Top 5 | Must Have | Flight Simulators | 2017

[@thegrishin]

"2018 is going to be a big year for them." RIP FSW

[@Ellexis]

I am a real world pilot, and I agree with your #1 selection, X Plane 11. It’s the closest to to the real deal.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

+Ellexis Awesome to hear. Thanks for checking put the video.

[@Topper_Harley68]

The Oracle: That is because you are a noob.

[@pinnedit]

The ground handling is absolutely awful in xplane 11 though.

[@theshawnbowman220]

Hi

[@theshawnbowman220]

I have xplane 11 but don't know how to use it

[@linkedinfred]

I finally made the leap from MSFSX to X Plane 11 last week. Born again.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Congrats Fred, you will love it.

[@Slovenskimajzl]

I started using XP two years ago and It still surprises me how much ground the sim has started getting. Even though I still fly in P3D occasionally the XP has become my main sim to go and I'm not surprised you awarded it 1st place.

[@flykido9876]

You're right, 2017 has been a great year for flight simming, I'm thrilled to see this genre finally taking off again, it was about time !

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Yup, looking good.

[@hawkeye2816]

Blade Element Theory is something that was originally intended to model propellers and helicopter rotors, so for a full aircraft it can be a very rough simulation. Full-scale computational fluid dynamics modelling is simply impossible in real time on current hardware. In terms of flight dynamics, what X-Plane provides is a decent approximation, but not something that's 100% realistic. What most commercial simulators use, and what FSX and P3D use, is a lookup table for various conditions, such as angle of attack, to determine how the aircraft should behave in a given situation. In commercial simulators, and for some payware addons, these data points are gathered through actual test flights. These lookup tables are incredibly accurate, and under standard flight conditions, they will easily beat out anything that Blade Element Theory can output. However, not all developers had the resources to commit to making these highly accurate flight models, and even the best flight model may not be able to fully simulate extreme cases, such as spins, since they would be incredibly dangerous to actually test in the real plane. Overall, accuracy is going to depend entirely on the quality of the addon. A high quality P3D addon from a source like A2A or PMDG will likely have better flight dynamics modelling under non-extreme flight circumstances than you would get in X-Plane, but for companies like Carenado (not to call Carenado/Alabeo products low quality) the X-Plane implementation is likely far superior. Additionally, X-Plane may be able to more realistically simulate the situations that cannot be safely measured in a real aircraft, such as deep stalls and spins.

[@paulrichards2365]

Hi, I did over 1000 hours on FSX and the realism of it was a big help when I started to learn to fly. Actually, I was classed as an Advanced Student :)

[@B3burner]

3:05- Dovetail re-released FSX as Steam Edition on December 18, 2014 - not in 2006. 2006 was boxed FSX’s original release date. I think you accidentally misspoke on that. Excellent presentation.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

That's correct. I should of said 2016, as that's what Dovetail has on its release date through steam. Thanks for watching. :)

[@TJ-bl6lr]

There's nothing new with the Steam release than buying fsx off the shelf other than the updates are all packaged nicely into one download.

[@sal_strazzullo]

Still the game remains back in 2006 because they did not change much, except the multiplayer system that was then connected to Steam.

[@TheFlightSimDeck]

I agree with your selections. P3D and XP are neck and neck right now. Aerofly looks incredible!!! I need to try it out.

[@CJbrinkman602]

The Flight Sim Deck X-Plane if you actually want to be a pilot.

[@TheFlightSimDeck]

I use both sims. A lot of people get their PPL without ever using P3D or X-Plane. The flight mechanics are superior in XP but it’s not going to give you too much of a significant edge to being a pilot, especially if you’re using low end flight control hardware without motion. Best thing is to get down to the airport and learn with a CFI.

[@Xenthera]

x-plane 11 with ixeg 737 classic is a dream. I love it...

[@MGAviationNZAircraftVideos]

I'm still sticking with FSX and I'm happy to keep that sim going for me. I still have the original from 2007 and I'm proud to keep it

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Awesome to hear, if its working for you, why not. :)

[@Boxcar.hillside]

Same! I love it!

[@Avionicx]

MG AviationNZ same lol. I love my FSX. So customizable

[@caribbaviator7058]

What ever works for you works for you! I was once an FSX user a few years and then X-PLANE came along and I moved on lol but they are so much of things I miss about FSX one of the things is the vast number of addons you can get!

[@ChrisMonopoli]

I’ve got the original FSX still also and I have FS 2000 my first Microsoft Flight Simulator came on floppy disk back in around 1995 or 96

[@yayingzhang1506]

1. XPlane 11 2. P3D V4 3. FSW 4. FSX Steam 5. Aerofly FS2

[@sal_strazzullo]

1. X-Plane 11 2. Prepar3D v4 3. Aerofly FS2 4. FSW 5. FSX Steam Edition

[@imaflyingoreogaming8223]

1. FSX Steam 2. Xplane 11 3. P3D V4 4. Aerofly FS2 5. FSW

[@carsac1egekwu762]

Fs2020

[@adaptiveaxolotl383]

Agree with the first spot being X-plane, especially for new flightsimmers as it does look nice right out-of-the box and is less expensive (especially during steam sales). Nice vid!

[@belgeode]

This came out GREAT! Thanks for the shoutout sir! Really concise list here. Love it.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

You are most welcome!!! And thank you to you Sir... :) :)

[@chaiwatc3731]

BelGeode dcs weregood FOME THAILAND

[@hasan87tr]

yes, X-Plane 11 is definitely number 1

[@GZA036]

I have a PPL, the Cessna 172 in Xplane 11 feels spot on to me. And it's a great tool for practicing cross country flights to new airports, and instrument flying

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Awesome, thanks for the feedback and for checking out the video.

[@itsAuffy]

I'm fine with fsx and sticking with it because i've already spent so much money on Add-Ons >:D

[@sfdanceron1]

X-Plane has come a long way. It may be the ultimate platform down the road. Their scenery is killer.

[@copflyer6569]

As a long time simmer and retired miltary aircraft mechanic, I totally agree that X-Plane is the best by far. The key to their success is continuous improvement of their product. Their latest release, X-Plane 11, is phenomenal. I only wish that they could somehow make the scenery mimic Google Earth.

[@CJbrinkman602]

Mine (for a pilot in training perspective) would be 5) FSX, outdated sim, you would spend nearly $200 bucks trying to get it to the level that XP11/P3D reside at. I've owned FSX since I was 6, my parents bought it for Christmas 2006. I have plenty of memories playing it. And I still have it installed on my computer just for fun. The sim has really bad flight dynamics, and you better have a full pocket to replicate those "realistic experience" videos that litter KZbin. Don't buy it if you're serious. 4) Flight Sim World, again, another FSX that appears to have sub-par flight dynamics. Although I have never played FSW, I put it here because of its current state. It is also lacking Aircraft, but more will be an added in. It's hard to judge this one because its still in development 3) Areofly FS2, I had a debate with myself about this one, I was going to put P3D in the third place spot, And I decided not to. Areofly is a great sim all together, it is taking flight sim to the next level. The thing that is quite lacking in Areofly is lack of content. The flight model is there, this is a serious competitor to P3D/XP11 2) Lockheed Martin Prepar3d, I've played a couple hours on P3D (With some add-ons) and I quite liked it. Currently, it has the same flight model as FSX. But there will probably be a change at some point. Default scenery is FSX Autogeneration with better textures. It looks really nice actually. It is still in development with it being updated regularly. The big downside is the dent in your wallet that is caused by the expensive realistic aircraft. Since the default aircraft are basic FSX like aircraft with additions of newer ones. Other than that it's a great sim. No need to say it but I will, the one and only... 1) X-Plane 11, if you are looking for a sim where everything is there, scenery where you won't need to spend $200 dollars to make it look nice, airports that look great, and airplanes that behave like airplanes. Here you go, this sim blows all of them out of the water. There are developers that make great quality add-ons/mods for free. It's one hell of a sim. There are two downsides to this though 1.It's massive, it will take up your hard drive 2. Sound for jets are garbage #2 can be solved by looking for better sounds This list is due to change at some point, I guarantee

[@AusFlightSimmer]

CJ, thanks for your input, some great points. Cheers for checking out the video :)

[@Narxes081206]

My main grip with X-plane 11 is that is sports no AI to speak of and the default ATC is absolute garbage. I feel that I gain one element of immersion with the graphics and detail in X-plane, but lose out when it comes to ATC and dealing with AI aircraft.

[@privateagent]

Keith Press just go to vatsim then

[@sal_strazzullo]

I agree X-Plane has the *best* value for money: 60$ and you have everything you need, and you can download great add-on planes for free, like Zibo's Boeing 737. Lockheed Martin asks 2300$ for the Prepar3D "Professional Plus" version, which is basically FSX with some combat scenario capabilities. Developers need to buy a "developer" copy with a monthly subscription, thus most of the add-ons are commercial. Of course 90% of the people are gonna get a pirated copy.

[@onlyforbrian2]

I'm a real world pilot...and I agree with your choices...the only one I haven't tried is Prepared 3D, but I found FSW very lacking and disappointing.. after 5 years and several hundred dollars sunk into FSX (which I still have..but shelved) I took one look at X-Plane 11 and I was sold..switched over from FSX and I have never regretted it..and yes... some of the planes in x-plane handle EXACTLY like the real thing..:) of course we have no way of knowing how accurate the SR71, F4 Phantom, or space shuttle are, but loads of fun just the same. lol

[@CJbrinkman602]

Brian Pfeiffer FSX is outdated terribly now, the flight model is horrendous. and P3D is just a glorified FSX. Made the switch to X-Plane with the intent to use it for what it's used for. It's a true professional simulator for the consumer!

[@markzzzz741]

Opinions on flight sims will always vary - I flew old ones years ago and at the time they were interesting and immersive. I've more recently gone back to FSX SE as it suits the system I use (I prefer to spend less as real world flying takes the main cash) Flight models vary a lot - some freeware is excellent and is close to the real thing, other payware isn't so good. The odd thing I find on forums is people talking about realism when flying airliners and using the automation all of the time - sitting programming a virtual FMC for a virtual flight on a computer sim and then watching the aeroplane fly itself strikes me as being very dull. In the real world I've flown over 10 varied types all are hands on. I use the sim with photoscenery and add on's to pre fly trips that i'll often fly later in reality. For this purpose it works well. I'm not too bothered to watch the fuel flow meter and magenta gps line count down the nm for 8 hours as an airbus/boeing crosses half the planet. Realistic scenery at 38000feet doesn't really matter, but it does at 1500 when looking for an illusive farm strip in Shropshire.

[@stevekopcial129]

We sure have come along way from the Pong days... Thanks for the great video.

[@joespeed1952]

My must have addons are PMDG 737, A2A Comanche, Cherokee, Skylane, P-51, Connie, and P-40

[@rivvur]

Awesome Video! Can't wait to watch it all. I've just gotten back into X-Plane and don't think I'm going back to P3D, the only thing I loved about P3D was the Q400. Hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas!

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Same to you mate, and happy NY :)

[@hasan87tr]

I use both but X-Plane 11 is more realistic and better graphics

[@Fraiyia]

FSX will interface to ForeFlight on your iPad . You can use ForeFlight as your gps in real time. Pilots use flight sims for our IFR training . I could care less about graphics , I want socked in fog , rain , night . I want to practice emergencies , I want to practice flight planning cross country . If you sim guys want to really use flight sims as a tool to learn , you need ForeFlight , you need a POH for each airframe you fly and an E6b . ( electronic and mechanical ) you need to learn how to calculate weight and balance -very important . You need to know stalls , short field ,soft field take offs and landings . The most important stall to know is the approach to land stall. You need to know weather like crazy . Metars, and especially TAFs. You need to be able to read a sum chart , you need to know just tons on weather . In aviation one of the toughest obstacles is Comms . I fly in DFW airspace . You got to get on the comms and talk to regional before you enter the bravo . You enter that bravo without permission and you can expect some heat when you land . You need to know how to read a sectional chart . If you enter the pattern say left and the port you are at is right pattern , then that could end badly . The CTAF at uncontrolled fields is vital and I recommend comm1 software to learn comms . You need to practice listening on one radio and talking on the other . Often I listen to the atis on com2 and talk on com 1. The key to Com's is to use the lower com for your ground Com's - atis, Awos , ground, clearance del on com 2 - tower , regional , center , tracon etc -com1. You need to know about flight following , filing and closing a flight plan while in route . Filing on the ground and doing fuel calculation . Stuff like density altitude , true airspeed , track , heading are all very important . I still use ADF and VOR . Believe it or not your GPS can fail . Even the WAAS gps . Oh and you need to know about transponders . Also ADSB . I don't think much of sims for teaching basic maneuvers . Sharp turns , s turns , slips ,skids and such but those and your stalls are part of the curriculum .And that is most of what a private pilot needs; IFR and commercial are a lot more . I had a guy with me who thought FSX was good enough to make him a pilot . I had him in the real plane with me and he had not a clue on how to even start it . Also his taxi , comms and run up were the worst . On your check ride , the examiner can fail you on those things . The run up is vitally important btw . This guy nearly crossed the hold short without permission . Major no no. He did NOT adjust his gyrocompass , he did NOT adjust his barometric altimeter. His take off was bad ( didn't compensate for right turning tendency, ) his landings were worse . Round out was nonexistent and I took over . He barfed during the power off stall . He was so proud of his sim , till we got in areal plane . Every sim er I talk to believes they can take what they do from their sim and go fly for real . That could be at least partially true if you had a comprehensive course . I would say try landing with a quartering x wind of 20 Knots gust of 30 and visibility of 1.5 SM on ILS or try it at an un towered field . You have to have to use the mic to trigger the ARCAL and land at night with visibility greatly reduced. VFR into IMC is pretty serious and most pilots . Even guys with 10 k hours VFR crash in 2 minutes . Something similar killed JFK jr - CFIT ( controlled flight into terrain ) These sims look beautiful but they are a video game unless you are serious about flying and use them to study .

[@clipsolo]

I have a good feeling about fsw. Now flying xplane and p3d. I think dovetail sees the success of p3d so they should have good motivation to push fsw to the out-of-the-box standards of x-plane 11. That would really lower the bar for flight simulator x fans to jump in (and perhaps convert a couple p3drs too? :)

[@BullBosphorus]

Good video my friend 👍🏻 always good content!

[@Williamowilson3]

I do agree with the # 1 spot being the real deal I’m a commercial airline pilot and I pilot the boing 747 for delta and I was actually trained on the professional version of the Xplane series. We used it in a flight sim machine that is used to train pilots I’m also an x air force caption and piloted an f-16. If you are looking for a good simulator Xplane 11 is the way tho go. I even use it at the house to keep my practice up between flights.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Cheers wow, my two favorite AC of all time you just mention then. Welcome to the channel.

[@1959tnt]

No you are not a pilot... Idiot.

[@katrinasparks899]

It's also kind of funny because 9 months ago when this was posted, the 747 had already been retired from the Delta fleet.

[@erikk77]

The 747 has only been retired in US domestic service. It's still used in other countries and international flights.

[@katrinasparks899]

@@erikk77 But Delta (Which OP was referring too) has had them retired since January.

[@saeedalfahim8604]

Excellent review , thank you for the effort ...Short , concise and simple

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thank you mate.

[@rackum44]

I like x plane too. I have 2002 fs which is awesome too.

[@mikestout5332]

Great video Shane, I'm a fan. I slightly disagree with you about XP 11 in the top spot as it is so close. I would kill for the lighting in XP but I do the majority of my flying during the day. I fly the PMDG exclusively add on airport to add on airport. With that said P3d v4 is king.

[@davido1953]

I'm going to be that rare commenter who agrees with your assessment.

[@t6vX423M]

As always, nice videos and reviews from you! :-) (Fokker 50 & Saab 340 Captain)

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thomas, for xplane?

[@francoistrussart9274]

Impressive !!! I was still thinking that there were only FSX and X-Plane.

[@williamtell7275]

You forgot to mention X-Plane 11 now has native VR. It is in beta but still has native VR.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Yes, the public Beta. Stayed tuned :)

[@iivaris]

Is the performance any better than with the fly inside?

[@corybrayshaw9927]

I wanna get back into flight sims. As soon as I get my computer sorted I will finally be able to do it!... again :D

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Good to hear Cory, thanks for checking out the video. :)

[@allaboutstatus]

Catching up with some of your vids mate. Loved this countdown. Cliffhanger finished :) but you go me excited with your number 1. Worried I might be moving my channel in the wrong direction. This video however has calmed me :) have a good week mate

[@AusFlightSimmer]

You will love Xplane. If you have Discord, why don't you join Aus Flight Simmer group.

[@sal_strazzullo]

0:56 that guy's walk animation lol

[@jackiewang7725]

X-plane is like apple macOS, FSX or P3D are like Microsoft Windows. I start playing all of them (X-plane9 and FS2004) when I was a kid. You can make your life easier by using X-plane. Also you can make more effort to get top level addons for FSX like PMDG, A2A, Aerosoft, FsPassengers, etc. Nowadays, X-plane is better than before since some good addons were developed. But for FSX users like me, it’s really hard to change the platform and give up all purchased addons. So P3D is better for me.

[@omarijoseph3189]

some really sweet airports you filmed here..i wish i knew where these scenery areas were...very nice...and i agree XPlane 11 is really sweet..

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thank you for stopping by at the stream. :)

[@vitormaroso4064]

X-Plane 11 is the best!!! I love it!

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Yup, pretty good.

[@leskovari940]

The taxiway centre lines are there for a purpose; to keep the nose wheel on it while taxiing.

[@colinstrains5885]

G'day Mate . . . . it is the holidays . . .you should chill out . . . .but seriously while I don't necessarily agree with every point you made overall you have hit the nail on the head . . .I agree with your ratings . . . . but still think Flight Sim World has a long way to go to catch number 2 . . .let alone x-plane . . .. I am working on quite a few videos over coming weeks of more specific flying examples . . . . Do have a break . . .Happy New Year . . . ..

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Happy holidays Colin, lol this is chilling out to me :) Looking forward to those up coming video's.. Thanks for all your support in 2017!

[@weswheel4834]

What's the difference between P3D and FSW? (Other than licensing and cost). The addons are the major plus for P3D I think. As the SDK is out soon we just need the devs to start releasing stuff for it.

[@EhsWorldProductions]

Yeah for me it's between P3Dv4 and Xplane 11. I've been an MSFS junkie all of my life from FS98 to FSX, but MSFS is gone now. P3D is probably the best reboot of the original FSX architecture, as Dovetail's FSW needs a LOT of work, should have been #5 on the list. Aerofly FS2, which is a completely different sim is not bad, but in my mind, it's more of a toy. I like its simplicity and graphics though. One thing I like about P3D is that it has the largest add-on database and the most customization (most FSX add-ons are compatible). Graphics between P3Dv4 and XP11 are almost on par now except XP11's lighting effects are far superior. Now, for me, aircraft sounds are very important. FSX used to have the best 3D sound engine (I'm a flight sim aircraft sound developer), and P3D and FSW still use it, but Xplane rolled out FMOD support with Version 11. Xplane's FMOD sound architecture is quite possibly the most advanced and detailed sound engine there is, so to go with the ultra-realistic flight dynamics and systems, stunning graphics and level of detail is a phenomenal new 3D sound engine! Now keep in mind that not all aircraft have this sound engine (they are still working on that), but I suspect that by the end of the year we will see these new 3D sounds for all of the stock aircraft. Once I figure out how to work with the FMOD engine and Xplane, I'm going to make the full switch over. I might still do sounds for P3D/FSX though, not sure yet. But XP11 definitely deserves its best in class rating and it's my new favorite sim!

[@billsmith9254]

Good morning. Enjoyed your content. I agree with you for the most part. Regarding the top spot. I have been going back and forth for some time. I believe that both these platforms are equally good. It does seem that my system likes P3d v4.1 better but at times it has issues. I also have notices that since I have added orbex add-ons it does run slower. X Plane 11 when it is running well is really stunning. But I get more glitches with X Plane 11. I tend to use both of the top two platforms daily. FSW is very enjoyable and I am looking forward to see how it turns out. I have been following the Microsoft flight sim product since it was introduced. Still have FSX Steam on my system and go back and use it from time to time. A great platform overall but dated. I am amazed how far the flight simulation platforms have come..

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Yeah for sure, when I jumped back into FSX for a little bit, put things in perspective how good we have it now...

[@mdaydj]

you mention that you are not a real life pilot which is why i will throw in that fsx with a decent A2A or PMDG aircraft feels more real than xplane which to me still feels like a game and not at all real. I can get away with xplane landings that would have me doing a "go around" in the real thing. P3D would be my sim of choice i've just got to take the plunge to spend the extra £200 however at £170 per hour in the real thing it would seem silly not to .....Thanks for the vid and showing options i didn't know existed

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thanks for your comments mdaydi. And thanks for checking out the video.,

[@Chromehounds96]

Not even so much as an honorable mention to DCS? There is no close second when it comes to systems modeling and flight characteristics. It is not a civilian flight sim, so I can understand why it wouldn’t make the list, but at least a mention would be respectable.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

You might see another video soon!!!

[@sal_strazzullo]

Also Infinite Flight?

[@Mg-uq7pj]

Infinite Flight is crap though lol

[@MagnumMike44]

Good video. I have X-Plane 10 and and FSX-Steam running on Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit) 32 GB of memory, i7 8-core 3 GHZ processor and GTX NVidia 6 GB video card. The computer is a powerhouse, and X-Plane 10 runs great on it. I want to get rid of the FSX-Steam mainly because it's a 32-bit simulator built on the old FSX architecture. I also want to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro in the near future, and I was thinking about getting X-Plane 11, I just wish they had more airports in it. I'll also keep my eyes on FSW, hoping they add commercial airliners, the Boeing 777 would be great to have in the fleet.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thank you for your comment and for checking out the video. :)

[@danp1975]

Great video Shane!

[@tomwunder3557]

Your ranking is still a bit off (in my NOT SO humble opinion) but you have got the important players on the board this time. Thanks for a great & fun video! :)

[@Neccronix]

DCS is the highest fidelity flight sim ever made and it's not even mentioned in the list. DCS: F-18c Hornet comes out soon this year. Seems like this list is for civilian aircraft, not combat sims.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

That's correct Hanz, you may see another video down the line for combat sim's

[@codecodderson3607]

Gary Rodrigue haha was that a dig joke lkl

[@sts3121]

It competes with Falcon BMS, which is fantastic

[@Rtzimbobweee]

lmao no. p3d/fsx with tacpack is 10x better than DCS. DCS is a pile of shit.

[@airborne971]

wow that's amazing, I didn't know about Xplane 11 ! I understand now why.

[@brentjohnson6654]

Hello. New subscriber here. Thanks for your informative description of the different simulators. I am drawn to Xplane since that is what I have heard the most about accuracy in flight based on airframe definition. I am a pilot that is currently not able to fly medically and while I am in this state I am going to build a home cockpit with either individual instruments or Garmin G1000 with some backup gauges. I am having trouble identifying this instruments and what size panel I need to have rode those things. But it is all interesting and enjoyable to learn the different interfaces that are required.

[@GaryCameron]

I chose X-plane because it runs on Linux and has the most realistic flight mechanics. Can't wait to see the vulkan driver port.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Yep, exciting stuff.

[@kenoath007]

Agreed for the most part except I'd recommend Aerofly's FS2 before Microsoft's FS X.. looking to the future, as you say it's dated but Aerofly at $53US (Steam Sale) isn't great value. Edit: if you don't have a good gaming rig Aerofly FS2 may be for you. ATM Dovetail Games Flight Sim' World is the cheapest (Steam Winter Sale $7.49USD!) bang for buck sim' but as you say it has a long way to go... DLC is not cheap. X Plane 11 (currently $35.59USD Steam Sale) continues to improve every update, (now with native VR) it really does have the best flight physics of any PC sim' on the market... it is the only one I'm happy to throw $$$ at but there is so much quality Free Ware available you don't have to! I haven't bothered getting P3D to date, the cost of getting it to look as good as X Plane 11 is prohibitive and it doesn't have realistic flight physics. As a former GA pilot when it comes to simulation it's all about realistic flight physics.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thanks for your feedback Ken, some great points... Cheers

[@elcondordelcondor1485]

Bye bye FSW.... Nice video mate, 'will be happy to see ur others videos ^^

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thanks for stopping by :)

[@sindeecharlton8857]

I have FSX which I love. I have made lots of airports and custom planes. I just which Microsoft was still into flight sim. I have at least 3 maybe even 4 of the original packages.

[@Lighthousemaker]

Agree with your chosen five but not entirely.. I'm about to build up a new sim set up after using FS9 since it's implementation. I have watched with awe you guys videos of each flight sim platform and to me its swings and roundabouts. With my VA there is an awful lot more scenery and visual effects such as weather in P3D. X-plane looks amazing scenery wise and mind blowing night lighting. FSW looks to be in contention during 2018 if it's jets become available. So it's P3D for me next month after much deliberation on the whole package of 64bit usability ,scenery,aircraft, weather etc.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

You can't go wrong with P3D, don't get me wrong, I love both sim's P3D and 11.. Good luck with your new PC build.

[@Lighthousemaker]

I don't disagree with x plane as it's amazing in scenery quality and have seriously considered it but it lacks the airports I desire... One has to question....will P3D and orbx bring the scenery to X plane standard or will X plane bring more scenery to the platform? Thanks for your videos which includes FS elite flight sim deck.. You guys do a great job in paving the way in what direction to take flightsim wise. Yes a very high end pc in the new year with new software and hardware... Exciting time ahead😀

[@SixStringflyboy]

Have you looked on the X-Plane forums to see if someone has made the airports you're looking for? There are a number of good freeware airports available and if it doesn't exist you might just find someone to make it for you. If that's the only thing keeping you from getting it I'd take another look. P3D is an excellent sim, but I've been advised Lockheed-Martin are starting to get more strict about the licensing.

[@Lighthousemaker]

I have to admit I haven't... I suppose it's all down to where I think direction of the various sims are going. It just seems more weight is on P3D.

[@rainey06au]

Nice video but I would have dropped FSX out of the mix. I know its a combat sim but DCS World should be right up there as an alternative. If it were me I'd go FSW, Aerofly FS2, P3D, DCS, Xplane11.

[@AirCatAviation]

Lovely video mate! I got lots of good tips here! I still use FSX but maybe I should try something more modern! Liked!

[@Ecthaelyon]

Excellent video, well done and thank you for posting.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thanks for checking it out.

[@ZZstaff]

I continue to use the original FSX and it does well with add-on aircraft [my current favorite is the Carenado EMB505 Phenom 300 second is the Alabeo PA44 Seminole], Ground Environment X, and REX Worldwide Airports. If I were to purchase a simulator now I would get P3D v4

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thanks for the comment and for checking out the video :)

[@weswheel4834]

Surely an added bonus of XP11 (vs P3D) is that the license allows me to use it? I don't have to either pay $199 for the base simulator, or to claim to be a student on an aviation course. Cheers for the video.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thanks for checking it out Tony! Cheers

[@robertnicoll9712]

If you've not tried it, you need to give DCS a go. Yeah.. it's not a civil sim, but the feel of it and given how well TrackIR works in it it out does XP11. This is frustrating to me as i've been trying to move into civil sims for a while and nothing beats DCS for 'feel'.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thanks Robert. I have it. You will see it in a video down the line. Combat Simulators. Thanks for checking the video out :)

[@kmankman8519]

Im gona go for fsx.not the worst or best but the best in its own right,graphics are good and can be made better given per system performance ect.coming from a guy who played fs98 and watched the history,although back then it was eye candy and a must. im happy with fsx,X plane looks cool,maybe sometime in the future but for now i love fsx.its addons and mods are crazy,and on top of that it supports both the rich the average and the poor concerning the mods and expansion department.fsx is thoes type of games that are just too damn good and stand the test of time.cool vid thanx

[@Warbouw]

FSX was not re-released in 2006 by Dovetail games, but by Microsoft. FSX Steam edition was the upcoming version when Microsoft decided in 2012 or 2013 (I don't know precicously) to stop supporting FSX.

[@BigCarmine]

I was really disappointed to learn of FSW stopping development. I hope someone out there picks it up and continues development of it. I still use it and like it, but FSX SE is still what I use the most. Just got DCS but am only beginning to experiment with. FSX is still my go to sim as my sim is set up and configured as a teaching tool for my flight students to learn the basic operation of C-172 and for basic flight by instruments.

[@Topcat1952]

Shane: Like your videos on flight sims. Very informative. I have two questions if you could answer here: 1. What video card/monitor do you use to generate the very detailed screen video? They always look so much sharper than mine. I have an NVIDIA GeForce GTX960 and two AOC E2752S monitors. I run P3DV4 at 2048 resolution which seems to be as high as this card will go. The 1080 cards are really expensive so I am wondering if upgrading to a 4k card and monitors will make a big difference? 2. In many of your videos, the scenes are in parking lots or inside terminals and other places outside of the aircraft. How do I get to these locations to look around? Can that be done with P3DV4 or do I need an add-on package? I am running with the ORBX GTX and OpenGL scenery. Thanks and keep the videos coming!

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Hello Denny, I use chase plane for P3D and x-camera for xplane. Both will enable you move around the sims freely. As 4 monitor, I cant remember the model, buts a 4K and my graphics card is 1080. 4K will make a massive appearance to your flight simulator. Hope that helps, and thanks for the support. Cheers

[@Topcat1952]

Thanks Shane. I'll give the Chase Plane app a look. I did some research on my existing card GTX960 and it seems it supports UHD so I'll keep that (since the 1080 cards are over $1k) but look into 4k monitors since even the same size (27 inch) as I have now has a much higher resolution. Appreciate the help.

[@marilyn3583]

I've used mostly MSFS since about 1990. These would run great if you had the fastest multi-core processor and best graphics card avail.

[@EclecticTastes]

We used to use the original MSFS as a way to determine whether a PC (8080 or 8086) was truly compatible with the IBM standard for PCs. If it ran OK, it was compatible!

[@marilyn3583]

My first time was FS3 (?) that was running on an '86. It ran but....Trying to do hammerhead stalls at about 2-3 fps wasn't really cutting it. LOL.

[@thehair3696]

0:40 looks soo real

[@javierf55]

Nice video, thanks for the selection. Which of the five do you consider having the best international sceneries?

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Xplane & Prepard are both great. Prepard, will have the most payware high level scenery. Thanks for checking out the video.

[@TheWannabeGeek]

Great review, very informative info. Loved it

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thanks tried to mimic the same sort of video in my last video. Didn't get the runs on the board.

[@alexjohnson7760]

Hi great video maybe you could if possible do a video on a computer system.for beginners to run the top 5 flight Sims so they get the benefit out of them

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Alex, thanks for the idea.

[@peejay1943]

Great and useful video. Many thanks.

[@MaxxEastick]

One thing about X-Plane and why I fly it, cross platform. I run it on Linux and it runs great. Can run on Mac as well. I don't think any of the others on your list do.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

No only X-plane I think.. :)

[@viktorpetukhov727]

I loved XPlane for flight mechanics and because it's the only simulator with curved runways, which, taken together, give way more fun. However, AI traffic and AI ATC need to be improved, and FSX/P3D have also much better selection of aircraft mods. And as I'm not ready for vatsim, I'm sticking with them.

[@darkshadow7709]

Perfect rating and numbering. I loved your video!!!

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thank you Syed, thanks for checking it out.

[@AlexanderJBarrett]

FlightGear has to be worth a go, the Visuals have come on leaps and bounds in the past few years and, as always, it's entirely free and open source.

[@totoplanes497]

Great video!

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thanks, for checking out the video.

[@journeyer58]

They have the Grumann Goose but they have no airports, aerodromes for water landings, especially in the Maldives and Vancouver Island. I wish that I had the Adobe program to write the software for the Goose, the Beaver Twin, and the Beaver Single Engine, which would be a real advancement in FSX usage.

[@armenio1947]

o fly with all three, but I have to confess that I feel more comfortable with FS9 is a lot easier for me.

[@Crypt_AU]

I mean. Excluding DCS, because all who have played it know it is leaps and bounds ahead of anything else right now..

[@crabsodyinblue]

Fan of all flightsims and love this top 5, but a shame Rise of Flight doesnt get a mention here. Perhaps a different category but utterly realistic!

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thanks mate. I place that as a combat simulator. Maybe it will make another top 5 down the track...

[@anorlunda]

My main interest is playing with the latest glass cockpit gadgets. Which should be #1 for me?

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thanks for stopping by Dick.

[@fsxpilot8355]

Me thinks if FSW is sorted and developers start to take advantage of the SDK it should become the number one. I play it, and have played FSX and SE and P3D. IMO P3D its strengths are becoming its achilis heal and performace is actually reduced since P3D v3 which I find weird since its 64b architecture thus it should have more RAM available. Up to now I only see that advantage being exploited by Dovetail....that 3d rain effect from P3D also does do not give the extra immersion i get in FSW. FSW however has a lot of bad reviews about performance, but when i bought it i was actually astouned by it. I get 30 fps easy whilst the performance sheet says my PC would downgrade the game to perform well...well...it didn't downgrade and I get those 30 fps and proper AI and scenery/autogen visibility easy...add the rain effect which no other has ever matched and its a solid nr1 for me. I do think however, when flying a 500kts jet the performace in scenery and autogen visibility will be greatly reduced...caus lets be honest, if you fly a plane that flies 170 kts max every sim will load the scnery and autogen in a proper way, slow flying enhances performace/scnery and autogen loading time on every simn out there..fact. Force feedback is a big joke on FSW, but thats with every sim included in this vid, thanks to FSforce this will change soon. FS force is not available for Xplane 11, which makes it a no no for my fully force feedback equiped sim-pit, so Xplane, how beautofull it may seem, has no advantages for me. IMO Aerofly will become a solid two for me when they get coverage and nultiplay sorted. From what I have seen the scenery is the best of all....just so sparcely covered...and I have no idea how they have incorperated FFB. Nice vid, I do not agree on all of it, but I think positions will shift during development. Its good to see Flight sim developers are actually competing again, which is good for us, the end user ;)

[@MichaelMolli]

What makes the 5 simulators different? Is it the speed (fps), the details (looks), the physics, can one do something, what the other one can't? Would have liked to see examples of the same detail on ever simulator, to understand where the differences are visible.

[@turbofanlover]

To each their own, but FSX is STILL #1 for me. :)

[@krisztiancampianu7552]

Nice video,as always! :) . . . . . . But you selled the kidney of the whole family for 1750gb of ssd?

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Yes we do!!! :)

[@EclecticTastes]

Good one!

[@rolandodiberna7970]

I see the following positions; 1 X11 (X10) 2 P3D 3 Aerofly 2 4 and 5 open not occupied

[@Chasem20]

Come 11 months later, I haven’t ever not found an airport in x plane 11. By now I’m pretty sure it covers all of em.

[@thefireprint7665]

Quick question I hope someone could answer, I know it’s a long time since post but still.. What’s the best sim when it comes to teaching you “pilot license”?.. I mean how and when’s and what’s. I can easily take off and land a Cessna with the alt meter and such but a little more into teaching you the how tos etc.. if I’m making sense at all. Other than that! Good video and I agree on nr.1! Flying wise

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Still recommend xplane 11

[@thefireprint7665]

Aus Flight Simmer really? Perhaps I haven’t found the training. But thanks for replying! 👍

[@Red-Magic]

There is no Digital Combat Simulator! That's a flight simulator too. I think DCS belongs in at least #2, if not #1. The flight models and graphics are stunning!! Many say it's on par with X-Plane 11, if not maybe a little better. Give it a look.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

I have it Magic, I agree it's stunning. I place DCS in a different category (combat simulation) May see another video down the line.

[@Red-Magic]

Aus Flight Simmer Promise me something... Don't include War Thunder for its "Simulation mode" 😂 Jokes aside, happy New Year, and have a good 2018!

[@ricardoayrons5823]

Muito bom vídeo e o canal é muito bom também ...Parabéns e espero um dia ser piloto comercial executivo ....

[@AusFlightSimmer]

Thank you, and good luck.

[@fedaykinwolf]

So the top 5 flight sims are All of them? :P Good info though, thanks

[@radioactivegamer1450]

Forgot to mention crashes and bugs in X11. Stopped flying distant flights because it would crash after a while.

[@meganjperry9489]

I personally would place P3D in first spot, when used with aircraft from PMDG. Those aircraft are highly realistic & can cost more than P3D itself, but the realism is unmatched by any other sim.

[@AusFlightSimmer]

+Megan J Perry Some great points PMDG do make great products. Xplane 11 is starting to catch up on the study level ac. With the likes of FlyJsim 737-200. Thanks for checking out the video.

[@Hinaioo]

0:41 WOW THAT LOOK VERY REAL

[@AusFlightSimmer]

That was Aerofly FS2 :)

[@totaledorbgaming7280]

100th comment!! YAY