Skycat wrote:Cessna781 wrote:I think the major difference between how much we enjoy GA compared to other aircraft comes down to what we use the simulator for.
Agreed, and I didn't mean to stir a hornet's nest or cast any dispersion on A2A products. I've actually considered some of the GAs for the features exclusive to them I wish were part of the Warbird packages.
I prefer the Warbirds because they are loud and fast. Also, I like military history and I enjoy reading vintage training manuals and operating notes for these aircraft. The A2A aircraft let me practice--or at least digest--the actual procedures for these aircraft. Some people need to fly them in combat to enjoy them; I just imagine I am ferrying aircraft from factories to operating bases during World War, or I'm a modern-day billionaire with a stable of exotic antique aircraft.
Personally, I wish A2A offered more USAAF pursuit fighters. Yeah, that's very specific and selfish but it's what keeps me coming back to the sim. I dream of a decent P-39 Airacobra or P-63 Kingcobra and I'd settle for a best-guess approximation on flight models and engine behavior. Accusim features like walk-around inspection, towing, tie-down, etc., would be incredible too.
Those are good points. If you have a garden shed or tool shed or whatever, you see a row of different types of tools. Each type of tool is best suited for a particular set of tasks. Airplanes are the same way. The Cherokee might be like a trowel, while the Mustang is like a shovel. If you try to use the trowel on a job meant to be used by a shovel or vice versa, you might not get as much out of that particular tool that you seek. THen again, you might also appreciate the extra challenge of making do with what you got in abnormal situations.
The point is, there are many different things to do with airplanes, even in the civilian FS world. The warbirds are excellent for Day VFR cross country IFR(I Follow Roads) flying, aerobatics, and the sheer fun of mastering high powered taildraggers. The GA fleet is excellent for training purposes, for simulating aircraft owner/operator. The T-6 and Civil Mustang give you a bit of both. The airliners/B-17 are perfect for large aircraft management fun. The Cub is great for going to the absolute bare essentials of flight.
Any airplane can be exciting or boring depending on the situations you put them in relative to whatever floats your boat. The J-3 can be quite exciting when you are following a river in the backcountry in MVFR conditions, looking for some postage stamp airstrip. Likewise flying the Cherokee oldschool IFR on the famous Martin State KMTN VOR approach by hand, no GPS, down to MDA is quite exciting too. Of course the Warbirds all bring their sets of challenges. Mixing it up is fun too of course, like dropping a warbird into a bush strip without breaking the prop.
For me personally, variety is the most important thing. I would get burned out if I did one type of flying all the time. I welcome anything A2A puts out because it is something new, with a new set of challenges.
Cheers,
TJ