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What's the best airrcraft somebody can buy for $20 - $30?


Mac_Maddog88

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I'm looking for something small and good for sightseeing to enjoy Norcal with. I was looking at the Alabeo stuff, the staggerwing and 195 look beautiful. I like the older stuff Carenado made like the Arrow IV and older Pipers, so I was looking at one of their smaller GA planes too. 


 


What would you guys recommend?


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The Realair Legacy is superb and it's half price just now so be quick!  It does low and slow very well, and low and fast for the boring bits, the built in effects are brilliant!


 


But since this is Orbx forums, and we need to keep a balance, check out the Orbx Lancair, I really like it too, it's a bigger challenge to fly and I think it's better for longer & higher cruise flights...and cost only a little bit more. 

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I've been flying "Ant's Airplanes" T-28 Trojans around NCA.  I have both his "B & C" and "D" versions.  (There is donation-ware "A" too.)


Great visibility with the bubble canopy, lots of power for short takeoffs and fast cruise, but also slows down nicely and can land on pretty short strips. 


It is vintage navigation (though you can still use a pop-up GPS), but I enjoy flying pure VFR with a cart.  Orbx's scenery is so accurate that VFR pilotage is not difficult.


 


Happy Flying,


Matt


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Realair Legacy is a superb choice, especially since they're coming out with an official P3D2 version of that and the Duke... while I love the Duke for IFR touring, it's not the best for sightseeing because of the large engines.  


http://www.realairsimulations.com/legacy_overview.php?page=legacyfsx_overview


 


Another great choice is the Baytower RV7 


http://www.baytower.ca/index.htm


 


Orbx makes a fast tourer, the big brother to the Legacy, the Lancair IVp


http://www.flightsimstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=1464


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Realair Legacy is a superb choice, especially since they're coming out with an official P3D2 version of that and the Duke... while I love the Duke for IFR touring, it's not the best for sightseeing because of the large engines.  


http://www.realairsimulations.com/legacy_overview.php?page=legacyfsx_overview


 


Another great choice is the Baytower RV7 


http://www.baytower.ca/index.htm


 


Orbx makes a fast tourer, the big brother to the Legacy, the Lancair IVp


http://www.flightsimstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=1464


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Yeah since the Legacy is on sale, get that for sure.  (even if not on sale, its still highly recommended)  Otherwise the T-28, RV-7 are fantastic too.  Saving up for the A2A Cherokee or Skyhawk is an excellent option too.

 

Don't discount the A2A warbirds either.  Touring the countryside in a Spitfire or P-40 is quite fun.  Their lack of modern nav equipment makes it very fun too since you are forced to use basic navigation skills and not just relying on a magenta line.  (you can always add a 2d GPS if needed)

 

The Alabeos and Carenados are all pretty looking, some decent FDE's, and can be entertaing, but they don't feel as 'alive' as the A2A and RealAir choices.

 

Cheers
TJ

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The Legacy also gets better gas mileage than my truck...IRL.  Ah sigh. 


 


If you prefer a high wing then I like the Carenado C210.  Needs a flaps fix (which is very easy to do by editing a file)...flies great, great views, well equipped.  Gas mileage sucks.  LOL.  You could also go for the RealAir Scout package.  High wing, slow, great for tiny runways.  Price is 9.95 Euros...what is that, $15?

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That's real air legacy looks awesome. Just wondering what's a good cruise altitude for the plane?

 

It doesn't have oxygen so it's, generally, for lower flying...but Wikipedia and this both say it can go up to 18,000.

 

http://lancairlegacyn550bl.wordpress.com/performance/

 

Personally, I'm always below 12,000 in it.  Very fast airplane.

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You could also go for the RealAir Scout package.  High wing, slow, great for tiny runways.  Price is 9.95 Euros...what is that, $15?

 

+1. I love that package. Those planes are great fun to fly.

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Aerosoft's rather neglected OV-10 Bronco is perfect for exploring new scenery. The downward visibility from  the cockpit is excellent ( naturally enough, given the aircraft's purpose in real life ). It can go fast and slow, so you can get to places of interest quickly, then loiter around them - it has good STOL capability , so you can get in and out of those little airfields you discover, and it comes with external fuel tanks if you are traveling far. One of the best turboprops ever released for FSX/P3D, and I'm surprised it doesn't feature more on screenshot forums. Get Jankees' NASA Langley repaint for it, and leave the guns on the ground. 


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Aerosoft's rather neglected OV-10 Bronco is perfect for exploring new scenery. The downward visibility from  the cockpit is excellent ( naturally enough, given the aircraft's purpose in real life ). It can go fast and slow, so you can get to places of interest quickly, then loiter around them - it has good STOL capability , so you can get in and out of those little airfields you discover, and it comes with external fuel tanks if you are traveling far. One of the best turboprops ever released for FSX/P3D, and I'm surprised it doesn't feature more on screenshot forums. Get Jankees' NASA Langley repaint for it, and leave the guns on the ground. 

 

When I was an air traffic controller in the military, an OV10 (think it was a D model) was landing and I'd turned around to talk to someone.  When I turned back around and looked he had landed and was turning onto the first taxiway.  The first taxiway was the taxiway you used at the beginning of the runway to enter it.  Apparently, he had landed in about 100 feet.  He'd had a good headwind...maybe 15 knots or so, but we were stunned.

 

Gregg

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Aerosoft's rather neglected OV-10 Bronco is perfect for exploring new scenery. The downward visibility from  the cockpit is excellent ( naturally enough, given the aircraft's purpose in real life ). It can go fast and slow, so you can get to places of interest quickly, then loiter around them - it has good STOL capability , so you can get in and out of those little airfields you discover, and it comes with external fuel tanks if you are traveling far. One of the best turboprops ever released for FSX/P3D, and I'm surprised it doesn't feature more on screenshot forums. Get Jankees' NASA Langley repaint for it, and leave the guns on the ground. 

 

LOVE the Aerosoft OV10! As you've stated, such a versatile bird with fantastic visibility. And Aerosoft have done a beautiful job with the modelling and effects (glass scratches, wonderfully recorded sounds, etc...)

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Oh well, I guess I must be the only one who regretted buying the Legacy a couple of months ago. :mellow:

 

Why?  Only curious.  I really like the modelling and I only fly it when I'm goofing off.  The real world Lancair Legacy has a horrible safety record and I'd never fly it IRL so it doesn't get much serious flight from my hangar.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Everybody's mentioned the standard A2A and RealAir offerings, and I can't argue with them.  I've got 'em all and love 'em.  But  I think that the one plane in my extensive hangar that would have to win the prize when it comes to price vs. value is the Sibwings AN-2.  A truly unique aircraft (just about on the opposite end of the sexy scale from the RA Legacy)  and Sibwings did an outstanding job with it.   Plus, it's less expensive than just about anything on the market worth its price...


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