10/10

MSCENERY:

  • McDonnell Douglas FA-18C Hornet - Abomination. Doesn’t work. Developer is non-responsive. 1/10
  • Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 - Same. 1/10

NEMETH DESIGNS:

  • Aero-Works Aerolite 103 - Developer non-responsive. Other stuff is way better. 4/10

NEXTGEN SIMULATIONS:

  • Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante - A lot of potential. Needs systems work. Visually not the most fun. Annoying sounds. Enjoyable to fly. 6/10

PAPERCRAFT AERO DESIGN:

  • UL Stride - Really fun flight for low and slow. A little too fast. 8/10

SIM SKUNK WORKS:

  • Fiat/AerItalia G-91 - GREAT military jet. Lots of fun. Beautiful. 10/10

SIMWORKS STUDIOS:

  • Zenith CH701 STOL - Great STOL fun. Comes with a Bush Trip. 10/10

VGP:

  • Just Aircraft Power Solo 103 - Visually not great, but fun to fly and has a seaplane variant. 7/10

VIRTUALCOL:

  • Beechcraft 99 - Really poor in flight and visually. Lots of bugs. Awful implementation. 3/10

WING42:

  • Bleriot XI - REALLY well done, quirky historical aircraft. Highly recommended. 10/10
13 Likes
60

Neat round-up. Really did not expect to read the words “Manual has religious propaganda shoved into it” here though! :rofl:

6 Likes