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Accufeel & 3D Real Cockpit. These are pretty inexpensive enhancements to any airplane, if you haven't given them a try. If you've seen cockpit videos, you notice that they don't seem as velvety smooth as they are portrayed in flight sim. Certainly in the venerable Cessna trainer I used to take lessons in, landings could be something of an adventure when I was in control.
Accufeel is from A2A and creates a nice stereo soundscape linked to what's going on with your airplane. Taxis get a bit of rumble and bump, there are brake squeals, and groans. Takeoffs and landings give you a nice rattle. There are tire squeals, too, based on your landing. You can modify effects with a slider. For instance, your rattle can range from loose bucket of bolts perhaps suitable for one of your beat-up old 727s, to tight and brand-new. The sounds tend to be on the loud side, but that's adjustable, too. Maybe once the novelty wears off, it won't be as much fun, but I'm enjoying it now.
There is also 3D Real Cockpit who gives you shudders and shakes depending on your taxing technique, and your airplane. Take off can set your airplane shaking to the point you hope it gets in the air before it falls apart! It, too, is scalable. That's a lot of fun.
I've been using them together, and they really add an element of immersion.
Oh, another one is Cabin Crew. Again, works with any airplane, and comes in different languages. All of these sort of products add to your experience, much the way GSX does at the gate.
Finally, I've been trying out FSX booster. This is one that I'm sure many will condemn as snake oil, and say you should learn everything about your system and tweak it to death, but this is interesting, at least. I can say it has killed the blurries. Since it encourages you to limit your frames, it's hard to quantify results. If nothing else, it educated me about the relationship among various factors. True, no dramatic 300% increase in FPS, but my sim is solid and smooth.
None of these products are very expensive. Probably the most instantly gratifying is the 3D Real Cockpit. It's nice to have Spanish cabin announcements on those South American flights, too! I'd be interested in hearing other users' opinions.
Flying from KMIA to KATL Delta 757 (actual equipment). Three greens, my friends.
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