Current desktop flight sim recommendations

Fearless Tower

Fearless Tower

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Fearless Tower
My dad is still occasionally flying, but getting closer to hanging up the spurs. He seems to want to spend more time flightsimming now. He's been using Flight Sim 2004, but apparently it is getting near the end of the line as far as compatibility with newer computers.

Looking for getting him a new setup for Christmas and wondering what is the best sim out there these days?
 
Are you looking for the software only, or are you looking to upgrade the computer too?
 
Badger said:
Are you looking for the software only, or are you looking to upgrade the computer too?
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Software at this point. He has a newer computer which isn't playing as well with the 12 year old program.
 
http://www.prepar3d.com/ is popular right now. You can find 1-2 year old versions of xplane (10) cheap. Xplane 11 is due out soon, but it's a hardware demanding version.

Does he use a yoke, pedals or just keyboard?
 
Shawn is giving away MSFS X over on his Christmas pay it forward thread. You just need to offer up something to someone else.
 
I still use FSX; I also have X-plane 10, and Prepar3d as well; they each have their advantages. X-Plane will simulate icing conditions and such - Prepar3d is the old version of Microsoft's FSX brought into the current day after Lockheed Martin purchased the rights. Both will be demanding of your PC - X-Plane offers a demo version so you can play with it to see if it is what you like. 11 now has updated terrain features that it seriously lacked in before.
 
X-Plane 11 shows the most promise for the future graphically and it's the most useful for IFR procedures as you can easily update it's Nav database + the 430/530 it comes with actually works to fly approaches. They finally fixed the user interface and it's really easy to get into now where as most were scared off in the past.

I also have Prepar3D. It's good for a lot of things but is looking more and more dated (ancient lighting system and how it presents cities/roads), even with good add ons. But, if your dad wants the most realistic approximation of a GA aircraft, A2A sells several GA add-on planes for P3D that are as good as it gets (172, 182, Cherokee 180, Comanche, with more in the future). They basically don't miss a detail, even down to all aspects of engine management and edge of envelope flying.
 
Bonchie, are you using the beta of XP11? If so what is your hardware and your overall satisfaction of the performance (HW). Could one just lower sliders for frame rate, graphics, etc and get decent performance of XP11 on a 2-3 year old computer.
 
I've just tried the XP11 demo. My computer is a 2500k @ 4.6 Ghz (pretty old CPU) and a GTX 970.

I get about 35FPS over Seattle in the day time and 26FPS at night. Both are smooth experiences. And I run everything except reflections and textures (they are on high) maxed out. I'm sure they'll optimize it more as well.

It's really good.
 
If you're looking for rock solid right out of the box, XP10. The set-up and maintenance is a snap compared to FSX/P3D. Also it's 64-bit, uses the resources of the computer mo' better than either FSX or P3D. Graphics are as good as FSX out of the box. There are some excellent add-on airplanes, tweakable, that get the physics of flight close, and match the particular a/c close as I've seen while simming. XP11 will probably (waiting for the full product to come out to test) be a game-changer.

If you're more interested in looking out the a/c window and seeing amazing things...refueling trucks, 757 AI traffic, etc, either FSX or P3D might be your choice. Both have free and pay-ware add-ons that can make the view pretty realistic. Both are 32-bit applications, although P3D has been tweaked significantly for performance, within that constraint. I have not purchased P3D, so can't speak to more specifics.

Previous discussion is personal opinion...ymmv.

OR....you could always do what most of us do. Buy a copy of each and fire up the one that suits your mood and mission of the moment. :) There are pages after pages of discussion of the relative merits of each on flightsim.com and avsim.com. Compared to top-of-the-line hardware, the software costs are minimal.

Jim
 
Bonchie said:
X-Plane 11 shows the most promise for the future graphically and it's the most useful for IFR procedures as you can easily update it's Nav database + the 430/530 it comes with actually works to fly approaches. They finally fixed the user interface and it's really easy to get into now where as most were scared off in the past.

I also have Prepar3D. It's good for a lot of things but is looking more and more dated (ancient lighting system and how it presents cities/roads), even with good add ons. But, if your dad wants the most realistic approximation of a GA aircraft, A2A sells several GA add-on planes for P3D that are as good as it gets (172, 182, Cherokee 180, Comanche, with more in the future). They basically don't miss a detail, even down to all aspects of engine management and edge of envelope flying.
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I have the A2A Cherokee 180. It IS amazing but it doesn't play nice with my hardware add-ons so I don't fly it much.
 
A couple more cool points on XPX...and presumably XPXI. You can wifi between your IWhatever or Android device running your flight apps and XPX. Your flight will show up on your device exactly as if you were flying it r/w. Tested on Andrioid Avare and Garmin Pilot, haven't tried it yet on Foreflight on the iPad....it's supposed to work, also.

....and if you're way too geeky, you can run XPX on multiple computers...one for the pilot flying and another as an instructors station. You can change wx or induce mx issues from the instructors console, to amaze and confound the pilot. We have an older computer running as an instructor's station and the one I built last Spring doing the heavy lifting with scenery and 'stuff'. You can also do additional 'views' the same way. One license is OK to run on multiple computers with blessing of Laminar Research, the devlopers.

Probably TMI, but it's snowing and I'm bored :)

Jim
 
I'd recommend X-Plane 11 over 10 when it's finally released. The user-friendliness of 11 far exceeds the lack of GUI on 10. I believe that is what turns most people away.

He might also appreciate the more realistic flight dynamics found in X-Plane. XP11 really has a lot of good things going for it all while being continuously supported and updated.

I bought Prepar3d. It was ok but I just wasn't impressed and the amount of $$$ needed to upgrade everything becomes a bit ridiculous. Not to mention all of the bugs associated. With X-Plane, there is absolutely no real need to start throwing money at it unless you're looking for aftermarket payware aircraft. There is also a large community behind X-Plane creating a lot of great freeware for the sim.
 
FSX used to be the established norm but is quickly giving way now to the newcomer P3D. IMHO, it is a shortsighted shift because without fixing pretty much any of the FSX bugs, LM has added many more with their new UI and memory management.
Though I would not want to be on LM's team of SW monkeys due to the MS codebase they have to deal with.
Once LM acknowledges that it needs to fix what they bought from MS and sold repackaged with a nice bow for a lot more money, the P3D platform might move fwd. Until then, you're just buying a more-buggy renamed FSX.
So sadly, your better bet is XPlane at this time.
 
I have X-Plane 10; is the upgrade free or do I need to pay for the new version?
 
Assuming you didn't purchase it on their current promotion, you will have to buy 11.
 
any recommendations on yoke/rudder/controls? I have seen Saitek etc.. donno how good/bad they are
 
I have X-plane 10/11 beta as well as Microsoft flight sim X on steam (steam allows it to run on modern PC's).

As far as yoke/rudder/controls I have Saitek Cessna edition, bought on craigslist for $300 for rudder, Yoke, throttle quadrant, trim wheel and radio panel.
 
Joey4420 said:
I have X-plane 10/11 beta as well as Microsoft flight sim X on steam (steam allows it to run on modern PC's).

As far as yoke/rudder/controls I have Saitek Cessna edition, bought on craigslist for $300 for rudder, Yoke, throttle quadrant, trim wheel and radio panel.
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Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
WannFly said:
any recommendations on yoke/rudder/controls? I have seen Saitek etc.. donno how good/bad they are
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I have the Saitek yoke/throttle quad and rudders (now made by Logitech). I'd say a decent value for the money. There's an issue with the yoke, in that the springs that return it to neutral in the pitch axis create a dead spot in the middle of the throw. I've modified mine to use rubber bands in that axis, which eliminates this. It's a 20 minute fix, and there are youtube videos showing it. Mine are several years old with no issues...but they only get used when it's too crappy to fly :)

On the subject of yokes....none of the cheaper ones are force-feedback. You'll pay as much for a force-feedback yoke as you might a computer. For me, the cost/benefit didn't work. Many folks find this to be a big hindrance. Instead, I fly the sim just like the 182...trim. Other than while maneuvering, trim for airspeed, power for.....wait, you guys all know this :) I do very little pushing and pulling on the yoke....ymmv.

Jim
 
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Joey4420 said:
... Microsoft flight sim X on steam (steam allows it to run on modern PC's).
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Can you explain this? I thought Steam was basically a site where you buy software and it's downloaded onto my computer? Thanks
 
Badger said:
Can you explain this? I thought Steam was basically a site where you buy software and it's downloaded onto my computer? Thanks
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It's an app that will let you buy and play games that are available with them, most are. The benefit is its digital and somewhat reencapsulated for modern PCs with Windows 10, DirectX 12 etc

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
^^^So if I'm building (currently) a dedicated PC for sim, should I purchase XP11 via disk or is Steam the best format? Best is terms of frame rate, graphics, stability, etc. Can I use "purchased" planes via steam (Carenado)
 
Just checked and X-Plane is not available via Steam. Also not sure about add on planes in say Microsoft Flight X. Haven't tried that.
 
Joey4420 said:
Just checked and X-Plane is not available via Steam. Also not sure about add on planes in say Microsoft Flight X. Haven't tried that.
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I've read that the Steam Ed of FSX is not very flexible when it comes to add-ons. Particularly FSUIPC which is a 3rd party key mapping editor essential for adding hardware. Grain of salt here, I'm not 100% positive.
 
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WannFly said:
any recommendations on yoke/rudder/controls? I have seen Saitek etc.. donno how good/bad they are
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I splurged on the yoke and got a Precision Flight Controls Mooney yoke. My pedals are Saitek Cessna and my TPM is also Saitek. I prefer their TPM over their throttle quadrant. It's much more solid, the quadrant just feels flimsy to me.
 
The steam version of FSX works exactly the same with add ons. But there's no reason not to buy P3D if that's the direction you want to go in. I couldn't justify buying FSX these days, steam or not, over P3D.

As for XP11, buy it from their site, not steam. The steam version of XP lags with updates and you don't get access to the current beta version they are running.
 
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