Hi, I'm a current private pilot and ATCer in the real world. I've used Microsoft sims since FS5.0 - I've also heavily used X plane 10 and 11 (and own 12 but it has some ways to go yet).
I use MSFS often - it's almost the only sim I fly. With XP12 released I have been tinkering in that and doing some beta work. I also once in a blue moon fly DCS - F16 and AH64.
There are a few quirks and annoyances still with MSFS. Ground handling is still not good. The moment you touch down it still feels like paper airplanes....especially in a crosswind. I feel like one has to be on the rudder pedals so much in MSFS that for me it would almost compare to real world tail dragger ops. It's literally a dance even with a small crosswind like 10 knots in almost every addon I own (and yes that is a lot haha - I'm all in when it comes to MSFS). There are a few addons like the highly regarded SWS Kodiak that seem to handle it fine. You should buy this one lol.
Weather - generally speaking, pretty good. Has gotten a LOT better in recent months. Especially when they started implementing METARs. Before this you'd get a cloud "layer" that doesn't at all represent the real world. Or just in general the weather was way off from real world. It's closer now. Clouds look decent from medium ranges -up close can be a little detail lacking but it's fine.
ATC - frankly the AI and ATC is step back from FSX/P3D. I never use in-sim ATC because I work ATC and I can't stand how terrible it is. (It wasn't great in FSX but I believe it was better than this). Just recently a freeware pack for basic AI was released and it's decent:
https://www.fslivetrafficliveries.com/
Addon aircraft - yes there are quite a few but there is a WIDE range of quality hehe. Highest end would be Fenix A320, PMDG 737's, Milviz C310, Flysimware C414, SWS Kodiak and RV14, (freeware FBW A320). Carenado is in the middle again - their Mooney and Seneca are okay - fun for exploring....pretty much like FSX standards but visually nicer. Just Flight Arrows maybe more on the high end. Tons of aircraft on this list. Typically the higher on the list the better:
https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t...ft/507204/1763
Plenty of freeware aircraft, and scenery and other misc addons here:
https://flightsim.to/ (it'll be your go-to site once you buy MSFS)
Yeah as I said I'm all in - I love supporting the developers and have spent a lot of my hard earned income so far on addons. You don't have to spend money on anything if you don't want to. I'd recommend the Premium Deluxe which will contain a few extra aircraft but also the Citation Longitude which will be getting a freeware mod shortly to make it quite detailed.
Get all the Working Title stuff too (google that)
Just wanted to add 5 of my very favorite screenshots (all mine)
xpqtthl0skb91 by
Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr
Untitled-24 by
Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr
(The TDS GTN 750 Xi which I highly recommend in the FSW C414)
Untitled-18 by
Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr
Untitled-12 by
Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr
Untitled-15 by
Ryan Butterworth, on Flickr
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