Your Current TOP 10 Aircraft

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8559

Just to pile on with my final FS2020 Top (favorite) 8-9 aircraft. My previous list hasn’t really changed much at all:

Asobo C152/JPL C152
Asobo C172
Asobo C208
Asobo TBM 930
Asobo G36
Asobo DA62
Asobo NX Cub
** Asobo X Cub (Replaced as noted below.)

** Update: I downloaded Restauravia’s latest version of their N3400 freeware bird and I must state that it is a quite remarkable and unique tail-dragger. It reminds me a lot of the L-19 Bird Dog, but with a much friendlier flight model (both in the air and on the ground) and throatier engine sound without any noticeable looping sounds. I highly recommend it. And it’s free!

3 Likes
8560

And here’s my final MSFS2020 list. Feels like a momentous occasion.

Old:

  • COWS DA42 VI
  • A2A Piper Comanche 250 PMS GTN750+WT
  • WB-Sim Cessna 172X
  • Flysimware Cessna 414AW PMS GTN750+WT
  • PMDG 737-800

New:

  • COWS DA42 VI
  • Flysimware Cessna 414AW PMS GTN750+WT
  • WB-Sim Cessna 172X
  • A2A Piper Comanche 250 PMS
  • Fenix A320 CFM WTF
  • PMDG 737-800

Winter weather lowering the C172 and the Comanche.
The Fenix is back! So ironic since I’ve had nothing but grief using it (potato PC). But it seems to be fine for the moment.
Ironic or what. 10 days to go until MSFS2024 and the Fenix is back!

2 Likes
8561

Not ironic at all. Comebacks are literally what Fenixes do (usually requires some immolation but).

5 Likes
8562

On the eve of 2024, here is what I have been flying/favoring in order of preference since my last post:

777-300ER
737-700
737-800
C414AW
35A Learjet
C310R
B60 Grand/Duke
B60 Turbo Duke
A300-600
JF Turbo Arrows (got dusted off)

The FSR500 fell off my radar in recent months, but it is still a great model that I will get back into once set in 2024. We really have an embarrassment of riches with so many excellent models to fly!

3 Likes
8563

The word “comebacks” appears to be making a strong comeback in today’s vernacular, doesn’t it? :wink:

1 Like
8564

My final list for FS2020 is unchanged from October.
These are the ten Aircraft I would recommend to people new to our sim and looking for better Aircraft to fly.

  1. Flying Irons Spitfire - The RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) use this sim at Coningsby to allow the pilots to keep their currency during the winter. To my mind, due to BBMF feedback, this Aircraft is unmatched for fidelity in this Sim. Also, it fulfils a childhood dream.
  2. Miltech Chinook (with the ZA671 centenary livery) - I love this Aircraft, using the RAD-ALT you can thunder across the UK at 500 feet and be as hooligan as you like. It could be improved a little but when I "wander inside, there are a few inaccuracies, e.g. the number of first aid kits and their positions but it still feels like home.
  3. Aeroplane Heaven Hawker Hurricane - This also fills a childhood dream, handles nicely and is more forgiving than some warbirds, “spring chicken to shitehawk” :slightly_smiling_face:
  4. Flight Replicas Spitfire Mk.IIA - It doesn’t have the Flying Irons fidelity but, Spitfire. Need I say more.
  5. IndiaFoxtEcho Panavia Tornado GR.4 With 12 or 31 sqn livery. A beautiful model, nice flight model and a helpful computer/sat nag that takes the mickey if you get too heavy handed during the landings.
  6. Just flight Hawk T1 - A great flight model, decent depth of systems and fun to throw up the Mach loop.
  7. DC Designs Harrier GR9 - It’s a lot less bovver with a hover :slightly_smiling_face:
  8. Dave Garwoods Hawker Hunter (Freeware) - As freeware Aircraft go, this is top tier, coupled with the Miss Demeanour livery equals a bit of fun.
  9. The Flying Frejas Blackburn Buccaneer - Another Freeware goody, also has a RAD-ALT which allows you to enjoy this fantastic little strike Aircraft to the full.
  10. Asobo C-208 with the improvement Mod - Asobo basic is okayish, this Mod takes it to a higher level. The first Aircraft I put 100 hours on, surpassed by the Spitfire but still a favourite to tour the Canaries.

I should reveal that I do have a bias to three of these Aircraft as I have worked on them IRL, chronologically, 5, 7 and 2. On reflection, I also worked on Adour 104 and 151s, so you can add No. 6 as well :joy:

These are the ones I would want to take into FS2024 if I could.

5 Likes
8565

JF RJ Professional
Fenix A320
FBW A380
VisionJet
COWS DA42

That’s all I’m flying. And mostly the airliners right now.

2 Likes
8566

Just a small pre-2024 update.
I noticed i started flying GA more often instead of the big birds
This translates also in my list for now. So no new A380 entry as i would have been expected dispite the fact FBW did an amazing job.
I plan to expand my GA fleet a bit, but for now i just sit back and relax and wait for the release of MSFS 2024.
Lets see what that will bring. Especially with the PD edition i pre ordered

So the old list:

  1. PMDG 737-800
  2. PMDG DC6
  3. Gotfriends discus 2C
  4. DA-40NGX including mod
  5. HPG Hot air balloon
  6. Got friends Optica
  7. PMDG 777
  8. HPG H145 (including action pack)
  9. FI Spittfire
  10. Fenix A320

New list:

  1. DA-40NGX including mod
  2. DA-62 including mod
  3. PMDG 737-800
  4. PMDG DC6
  5. Gotfriends discus 2C
  6. HPG Hot air balloon
  7. Got friends Optica
  8. PMDG 777
  9. HPG H145 (including action pack)
  10. FI Spittfire
3 Likes
8567

As far as I can tell it has not changed AT ALL?? What am I missing?

However, you DID come back to add the Vision Jet when you wrote your “Why’s” last time but that is missing now, so is that what you mean? Just remove that? Or you want to keep that and there are no changes? :confused:

8568

Grab yourself the Cows Da42 if you’re on a GA kick, and you obviously like Diamonds :wink:

5 Likes
8569

No changes for me this month.
BTW thanks again @Baracus250 for your work.

3 Likes
8570

Probably the last 2020 list. Not a list of every best plane I have but the ones I gravitate to per type of flying in a session. And by definition my current top 10

OCTOBER
Kodiak
BN2
WACO
CAS J-3
310R
FSR500
C414
Comanche
C182RG
A1R Ryan STA

NOVEMBER:

Kodiak/Flotiak-Have just become one with this aircraft over time. Still hate the goofy lack of proper phugoid effect and you often have to ‘cheat’ the TP model, but I’ve long figured out my ways past the shortcomings. Just get used to that incessant bing bing bing bing-OK lets go again…

BN2 Islander-Crude artwork, but just so engrossing for feeling your in a little tin twin battling it out with difficult runways on your own. Just love landing, shutting down, listening to the environmental sounds, loading and starting up again and heading back out again.

Carenado WACO-Just a visual superstar and a really good flight model permitting you have high enough resolution pedals to stay in front of it. Very buttkicker friendly.

CAS J-3 Cub-Same reasons as the WACO, but slow and within what you can do with 2020 really gives you the sense of hanging under a big dopey wing.

WILGA-Return of the Wilga! I haven’t been flying much in the bush department waiting on 2024’s reinvention of it. But it’s gritty and visceral as ever. Still need to learn ‘Born to Be Wild’ in Polish. Will be interesting to see what I get into with this when not every back yard is a runway in '24.

FSR500-Just SO pretty and works so well. Makes it feel like you’re doing that well at your own real job. Daddy’s going golfing in the islands, be back later…

FSW C414-Love the grit of this thing. Fly it with the GNS and grind it out, like you really should give this bird a panel overhaul. Never really a moment to have nothing to do.

A2A Comanche-Love it’s lack of sophistication, same reasons I love the 414 and fly it on the GNS. I’m old but still relevant!

Carenado 182RG-This is my go-to GA bird when I don’t have time for ‘everything else’. Just solid and does what you ask of it. If I have to get a properly navigated flight in with a short window of ‘real world time’ to do it, It just gets it done.

A1R Ryan STA-It’s quirky, bindings are strange, the CoG is off by default, and I had to add more power manually. But holy cow it’s pretty.

Sorry to bump the 310 but it’s just right in the envelope of a whole lot of aircraft. We’re going to need top 20 lists for 2024, I’ve got an entire a top 10 bush planes list and haven’t been flying bush planes…

3 Likes
8571

My pleasure. And thank you for being part of it too mate!

Yes I too could easily fill a Top 20, but I am going to stick with 10 for next year. Apart from the extra workload it would create for me, lists like this ARE commonly Top 10’s. It is hard I know, but it will need to remain your picks of “the best of the best”, however hard that will be to define! Sorry :wink:

4 Likes
8572

Heh well I squeaked Wilma in there one more time :wink:

With all the tasks available in 2024 I’m finding myself making 2020 flights as ‘busy’ as I can.

1 Like
8573

No. The Visionjet should still be there.
It was pretty late the night that I put it together.
I think my only intended change was the Nord N3400 for the X-Cub. Probably didn’t come across well.
It probably would have been clearer if I’d just deleted the X-Cub entirely from my list. Sorry…

8574

Oh I’m glad I checked then as it wasn’t clear the Nord is meant to go on. Xcub off and VJ still on then? I’ll sort it out tomorrow but please edit that post so I can follow it better in December or whenever you vote again. Cheers!

1 Like
8575

It’s time for an update! Things haven’t changed too much, but I have added a couple new ones. These are not really in any order.

  1. FI BF-109 - this is a very difficult aircraft to fly, and so I find it very rewarding when I get it right. It is thrilling to fly this classic!
  2. FI Spitfire - this is the aircraft I dream of flying. I am just so happy that we have such a great example in the sim!
  3. FI FW-190 - I have been fascinated with this aircraft for decades. Again, I am so happy to have a high quality example to fly. It’s one of my favourite aircraft period, not just in the sim.
  4. FSReborn TL-3000 - I just bought this and I’m quite smitten. It’s a simple aircraft with an impressive glass cockpit. I can’t seem to make approach mode work on it and it’s not great at night, but it is a very sexy light-weight cruiser. Part of why I love it is the fact that they made something more-or-less Cessna 152 shape sexy. It’s really neat!
  5. Flysimware C-414AW - this has everything, and for longer trips it’s my first choice. I love this aircraft!
  6. Blackbird C-310R - this is my favourite GA aircraft, so that probably means that realistically it’s my favourite aircraft in the simulator. Everything works as it should and I love the way it sounds and the way it flies. It has extensive all weather capabilities, making it a fantastic all purpose aircraft. The C-414AW is close competition, but the smaller size and wear and tear options put it ahead.
  7. Asobo ATR-42 - this is the only airliner that I fly. I like it!
  8. Just Flight Turbo Arrows - I love these aircraft! The only thing I want is a better autopilot. If they had that then I’d be talking about them as my favourite GA aircraft
  9. Azurpoly TB-30 Epsilon - I think this aircraft is so much fun to fly. I don’t like the instruments, but it has great visibility, great sound and it’s fast and nimble. Fun!
  10. Just Flight Hawk T1 - this has its problems, but it’s still my favourite military jet. I am waiting for improvements!

Here is the old list:

  1. BF-109 (Flying Iron) - I find this the most challenging aircraft to fly. It’s thrilling when I get it right. I don’t fly it as often as I should, because if I did, I’d probably be good at it by now. It’s a rush to take off and land it without dying. It’s just so well done!
  2. Spitfire Mk IX (Flying Iron) - just as much fun as the BF-109 but it is more manageable. An excellent aircraft!
  3. Just Flight Hawk T1. It’s very hard to trim, and sometimes it just doesn’t fly right, but I love flying it.
  4. Just Flight Piper Turbo Arrow III and IV. These are great! I’ve probably flown these more than any others over the past few months.
  5. Carenado Piper Archer II. Speaking of great Piper aircraft, this one is fantastic too! I am a huge fan of Piper single engine aircraft.
  6. Blackbird Cessna 310-R. I finally picked this up a couple weeks ago. It’s great to fly and I like wear and tear options.
  7. Flying Iron Hellcat. I love it for all the reasons I love the other Flying Iron aircraft, AND I can land it on carriers too!
  8. The H-jet. If I want something very modern, this is my ride.
  9. Azure Poly TB-30 - this is an unusual choice, but I really like this aircraft. It’s simple and nimble and especially fun to land. Yes, fun is the right word! It has to be on this list!
  10. Indiafoxtecho M-346 - I am becoming boring! Another military trainer? It’s a little more modern. I enjoy it. I just wish the engines sounded a bit better.
9 Likes
8576

Are the Hawk improvements announced to be released?

8577

I haven’t posted for a while but here is my latest list:

  1. PMDG 77W - PMDG continue their fantastic work with a plane that it is a joy to fly. It is also the first 3rd-party (that I know about at least) that can have its Navdata updated on the Xbox. I have also kicked the stigma of flying with accelerated time and have completed some long-haul flights.
    2 .JustFlight BAe 146 - Still great and STILL looking forward to the update on Xbox that will add the navdata update capability.
  2. A2A Piper Comanche
  3. PMDG 737-800 - Put this aside until the new update comes in on the Marketplace. But still love flying this.
  4. IniBuilds A310 - deciding whether to get the A300 to get a more complete simulation
  5. Asobo / WT Cessna Citation CJ4 - Still good fun
  6. Asobo Cessna Longitude
  7. MS ATR 600 - I fly this because it is simple. As we know it is not without its faults but if you know how to treat it - it gets the job done.
2 Likes
8578

…

…nothing yet. I have been in discussion with him about it and it is being done, but it’s taking a good while, right?! :frowning:

“and sometimes it just doesn’t fly right” ← yeah, that is an understatement :wink:

If you don’t push it to the edge of the envelope, it is still great, but what is the fun in that?! :smiley:

There IS a fix for it though. DM me if you are interested in how to get it.

1 Like