Modern Flight Sims - home use

[Boeingdriver999]

Hi all,

Not sure if this is the correct forum - does anyone fly the A320/737 etc in real life and also play flight simulator games like Microsoft Flight Sim or X-Plane? If yes; how accurate are the flight models for the subject aircraft? Like are they reasonably representative or wildly out?

Thanks!

[ScepticalOptomist]

Originally Posted by Boeingdriver999

Hi all,

Not sure if this is the correct forum - does anyone fly the A320/737 etc in real life and also play flight simulator games like Microsoft Flight Sim or X-Plane? If yes; how accurate are the flight models for the subject aircraft? Like are they reasonably representative or wildly out?

Thanks!

X-plane with the Zibo 737 has an extremely realistic flight model with very good systems and FMC modelling. Good enough to study with.

PMDG on the MS Flt Sim is also excellent, with perhaps slightly more modelled / realistic system failures but with a slightly less realistic flight model.

Either would be good choices to help with flying the real 737NG.

Personally I prefer X-Plane - the flight model across the sim is second to none.

[safetypee]

A few years ago several flt sims were evaluated by a commercial flt test team; in general the handling and performance were a good match with the real aircraft. Weaknesses were in force input / feedback of the tactile controls, and of course body sensed accelerations.

Significantly operational context was not simulated. The simulations lacked the reality of operational situations, thus simulated flight did not provided the means of gaining adequate situational awareness and understanding required in actual flight.

Thus home simulators were sufficient to fly by the book, an 'automaton' response. There was little value in gaining real experience from situational mistakes and adjustments.

[BoeingDriver99]

Thanks for the replies. I just want to use a basic sim to run some procedures through to get an idea of what works and what doesn’t and then refine in an FFS to save time & money.

Thanks

[cav-not-ok]

I find that home sims are useful for raw data scanning and chart approach let down practice. Also useful for practicing scan flows during conversion courses.

Flight dynamics aren't that great but somewhat passable, especially for Airbus aircraft.

I was running Fenix A320 on MSFS, but they have some issues with take off performance on single engine. Have now moved to Prepared 3D with Flight Sim Labs A320.

[Less Hair]

Here is a pretty good one for the Boeing 747-400, Aerowinx precision simulator

https://youtu.be/jN9lpXG0o_k?feature=shared

[Boeingdriver999]

As a follow up; which sims have the best post flight recorded data? Like flight track records on maps/charts?

Thanks!

[Bleve]

Any recommendations for a good A330 flight sim?

[ScepticalOptomist]

Originally Posted by Boeingdriver999

As a follow up; which sims have the best post flight recorded data? Like flight track records on maps/charts?

Thanks!

X-Plane will allow you to do this and more. Full replay, tracking, etc.

[CW247]

FlightSim Labs A320 still rules. Fenix turned out to be much hyped nonsense. Can testify the systems and performance are the best match I've found in 20 years of flightsimming and 15 flying the mini bus

[BoeingDriver99]

Cool

[411A NG]

Originally Posted by CW247

FlightSim Labs A320 still rules. Fenix turned out to be much hyped nonsense. Can testify the systems and performance are the best match I've found in 20 years of flightsimming and 15 flying the mini bus

What's your negative experience with Fenix? I'm truly interested.

[Airmann]

So what are the differences between MSFS and Prepare3D? I'm aware of FSLabs A320, I believe they were trying to pitch the Prepare3D version for commercial FTD use. Not sure how far that went.

[Less Hair]

P3D used to be the old legacy MSFS licensed and modified to become some semi-professional lower cost mission planning and rehearsal tool when MS was not interested in flight simulation any more. It's not that much about simulating individual flight behaviour.
The new MSFS as of today is some entertainment product for the mass market. Quite successful and made for all the platforms consumers use today.

[CW247]

The flight model is getting a caning online. The pitch/thrust logic is not realistic for any commercial transport airliner let alone the A320. They are guilty (just like all of them) of releasing a very very Beta product. There is a video on YT that goes through the problems.

[Less Hair]

Forget about any flying and handling outside of manufacturer endorsed full flight simulators. They have their price for a reason and use flight certified cockpit hardware.

This company does some higher quality Airbus systems modelling on their add-ons for x-plane. Like electrical system and such. IIRC they initially developed it as some clickable mechanics instruction and training tool with working systems and Airbus support.
https://toliss.com/