Yeah, you totally get it!
I think your #4 change is perfect.
Some other ideas for #1: “Realistic Flight Model,” “Flight Model Authenticity,” “Convincing Flight Model,” or something like that? I’m not sure how to convey the idea that flight model simulation is more than numbers on a chart.
1 Like
Even worse I’ve had the Wilga for months and it’s still in the box!
My list this month is the Fenix for all 10 spots. V2 block 2 isn’t even out yet, with the IAEs, but even so every time I sit at the sim I just want to fly the A320.
Or you can reuse last month’s list if I’m not allowed to vote for the Fenix 10 times. 
2 Likes
Have done that 
1 Like
We could fill the spots with other 737s variants, I enjoy all of them equally.
I dropped the C414, because for an unknown reason, I just don’t find myself enjoying it while flying it. I mean it’s okay. I don’t particularly like it’s aesthetic (To be honest I find the plane ugly), I also don’t enjoy it’s flight dynamics so much, they may be real, but even there I just don’t enjoy flying it. I find it awkwardly located between a business jet and a GA aircraft. It think I may enjoy the 310 better but I dont own it.
Same with the comanche, I don’t own it yet.
2 Likes
That is “feel”, which as you say is far more than PoH numbers ( although it’s not far more than flight test data - unfortunately getting hold of data from fully instrumented flight tests is extremely rare ). A lot of MSFS aircraft hit PoH numbers but feel awful, and for the tiny minority i’ve located test data for it’s immediately evident why.
I know a pilot of the unpressurised version I forget the number of - he concurred with me when he thought it didn’t feel heavy enough, and some very minor tweaks made a huge difference. Unfortunately right now I can’t remember what they are! he’s also flown real 310s & was quite polite in his rather stronger criticism of the way that one flew.
This is MSFS how could you forget “unobstructed scenic view from the cockpit”?
Also perhaps “perfection”.
I think there’s only really 2 things that matter to me:
- is it something I want to fly? (scenic view is nearly always a factor here)
- does it convince me that is exactly like the real thing? Looks, functionality, completeness, behaviour, systems, handling, everything. If there’s something that is different to the real plane as I understand it then that spoils it for me. I’m not too demanding, I just like it to be perfect.
If I find an INOP button then oh dear.
I try not to be negative too much but I have to ask: Why does everyone on here rave about the Wilga so much? I have it. It’s ok. Doesn’t feel very special to me. Doesn’t have wear and tear or failures. Doesn’t have any interesting flight model quirks or challenges. The cockpit ergonomics are typical Soviet-era - messy and unintuitive. There’s lots of bush planes I prefer flying.
Not to disparage anyone’s enjoyment, I’m glad you’re all having such fun. Just curious.
1 Like
Great idea!
Just one comment and that is to do with:
Price (lower is better?)
Although this is valid, I don’t think it tells the whole story, there is also perceived value for money.
For example, there are a few planes I would probably buy, the price as such doesn’t put me off, but I don’t think they represent good value. On the other hand, there is the A2A Comanche, which I think will likely represent good value for money, but it’s too expensive for me at the moment.
So in other words, I have no problem with paying £30 for plane X from Developer Y, but would not pay £30 for plane A from Developer B.
Hope that makes sense.
When the Fenix A319 and A321 come out later this year then I’ll finally be able to put Fenix in three spots! You can count on it too. If only they’d make me an A318 and some neos.
1 Like
Good one yes! I will add “Visibility” as it’s own answer.
Thank you! That is a better way of putting it. I will reword that answer!!
I knew I could rely on the clever hive-mind here to point me in the right direction! I’ll wait a few more hours for more replies, and then set it into motion I guess
1 Like
For 'tracking" purposes - just a note to say I added the -600, -700 and -900 for you.
Just thought I’d add my current top 10 - all pretty provisional; might change my mind next week…
- A2A Comanche (this is just so much fun and so excellent all round)
- Flysimware C414
- Milviz 310 (though kind of in joint second really)
- BN Trislander
- BN Islander
- Ant’s DH Tiger Moth
- Simworks Kodiak
- Just Flight’s Arrows
- JP Logistics Cessna 152
- Flying Iron Spitfire MkIX
1 Like
I can only speak for myself obviously, but I will put it like this:
- I love it’s visceral attitude. It moves around, it’s never ‘settled’ so you have to be hands-on.
- I love how I can be aggressive with it, and it responds to that OR be gentle and graceful and precise, and it flows with you.
- I love how you can slow down so rapidly, really gives confidence to throw it around and make some really risky landings = FUN.
- I love how it is NOT easy to land WELL… but it doesn’t matter too much. You can dump the flaps, throw it down to the ground and she accepts it! (sometimes). But you can also finesse it down and it’s super satisfying when you get a good gentle landing.
- Ground handling is the best IMO. Really controllable, but natural.
- I love the sounds, and even better with the doors taken off. By that I don’t just mean the individual sounds but the whole lot just WORKS TOGETHER and blends so seamlessly that it just makes the whole thing feel solid and alive.
- I love the quirks, the weird ugly but in a nice way proportions and the RAW feeling it has. Workman-like, no nonsense, designed to do a job and just so happens it turned out this way
- I love the view out. It is not unobstructed like a lot of more “modern” planes of it’s type, but you can still see out very well and I like the DEPTH the various tubes and frame adds to the feeling of being IN something.
- I love the developers passion they put into it. And their general attitude to ALL their projects / products and the community on the whole. That is the kind of developers I like to support and return the love they give to us through the pretend planes, waveforms and physics feels
- I enjoy the start up process, and some of the foibles you need to get used to in how it works. Engine shock cooling is a nice thing to think about, fuel tank switching (and on most variants having to look up and out to see the levels, lol… but I am usually in the 80X now so don’t need to do that)
- Extra features - OK I only used the guitar once, but there is the EIGHT variants (floats that actually work well!!), great liveries available (I tend to stick to the Default recently so model matching is better for everyone, but the ones that come with it are real good), smoke.
- It’s great for me that Sky4Sim is integrated to the tablet as I use that all the time and it’s nice to not have the popup window when I have my Willy out
. - It’s great at regular touring, bush flying, racing, STOL, glider towing (!), exploring, sight-seeing. Can fly slow, but has a bit of pace too when you need it!
- Most of all, I love that when I jump into her, it feels like HOME. It is MINE. I am comfortable and know what it can do - gives me confidence in a nice way, and I can fly it however I want. I still make mistakes, and get punished for it… even more so since I started practicing with her for the eSTOL (really taking it’s performance to the limits doing that) but I know once I have had a bit more practice for that and got it into muscle memory, I will feel EVEN MORE attached to Wilma than I already am. It is my favourite plane BY FAR. The A2A is really super duper great and fantastic in EVERY SINGLE way, but it’s a serious plane. I have to fly it seriously… I am not always in the mood for that. Wilma lets me fly in both ways and it’s equally rewarding.
I could write a lot more but I guess this is enough before everyone gets bored of my ridiculous ramblings
It does have engine failures at least (through heat). It will soon have the ‘dirt build-up’ added (system from the DoubleEnder) and I hope they can also add fatigue damage to the struts, tyres etc for example (@GotGravel & @DigitalJonx hint hint )… then again maybe not a good idea, as it might stop me landing her so hard!
Simply, my Hobbs speaks for itself - my Top 5 now...
…to be fair the Comanche has really jumped up quickly but I am still putting approximately equal time into both now so that gap is going to remain pretty high!
001 0072:30 = PZL-104 Wilga 35/80 Series [Got Friends]
002 0030:44 = Piper Comanche 250 [A2A Simulations]
003 0027:49 = Britten Norman BN2 Islander [BlackBox Simulation]
004 0027:33 = Bell 206B-3 JetRanger | Rotorcraft [FlyInside]
005 0026:01 = Cessna 172SP Skyhawk | Classic Enhancement [WB-Sim]
5 Likes
Completely agree. Literally bought this due to @Baracus250 enthusiasm.
Heck, he would make me buy a flying stick due to his enthusiasm.
The Wilga is currently taking a backseat due to the Fenix but he’s just replied to you with an excerpt worthy of War & Peace.
That alone is going to force me to go through his points and take another look at it.
And that’s what makes this the best thread on the forums. It’s made me think about and bought so many planes that I never would have previously considered.
4 Likes
I said I stopped short LOL.
Volume 2 is at the publishers right now
2 Likes
I actually genuinely believe this
2 Likes
This one?
It’s free so go for it! I look forward to your review
2 Likes
Lordy it’s got 5 star reviews too. Don’t do this to me!!! 
Hahah. Wilga only has 4.9 so it must be even better!
I quite like wierd Soviet ergonomics ( fly a Mig-21 or Mi-8 in DCS for any length of time & you really have to! ) and frankly don’t care about wear. I had it in my top 10 for a bit until I messed around & found you could actually have decent feeling aircraft in this sim, and then threw it out along with every other small plane because frankly they feel rubbish & do things physics would violently shake it’s head at. Luckily there are twin engined bush planes around which are a bit easier to inject some decent feel into, and the Comanche showing how things ought to be ( mostly, even that has one or two oddities ) and the Tiger Moth.
The feel is all that ■■■■■■ me off though ( admittedly that’s a giant “all” ), modelling & systems & the general package I like. One day - especially if I can find a decent quantity of good & varied onboard footage & perhaps in the exceedingly unlikelly event of finding a full flight test report - I might try and do something with it.