Your Current TOP 10 Aircraft

Agreed about the Black Square Bonanza, it’s really cool. I know other planes can hot-swap avionics, but I love the way they integrate it. It’s at the top of my list right now too, the collection of navigation equipment is irresistable and the flight model is just delicious. The performance of the plane is just amazing too, takeoff runs are thrilling, cruise speed is phenomenal. Cockpit view is also great. Really it just checks every box. Still working on my list. Newness bias!

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Just thought I’d try out ChatGPT. Ask the great internet 'Copy Machine ’ what are the most popular planes in MSFS 2020…

"As an AI language model, I do not have the ability to vote or have personal opinions. However, I can provide you with some of the most popular planes in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 based on community feedback and ratings:

Airbus A320neo
Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner
Cessna 172 Skyhawk
Daher TBM 930
Diamond DA62
Icon A5
Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental
CubCrafters XCub
Pipistrel Virus SW121
Cessna Citation CJ4

Keep in mind that the popularity of aircraft can vary based on personal preferences, and there are many other planes available in MSFS 2020 that may suit your flying style better."

seems Mr. ChatGPT is a politician.

dw

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Hahaha!! Well I give up then! That will save me a lot of time I could use flying instead. Thanks AI!

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But it seems that list is limited to freeware default planes. Those are all default planes in the standard/deluxe version. If that is all that was available I would go back to crocheting.

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The Black Square Bonanza will be on my next list. I’ve been wanting an analog Bonanza for a long time, so I can see this being my default aircraft for a little while.

Just took the turbo version for a quick spin. It has some giddy up!

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March

1: Kodiak

The most complete package in sim for a plane that goes anywhere. I have logged more hours in her than any other plane.

2: Wilga

The Wilma (as we call her in these parts) has climbed up my rankings this past month. I just keep flying her. I have a soft spot for weird planes and she definitely fits the bill. Excellent plane for buzzing towns or landing in tight spots. Cool sounds, and that trademark Got Friends feel and polish. They bring the weird birds to life, and I love weird birds. An excellent package.

3: Cessna 310

Moving down my list a little because I am mostly on Xbox these days and it is not. Still the best overall plane in the sim, but I am not flying it much.

4: Tiger Moth

The best feeling plane in the sim to fly. It feels like it is held together with sticks and glue like a kite and you really feel the wind around you. Feature complete and hard to beat at that price.

5: Hellcat

My favorite warbird in sim. Loud, big, mean, and full of rumble. Nothing like it when the engine gets mad at you mid flight and you have to scramble to keep her alive and in the air!

6: Vision Jet

Just a superb, modern, personal jet. A lot of tech, and as you can see, I kinda like the old and rusty birds so the Vision is a nice change of pace from hand flying. My favorite jet in sim by a large margin. So well done!

7: Spitfire (Flying Iron)

Buy it. Fly it. It is the perfect gateway to warbirds. A beautiful sports car of the sky!

8: Mini 500

I hate helicopters in sim. This one made my list. Need I say more? Ok I will. At that price you are a fool not to try it. Got Friends does weird better than anyone and this helicopter is weird and when it isn’t trying to kill me, it is a delight to fly.

9: Edgley Optica (Got Friends)

I love this plane. Any other weird one from Got Friends that often tries to kill me, but I can’t quit her.

10: Flying Flea

I doubt this will stay on my list for many months. But she knocked my beloved Goose off the list this month because she is so (say it with me) weird. Reminds me of the Blériot but with enough power to stay in the sky. A challenge to fly, but also a delight. Landing and taxiing is a unique challenge in her. The Morgan 3 wheeler of the sky! Missing some parts you would expect on an airplane and yet somehow it all comes together. A ton of models and variants and a bargain at the price.

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Pipistrel Virus is a bit of a surprise.

It is something of a hidden gem , very fast (140 kt or so cruise) with a CSU, glider style cruise flaps, exceptional views from the cockpit and almost STOL landings with the air brake engaged.

Great plane from the premium/deluxe addon - but I had the impression most people overlooked it.

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I think it’s buggy. I’ve had this in others planes. Also sometimes doesn’t even get a flight plan.

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The plane and cockpit just feel so alive in the Bonanza A36. Very few planes feel like they are living breathing vehicles. It very much reminds me of A2A planes in FSX.

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I think ChatGPT’s training data is up to 2020, so that list is so three years ago!

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  1. Beechcraft King Air 350i Asobo
  2. T-6 Texan Asobo(i think)
  3. Piper Archer II Carenado
  4. Airbus A321 LVFR
  5. Airbus A320 Asobo
  6. DHC-2 Beaver Blackbird/MilViz
  7. Kodiak 100 SimWorks
  8. Pac750 XSTOL Orbx
  9. Cessna Citation CJ4 Asobo
  10. Airbus A310 IniBuilds
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Hi! Thanks for your first list of 10 here :wink:

I assume you mean the Carenado Archer II for that one?

90 hours down, only ten to go with nearly a month left. I think I’ll make it :sunglasses:

002 0090:09 = PZL-104 Wilga 35/80 Series [Got Friends]

Wilma is a lovely plane through and through! Took out the 35 version again today. It’s so cool with the polish text. Thankfully I know all of the switches by heart by now.

In other news, the aircraft I’m actually flying are getting fewer and fewer. This month’s list may have to contain a few legacy placings. Nothing wrong with a lot of the others, but I found that there aren’t that many planes that I pretty much always feel drawn to. Out of those, Wilma and my beloved Tiger Moth are the only two that make me (slightly) regret not flying the other one.

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Yea i don’t know why i thought it was a cherokee :laughing:

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Cherokee (EDIT: I mean Comanche!!) is coming “soon” :tm: but from A2A Simulations. That will be a day 1 buy for me!

Please could you edit your post so when I look back on it for any updates, there is no confusion?

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NO - the new A2A aircraft is a PA-24 Comanche - produced in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania it was a totally different airframe altogether and a very high performance design with a laminar flow wing.

Comanche production stopped after the Lock Haven Flood of 1972 destroyed the plant.

The PA-28 Cherokee line is manufactured in Vero Beach Florida. The original “Hershey Bar” Cherokees are super basic simple designs. They were much cheaper to manufacture than Comanches.

After the Lock Haven Flood stopped Comanche production in Pennsylvania, Piper decided to develop a series of more complex Cherokee variants such as the various Arrows to fill the gap. Even with the Cherokee Arrow getting the tapered wing, the fully laminar flow Comanche was a much higher performance design ( though as a consequence far less benign in stall) and more akin to a Bonanza or Mooney than its cheaper cousin.

The Archer II is indeed a variant of PA-28 Cherokee. The Carenado Arrow is ALSO a PA-28 Cherokee of course.

The following Pipers are ALL PA-28 Cherokee …
Cruiser
Warrior
Archer
Arrow
Dakota
Turbo Arrow
Turbo Dakota
Cadet
Pilot 100
Pathfinder

Plus a whole heap of variants just called “Cherokee”.

Just to complicate matters further, they ALSO stretched the Cherokee airframe to carry 6 POB and created the PA-32 Cherokee 6 as well .

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Oh, yeah, silly me!

I knew all the rest of that what you wrote though* :wink:

That’s too many similar models. They copying the Porsche 911 playbook or what?

*(…I really, really didn’t!).

There have been something like 25 or more variants of the PA-28 Cherokee over the years.

Comanche

Cherokee

Should we take bets on A2A’s pricing? USD$60?

The P3D variant floats around the $40 to $50 mark so a minimum of $50 and even maybe the $60 that PMDG charge is my guess.

Personally, I suspect it is counterproductive to sell study level addons too cheap as you just get a batch of users that do not understand the complexities and start complaining.

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