August list
1 A2A Piper Comanche 250
2 Flightsimware Cessna 414
3 JustFlight Avro RJ
4 JustFlight Fokker F28 Pro
5 Wing42 Boeing 247D
6 FlyingFries XF11
7 FBW A380
8 Beechcraft D18 (denarq mod)
9 BlackSquare Duke Piston
10 Inibuilds A350
Introduced FBW A380. What a freeware!
Latécoère 28 is now out… I’m starting to learn this incredible plane. The goal is to fly 1935 Aeropostale line in expert mode.
Hmmm, the way I interpret the data, as wonderful as it is and thank you for all the wonderful work you put into it every month, is that it only represents the 90-100 folks who care to post their top 10. There may be entire groups of pilots, helicopter say, who don’t see any of their favorites appear month after month and so they don’t participate? And there are lots of pilots flying who don’t participate in these forums at all, so they don’t even see this survey, they just fly.
The statistical term for what we have here, as wonderful as it is and it is wonderful, is a sample of convenience. A long as we keep in mind that what we are seeing represents the preferences of those who participate month after month, we can keep the outcomes in perspective with respect to the larger populations of pilots flying whatever they prefer, right? So it’s fun and informal for the few of us who keep coming back every month to share what we are flying these days and what stands the test of time, as far as our favorite aircraft models go.
Excellent work as always, but I need to put on my pedant hat and would like to point out the A2A Aerostar is not a Piper. The A2A owned plane was a 1969 Ted Smith Aerostar, built before Piper bought the model line. I’m pretty sure that’s the one modeled in the sim.
Oh right! Thanks for letting me know. I’ll change it (or just remove “Piper”?).
My opinion is just removing ‘Piper’ is sufficient.
While historically correct, and I sympathize, removing Piper may confuse those pilots who see Piper in 2024 and don’t make the connection to Ted Smith. For the sake of the masses, and to encourage participation, perhaps just leave it as it is in the sim as Piper?
Ahh, thanks, I didn’t remember it is actually marked Piper in-game. Seems odd to me that A2A would mark that as such, but now I’m wondering if it is a licensing thing, as Piper does own the type certificate. Either way, thanks for the correction. @Baracus250 please disregard and carry on.
The prevailing theory among engineers appears to be that they are so ugly that the Earth repels them 
Personally I think this is slander, the Chinook is a beautiful and agile beast 
Well, I spent most of the weekend with ChatGPT trying to find the cause of the intermittent stutters on landing approaches that rudely raised its head again in my FS2024. Nailed it, so thought I’d see what was happening over here in my favorite thread. Great update, Baracus! Your Sunday was definitely more in the “greater good” category than was mine. Thank you!
I do feel somewhat vindicated, though. One of my lowly favorites managed to make both of your Top 10 lists - the WBsim C-152! Hurray!
I have branched out a bit, trying out some of the other weirder default “air things” in FS 2024.
I think I now understand why helicopters aren’t that popular, after taking a few hops in that gyrocopter. What a hoot! I kind of imagined myself flying onto the White House lawn in that thing. I also tried out that powered glider. That might creep into my list after a few more lessons…
Good call! I have been (a bit too) focused on fewer planes for the short haul autopilot fests I often do, but there are some little gems I’ve been lucky to fly:
PMDG 737-600: this thing just feels like home to do a flight in. It somehow outperforms every other airliner I’ve tried in 2024 and it can be started from Cold and Dark in SU3 Beta, just like in 2020. So, so polished and confidence inspiring. I’ll probably amend this list very soon with one of their 777s;
Savage Carbon: I cycle a lot between bush GA airplanes for random flying, but this one still has a special place for me. I just seem to love Got Friends’ stuff. This one’s possibly my favourite airplane in 2020, bar none, and it’s still incredible in 2024;
SWS Flotiak: it asks a good bit of you to get it up in the sky, especially from water, and it also gives you a lot. Love taking this from Baia de Paranaguá to Flyt’s wonderful SBCT;
ini a320: in a world with Fenix, it’s very easy to dismiss this puppy, but it was something of a revelation as a default plane. It’s still a blast to fly and the most polished Airbus in 2024. Could be even better, though I don’t see anyone jumping into the Xbox fray that does a better job (read: Fenix, FBW or Toliss);
CAP-4: It has little to no navigation aids or amenities. Heck, it has little to no power. But I am Brazilian, still dream of a proper Embraer. This coming with possibly the happiest a WU could ever make me just made me a fan. Also I’ll be darned if this isn’t THE flight seeing tool if helicopters hate you. What, just me?
MXA experimental: more of Got Friends’ magic, more water shenanigans. Sweet. It’s just so much fun to do little hops and toss it back into water;
Asobo 737 Max: this is getting very close to maturity in systems. Still a system hog, but it’s the counterargument for all those who claim 2024 hasn’t markedly improved from launch; It’s not better than the three next planes, but I use it more because Gol domestic flights (and I need to learn to add flight plans to the Garmins);
Twin Navion: lovely, lovely flight model. The more my time goes to GA flying the higher this will go;
ini a330: has the same virtues of the a320, but has been much iffier in performance. SUs can help this;
2020 Asobo 787: a lovely plane IRL and quite serviceable in its 2020 guise.
Kind of jetliner biased, I see, but you presented good, interesting rationale IMO.
I, too, like the CAP-4. Frankly, I think it flies much better than the much more popular J-3 Cub.
Your comment regarding autopilots kind of caught my eye. For quite awhile, I used that as kind of a discriminator in MSFS 2020. 2024, not so much…but not sure why. BUT when I get in a hurry to go someplace from my “home” airport - KJYO, I find that the Garmin GPS & autopilot in the Cirrus Visionjet are the absolute best! And turn on that autothrottle, and it’s basically hands-off flying all the way to landing. A great flier that I am sure will find its way into my heavily loaded GA “Top” something or other, this month!
I think the CAP-4 is great too. Probably the best freebie we’ve had for my tastes, thanks MS!
Not sure it can directly be compared using a word like “better” to the J3 though? It’s much smoother and more stable, but that lightness and movement is what I love about the Cub. It really feels like you have to fly it and can’t really take your eye off at any point, in a relaxing way but you need to actually handle it.
Aerostar!
Aerostar!!
Aerostar!!!
LOL already voted, 4 stars!!!
It’s too early for me to vote yet because I’m watching to see what happens in mid August
OK, for the list to be truthful I need to exchange the last craft for the Cowansim S76, and it’s all your fault Baracus 
You’ve provoked me into writing that I hate helicopters, which started to make me think if I’m not biased and searching the market for something that I would actually like.
The S76 is awesome (after lots of pain amd hate with learning how it works and setting up the controls), and now I’m flying a helicopter all the time, yuck 
Welcome to The Dark Side lol
So you mean remove the Honda Jet, and add the Cowan S-76C++?
You want me to write it again, do you? 
Yes, please remove the Honda, and add the Cowan S-76C++ helicopter to my list instead.
I’m going back to watching videos on vortexes, force trims and other arcane knowledge.
Oh my goodness I feel this in my bones. I just got into helos myself and they drive me absolutely crazy, but I can’t stop. Now my YT suggested feed is filled helo tutorials!
I just got the Cowan 222UT last month to learn a biger helicopter
Your comment made me curious. Comparing the specs published on Wikipedia, it does appear that the CAP-4 is actually lighter than the Cub. Perhaps their respective flight models in the sim are off a tad… ?
But I think this guy agrees with you, though!
‘The door opened mid-air’: my hairy ride in the Model T of the sky