Find aircraft background, systems descriptions and manuals for the aircraft you are researching. Each note keeps its source and version context close by.
Simulator manuals describe the developer’s implementation. Aircraft background is research-based; pilot accounts describe an individual’s experience. Coverage here is limited to the selected notes and linked resources, not the full contents of every manual.
Boeing 777
The 777 entered service in 1995 after development with input from major airline customers. Its broad cabin and two very large engines filled a space between the 767 and 747. The programme expanded through different fuselage lengths, range developments and engine choices.
The family name therefore covers aircraft with meaningful technical differences. A 777-200ER with several engine options and a 777-300ER are not interchangeable references. PMDG and FlightFactor also implement their own systems, so descriptions remain attached to each developer and version.
Aircraft / family
Boeing B-52G Stratofortress
The B-52 entered US Air Force service in 1955 and became a central aircraft of the Cold War bomber force. Its large wing, paired engine nacelles and bicycle-style main landing gear give it a distinctive shape. Later upgrades changed its missions and equipment over a long operational life.
The B-52G represented in this catalogue is a particular historical version. Modern B-52H equipment, current upgrade plans and figures for other variants should not be projected onto it simply because they share the Stratofortress name.
Aircraft / family
Boeing F/A-18E
The Super Hornet family comprises the single-seat F/A-18E and tandem-seat F/A-18F. Although the name and outline recall the earlier Hornet, the Super Hornet is a substantially developed aircraft with a larger airframe. Twin engines, outward-canted fins and carrier equipment define its configuration.
The E and F also make a useful image distinction: a two-seat photograph depicts the F variant. The MSFS entry here is identified by its own model designation, and its simulated systems should be judged from its developer documentation.
Aircraft / family
Bombardier Challenger 650
The Challenger began with a Bill Lear concept taken forward by Canadair in the 1970s. Its broad cabin and supercritical wing were central parts of the design. Later ownership and development under Bombardier produced a long sequence of engine, avionics and cabin updates.
The Challenger 650 belongs to a much later generation than the original 600. Hot Start's simulator product represents that specific aircraft and its systems environment. A family photograph of a 604 is not presented as an exact picture of the 650's equipment.
Aircraft / family
Boom XB-1
Boom's XB-1 is an experimental aircraft, not a passenger-carrying version of Overture. Its slender fuselage and highly swept wing are paired with three General Electric J85 engines. The demonstrator first flew in March 2024 and reached supersonic flight during its 2025 test programme.
Its value in a simulator is the chance to examine a specialised experimental cockpit and an unusual flight envelope. The developer's guide describes conventional flight controls and specific pitch-feel and roll mechanisms; the aircraft should not be described as fly-by-wire simply because it is modern.
Aircraft / family
CGS Hawk Arrow II
Chuck Slusarczyk developed the Hawk from his experience with hang gliders and early powered ultralights. The engine and propeller sit behind the cabin, leaving the view ahead unobstructed. The family includes both single-seat and tandem two-seat aircraft.
The Arrow II in MSFS is the two-seat development described by its own manual. Its cockpit includes stick-mounted trim controls and separate hand-operated brake levers. A photograph of a single-seat Hawk illustrates the family but should not be presented as the Arrow II itself.
Aircraft / family
C172 NG Digital · Airfoillabs · X-Plane 12
An aircraft with persistent mechanical condition
Airfoillabs describes per-cylinder engine simulation, a custom electrical system and persistent wear in its C172 NG. The published features include tyres, brakes and structural damage, alongside an interactive walkaround and preserved aircraft state. The result is a different product scope from simply selecting a conventional or glass instrument panel; those are developer-described capabilities, not an independent fidelity rating.
C172 NG Digital 1.6.2; XP12 · Flight model; electrical; engine/fuel/gear; versions
Cessna 172 Skyhawk
The Skyhawk developed from the tailwheel Cessna 170, adopting tricycle landing gear. The first 172 flew in 1955. Its combination of a practical cabin, fixed undercarriage and straightforward layout helped make it a familiar aircraft for personal flying and instruction.
The 172's long history includes different engines, panels and equipment. That variety is especially visible in simulation: a conventional-instrument aircraft, a G1000-equipped version and an add-on with persistent maintenance systems offer different experiences despite sharing the same basic silhouette.
Aircraft / family
Cessna 188 AGTruck
The 188 family is quite different from the high-wing touring singles usually associated with Cessna. A low wing and working-load hopper serve its agricultural purpose, while the pilot sits high behind the engine and load area. Production ran from the 1960s into the early 1980s.
Agwagon, Agtruck and related names identify developments within the family. The Agtruck entry in this catalogue is therefore best understood as a specialist working aircraft, with its mission equipment as important to its identity as the flight instruments.
Aircraft / family
Cessna 195 Businessliner
The Cessna 190 and 195 were developed as enclosed-cabin general aviation aircraft after the Second World War. Their radial engines and rounded cowlings set them apart from the later flat-engine Cessna singles. The high wing and conventional landing gear complete a distinctly period outline.
The Businessliner name reflects the intended role as practical personal and company transport. Its combination of a substantial cabin and a single radial engine places it between the smaller club aeroplanes and the twin-engine executive transports of the same era.
Aircraft / family
Cessna 404 Titan
The Titan sits at the larger end of Cessna's piston-twin range. Its low wing carries two engines, while a substantial cabin supports passenger and freight configurations. It was developed during the 1970s and also appeared in military service under different designations.
The 404 offers a different reference point from both a small private twin and a pressurised business turboprop. Its cargo-oriented proportions and working-aircraft role are central to understanding the type, with the simulator developer's package establishing the actual cabin and cockpit configuration.
Aircraft / family
Cessna 408 SkyCourier
Textron launched the SkyCourier programme with FedEx as an important initial customer. The design is arranged around straightforward utility work: fixed landing gear, two wing-mounted turboprops and a large, boxy cabin. Passenger and freight configurations serve different operators.
It is a useful modern counterpart to the single-engine Caravan. The shared manufacturer and utility role do not make them the same aircraft: the SkyCourier has two engines, a larger cabin and its own systems and operating documentation.
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