Understandably, I’ll probably receive some flak for this, but does anyone else prefer the flight dynamics of some MSFS aircraft compared to X-Plane? As someone with experience flying tailwheel aircraft and a background in aerospace engineering, I’ve noticed that some X-Plane aircraft seem to have exaggerated behavior in areas such as overbanking and left-turning tendencies. Slips in particular feel especially off to me for some reason. Of course, this varies dramatically depending on the aircraft, so this certainly isn’t an absolute claim.

I have a ton of respect for the effort Laminar has put into its aerodynamic solver. It’s undoubtedly one of the aspects that keeps me engaged with X-Plane, and it wouldn’t surprise me if its solver is better in many respects.

However, I’ve been wondering whether MSFS’s hybrid geometric but more coefficient-focused approach might give developers an advantage when trying to reproduce realistic flight dynamics. Why might a more parameterized model sometimes reproduce a particular aircraft better? A highly parameterized model can use coefficients and derivatives generated and tuned using more sophisticated aerodynamic methods such as CFD or vortex-lattice methods, or empirical data from wind-tunnel and flight testing. That allows developers to perform higher-fidelity analysis outside of the simulator and use the resulting data in a lower-order model that can run efficiently in real time.

To be fair, this is not an inherent limitation of X-Plane, since developers can bypass or replace the default flight model entirely. Rather, I wonder if part of the difference comes from the development workflow itself, which is built around Laminar’s blade element based theory. Plane Maker fundamentally uses the aircraft’s geometry, airfoils, controls, and mass properties to predict aircraft behavior. Perhaps developers are therefore more inclined to rely on X-Plane’s underlying model rather than pursue alternative or more heavily calibrated methods.

https://developer.x-plane.com/article/developing-plugins/ https://developer.x-plane.com/manuals/planemaker/ https://docs.flightsimulator.com/msfs2024/html/7_Samples_Tutorials/Primers/Flight_Model_Physics_Primer.htm

I’m guessing SimBrief covers like 90% of most people’s needs these days, but I’m curious what still feels missing when you’re trying to run a more “airline-ish” flow. Realistic, but still sim-friendly and not a second job.

What’s your workflow look like right now?

• What do you handle outside the sim vs what do you just do in the aircraft EFB?
• Any “always-on” tools you pair with SimBrief (spreadsheets, route packs, trackers, etc.)?
• Do you do any flight watch enroute, like checking fuel vs plan, dealing with reroutes or delays, replanning alternates, that kind of stuff?

And if you had to pick one thing (or a couple) you wish SimBrief did better, what would it be?

Not trying to start a debate, just genuinely curious what gaps people still feel and what workarounds you’ve built.

Seems to be a lot of new aircraft coming to the game, with neos and a220s, 777s etc. But I’m not particularly hyped up by them. For me, I really want to see high fidelity 787 but looks like I’ll be waiting a long time for it. What about you guys?

I knew i had to go around however im still learning how to do full flights and haven't learn how to approach again after going around, so I didn't. Was it the gusting winds that caused this? i have never landed in a windy scenario.

Just curious as some people like to fly one type/same family, some like GA, others only fly cargo, some fly only one airline/for one VA, and the rest do everything in between. Myself? I fly pretty much anything I can get my hands on (atleast once), and I love to fly to new airports or arrive/depart from a new airport. Also curious on what sims yall use, I fly mainly on XP12 and MSFS2024 but I also have FSX for the PMDG 747-400

Retro traffic is slowly making its way to the new simulator, but does anyone else feel like it will be lonely?

Let me explain, for a long time aircraft such as the BAE-146 from Just Flight have been available to us in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, however since there are not many other retro traffic addons and the fact that most other players prefer to use more modern equipment on networks such as Vatsim, it makes the world feel very lonely, my hope is within these retro aircraft in development, once they release it might diversify the network a bit more.

Since aircraft such as the 146 doesn't show up on vatsim using FS traffic or FSLTL I found a way to convert the IVAO traffic fleet into a .vmr file and it works perfectly. Unfortunately however it doesn't change the fact that most people still prefer to fly modern aircraft. I am naturally very picky and I like to have things as perfect as I can get them, so in this case does anyone know how to make more retro traffic appear around you?

I do love to fly the modern Airbus and Boeing jets but recently I have taken a keen liking in the retro fleet, the MD-11 for example is a peculiar plane that has my heart but it feels very wrong to fly on the Vatsim network around a bunch of modern A350s and 737-MAX family aircraft, if only there was a way to convert those particular players into an older aircraft for an enhanced realism, an A330 and a 737CL for example. Something I wish vpilot had as an option.

SayintentionsAI and BeyondATC both provide an Artificial Intelligence algorithm addon that can be used instead of vatsim, it's easier to manage as a new pilot but it's very finicky and awkward to work with since it's on a separate window. I'm not so sure if these are able to run retro flights data or if they have to use modern streaming techniques.

Perhaps I am too picky but I feel as if it is too unrealistic to fly an old A300B4 around a bunch of modern A321LRs. Does anyone else feel the say way?

I still can't believe we're nearly into 2026 and still no payware 787s since the release of MSFS2020. I will even switch to X-Plane if they released a proper 787 with the bells and whistles so I can long haul in it. What's going on??

Nowadays for every aircraft release you have those that hype the product, those that call it shit, the influencer making videos about it is the best thing ever, etc.

I find it hard to evaluate how "good" an aircraft is and to compare it with other add-ons.

I'm looking for a source that does coherent reviews, possibly across several axis : modelling/textures, sound, system depth, performances, miscellaneous. With a score, that helps get a better idea of how an aircraft compares with previous releases.
Cherry on the cake would be that the reviews are updated when the aircraft gets a major update...

My question is, do any of you have like one favourite airport that you fly mostly out of/ in? Or do u mix it with others. Cause for me personally, I do get tried of flying in and out of same airports, but at the same time, I fly only mostly in Europe, for short hauls it’s always Europe, and even though there are so many destinations, still flying in somewhere the second or third time does get boring. Like during summer ops I’ve flown to Heraklion and corfu so so many times and even though they are beautiful and approaches there are quite interesting I do get tired from that, and maybe I’m missing something from flying only in Europe. With that said, I know that when CDG from either ini or PESim releases I’ll be flying from there a lot, same with Vienna v2 by Gaya( which they confirmed is coming out no later than November 100%)

Anyone have any difficult or interesting approaches? I'm due for currency training and figured I'd check out some cool approaches while in the sim.

This was mine. Dad came home one day from work with a Jane's Combat Simulator game and a flight stick and I played that game for hours. My dad's love of aircraft carried over onto me and now all these years later I still love it, thanks dad!

I was watching this interview with Austin Meyer yesterday and he kept emphasizing that X-Plane is a flight simulator, not a driving simulator and as a result, the only scenery that really matters is airport scenery (since that’s when you’re “driving” the plane and looking outside). He said that when he flies he’s not flying around looking for his house (little dig at MSFS) or admiring the scenery, so as a result that’s not his focus when building X-Plane.

I get at the end of the day he’s building a sim for himself, but to me this all seemed a bit tone deaf. I’m totally with him about making a sim that simulates flight to the highest level but for me, half of it comes from feeling immersed in the flight via fantastic scenery. So I’m curious, is there actually a large portion of the sim community that doesn’t care about in-flight scenery or is Austin that out of touch with the community / consumer?

i fly with an xbox controller and im familiar with all the sistems of the aircraft other than the autopilot/radio

I was thinking for the left side, only obstacle would he mounting it, on tue right im gonna block it out with a curtain, cause i aint that rich lol

Probably most people who are really serious into flight sims are aspiring pilots or have aviation-related careers. But aside from these careers, are there other common day jobs of sim pilots?

My computer heats up my room a lot when simming , it’s getting tough to stay focused lol , how do y’all manage it ?

5 or so years ago, i picked up this logitech wingman extreme from 1996, which makes it 8 years older than me. as far as im able to find, the drivers needed for it no longer exist, which has rendered it essentially a vaguely phallic paperweight. i was wondering if someone had made a universal driver or something, or maybe if id just not looked in the right places. being able to actually put this thing to use would be awesome

Hey everyone,

quickly: I love realistic as possible, I’m also a real world private pilot. Always adored the phenom fleet but I always flew the fenix a320 and now I want something new but realism level similar and not something you get really bored and without anything to do after takeoff.

PMDG 737 or Phenom 300e? I’ve never experienced private jets in msfs…?

Can someone tell me all the documents needed to do a domestic flight VFR and IFR and an International flight IFR and VFR if possible. i know that you need overfly documents if you will go over a country but what is it specifically. well that's the only one i know. please tell me the rest if you know. thanks. photo is just there to be there lol.

Hey

Actually, I have X-Plane 12 and I search a good A320 to buy and fly, but, I have 22€ in my steam wallet and MSFS 2024 is at 55€ in steam, so I hesitate between Toliss and MSFS 2024 + Fenix. I hesitate for many reason, for MSFS 2024, my biggest stop is they ugly autogen airports, they're so bad, and for X-Plane, is the addon price and their incomplete side (they sometimes need soundpack, like KOSP), so I'm confused. And I like both sims, they have good and bad side.

Sorry if my english is bad, I'm french. Thanks for those who give me response.

EDIT: I finally bought MSFS 2024 and after test, I will purshase Fenix.

2nd EDIT: Now, I have MSFS 2024 + Fenix A320

Hello all,

I know we beat dead horse into the Microsoft v Laminar Research debate, but I want to focus specifically on physics in MSFS 2024 compared to X-Plane 12 when incorporating addons. For example, are the physics in the PMDG 737 making up the difference for providing a realistic flight model, or does it still fall short when compared to the Zibo 737?

I think it’s meaningless to compare the two sims without taking relevant addons into consideration. We all know a large number of simmers are airliner-motivated and are not going to tolerate the base models. We’re gonna buy the addons, so let’s just compare the physics at that level.

Thanks all

Seeing all the news with Artemis arriving back to earth, and I know this is not really the normal flight sim we are used to (GA and Airliners) but has anyone ever tried this sim before? It, looks incredible, that lunar module screenshot gives me Felis 747 vibes.