| To repeat my previous post on the pilot's license thread: X-Plane: * Has the most accurate flight model -- so accurate that some manufacturers use X-Plane to flight-test models not yet produced. * Can be FAA-certified for instrument training * Can be networked among multiple machines to power multi-monitor cockpit setups * Can be extended via plugins, of which a wide variety are available * Has an extremely active developer community-- plugins, aircraft, scenery * Can be used to fly online with VATSIM (US) and IVAO (Europe) - where there is often live ATC and where griefers are kickbanned liberally. * Has an awesome developer blog, talking about 3d graphics implementations at a very low level: http://xplanescenery.blogspot.com/ * Has Austin Meyer (owner/lead dev), who is a colorful personality, and blogs often about aviation and other miscellany: http://www.x-plane.com/pg_PIREPS.html * Is available for iPhone and iPad * Can use your iPhone or iPad as a joystick and to display instruments tied to the sim on your computer |
Also, I know "FAA certification" is an oft-touted feature of XP, but it's not certified as a simulator, only as a "flight training device" and at the level it's certified the bar is pretty low.
If you're looking to get sim time for an instrument rating, it's helpful but it's not as impressive as it sounds. XP's certification level is more about, "if the joystick is unplugged, pause the sim" than accurate aerodynamic modeling or flight model completeness.