I've used Microsoft flight simulator over the past few years off and on
recently I have heard a lot about x plane what's everybody's opinion?
I just want something realistic, as I can get. Just wondering if anybody uses it and what they have to say?

Thanks.

Shawn

I didn't notice this thread before., but I'll add that I'm a big X-Plane fan.

It's more realistic in the flight envelope. The engine that was designed for X-Plane originally uses "blade element" calculations to determine reactions in real time, rather than lookup tables like MS Flight Sim does.

You actually stand a chance of communicating directly with the sole developer of the app.

It runs on all 3 major computing platforms.

Has anyone tried the X-Plane app for the Iphone yet ?

I wanted to check it out, but couldn't pull the $9.99 trigger for a flight-sim game on an Iphone... Not without first-hand accounts from pilots on what they thought.

Hasta ~

Bob K
Anchorage, AK

I have not used any others but would love too. The problem I have found with FSX is that it eats up a lot of hardware rescources. It can also be slow to load. Zane does X Plane have simular problems?

anyone used MS or Xplane for IFR traning? Does the Xplane have a Garmin 430 for the panel? I have started my IFR training and I need to buy a simulator.

Cheers...Rob

Have you tried doing the approaches on the 430sim?

Just passed my IFR yesterday and flew the 430 sim daily. It really helps with all the button stuff.

Dont know anything about the MS flight sim or the X.

Have always wanted to get one however....

RobBurson wrote:anyone used MS or Xplane for IFR traning? Does the Xplane have a Garmin 430 for the panel? I have started my IFR training and I need to buy a simulator.

Supposedly X-Plane v.9 has a 172 with a 430 in it. I just ordered it yesterday...it comes on 6 DVDs.

Rob, we can meet up and you can eyeball it if you want. X-Plane 8 runs pretty well on my Macbook Pro.

Any flight sim takes good hardware and resources, but I've found that X-Plane is more efficient with those resources. Here's a demo video promoting v.9. This was captured on a machine with some horsepower I think.

MS Flightsim is decent too, probably better in some ways for scenery and the way they have preset adventures and stuff...but X-Plane is a superior flight model.

UND uses MS Flight Simulator X for all their students, I believe. I'm going to start requiring X-Plane for our students, mostly because of the blade element technology mentioned previously, and because it has some capability for the user to design their own wing, etc and examine the aerodynamics.

I have not used either extensively, MSFS more so. Both great programs for learning IFR procedures in any case.

He's right regarding the 430/530, though--go to Garmin's site first and get familiar with those radios, THEN use one of the FS programs.

Get a joystick, though, trying to run these things without a joystick is terrible.

MTV

mtv wrote:Get a joystick, though, trying to run these things without a joystick is terrible.

It might seem like overkill to most, but get the rudder pedals too. There are some neat taildragger aircraft available, but they are impossible to fly without a rudder controller. The keyboard is nearly useless for rudder. If there's any wind dialed in, the tricycle gear models are uncontrollable on the ground too.

I suppose it doesn't matter if you're simply using it for instrument work and could care less about the aftermarket planes and just want to fly some procedures..

It's worth noting that Scaled Composites (Burt Rutan, Spaceship One) uses X-plane for a lot of their modeling work.

Everybody, thanks for your insight. Yes I have the Garmin 430 trainer it really helps. aktahoe1 congrats. I'll PM you in a few days. I have questions. Thanks Z, Mike. I'll have more questions as I get into this. I may have to start my own thread, don't want to be a hi jacker.

Rob