A bit like the "tourist" section in my blog (but then again not like that):

http://flyingxplane.apps-1and1.net/atmospheric-aircraft-for-x-plane/

 

Superb and enjoyable article Mario, you really do have a talent for writing :)

The most atmospheric aircraft for me have to be the older Carenado products, i.e. C172, C152 and the Bonanza. By today's standards they are looking very dated, but they still give me a feeling of nostalagia when I use them. I had these on both X-Plane 9 and FSX and still use them to this day. My C172 travelled around most of the pacific northwest and my ORBX N/A airports.

 

 

1 hour ago, tonywob said:

I had these on both X-Plane 9 and FSX and still use them to this day.

I also remember the Carenado C172 very well. I had it in FS 2004, FSX and later X-Plane 9. It was the aircraft I learnt (virtual) flying with.

Great article!

I guess we all have our own list of atmospheric aircraft. Ironically, one of my choices would be the vFlyteAir Cherokee 140 Original...

9 hours ago, Jimmy RFR said:

one of my choices would be the vFlyteAir Cherokee 140 Original...

Thanks ... I wish I could see our own aircraft belonging to that list, but I know too much about their inner workings and their development process -- when I use them, I "see" our source code and our PlaneMaker settings. I can't fly for enjoyment or relaxation with our own aircraft, I'm afraid.

(I used to create mods for The Elder Scrolls a LONG time ago. But I stopped with that as soon as I noticed I was not able to immerse myself into the game anymore... same problem.)

Good article, and yeah, we all have our favorites don't we?

For "atmosphere," and considering my tilt towards bush planes and vintage planes, I guess mine would be these:

• LES DC-3 (the new VSKYLABS one is a contender, but not quite there yet).
• The DDenn Goose family (I flew the Turbo Goose for a long time in FSEconomy),
• The STMA DHC-3 Otter (ditched in one, real life, a long time ago).
• The Heinz/STMA Beech 18. I never flew in a real Beech 18, but I just think it's one of the classiest looking vintage radial engine planes ever made. Could use an updated model.

41 minutes ago, MarioDonick said:

Thanks ... I wish I could see our own aircraft belonging to that list, but I know too much about their inner workings and their development process -- when I use them, I "see" our source code and our PlaneMaker settings. I can't fly for enjoyment or relaxation with our own aircraft, I'm afraid.

Ooooooh yea, I know exactly what you mean. Once you know the magic behind the facade, it becomes hard to see anything else. For example, knowing the workings that might behind a accurate looking cylinder temperature gauge (speaking in MSFS here). When you simply see the gauge in a panel, you don't think anything of it; you take it at face value and enjoy its presence. But when you know exactly what's being done to display those numbers, the sense of immersion is completely gone.

On another example, I'm a huge de Havilland Canada history buff. I have a ton of printed material, ephemera, models, photos, and over the years have collected or tried almost every freeware & payware flight sim rendition of every DHC aircraft made. However, being involved with MilViz (I've done their website/e-commerce stuff for some time, but I wrote the manual for their recent DHC-2 & was involved with its development) has had the result that even though one of my all time favorite aircraft has been recreated to great detail in the simulator, I have a hard time flying it for enjoyment.

IXEG is -300, not -400.

My list would be:-

1. IXEG 733 - seriously, nothing comes close.

2. Aerobask Epic E1000 - everyone raves about the Eclipse 550 but for me, the E1000 kills it. Beautiful!

3. Carenado B1900D - not like any other Carenado in XP11 to me; Dan Klaue's greatest work to date.

4. Aerobask Pipstrel Panthera - STUNNING! Can't get enough of this one at the moment.

5. VlyteAir Cherokee 140 Original - I can't "see" the code thankfully Mario and it's very immersive.

(6). Vskylabs Tecnam P2006T - the $16 addon that's rough around some edges but incredibly immersive and great fun.

 

The "unimmersive" hit list for me, I'm sorry to say, would be both of the JAR Design birds.  They just don't give one iota of that sense of immersion for me.  Perhaps more controversially, neither do the Flight Factor birds.

I agree with the above. IXEG with those sounds is like nothing else. I am also not overly impressed with the FF 757/767. They fly as they should - may be too vanilla/ boring to fly for me. I do not like the cockpit texturing at all. The text next to the switches on the panels is terrible. May be it is just me?? Next on my list is the Saab - from what I have seen that looks pretty immersive and has the eye-candy.