Just a few weeks ago I published My Top Add-Ons listing for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This listing is just that, it’s a short list of my top add-ons including utilities, aircraft and scenery. Today I want to focus on just my top add-ons in the utility category. I consider these to be must have, at least for me as I use them on each and every flight in the sim.
#1 ChasePlane
The fact this is listed in the #1 position should really come as no surprise to my regular visitors. After all, this is the one single add-on utility that is preventing me from moving to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 full-time. Never has it been easier to create, manage and recall camera view positions than with ChasePlane and the cinematics are simply amazing.
#2 GSX Pro
I honestly don’t understand why so many people love to hate on GSX Pro. It works flawlessly for me and provides so much added immersion that I honestly can’t imagine not having it. It truly was an add-on in the early days of MSFS 2020 that I dearly missed (along with ChasePlane) until it was released for that platform. Now I’ll be perfectly honest, as I don’t fly tubeliners in MSFS 2024, I haven’t spent any time testing GSX Pro in that platform. Yes, the development team can be a bit difficult to work with and I’ve personally had my own struggles in the past, but I absolutely love what it has become in MSFS 2020 and I’m sure the same will be said for MSFS 2024 in due time.
#3 FSUIPC7
It still boggles my mind just how many flight simmers I speak to who have never heard of and don’t use FSUIC7. Some form of FSUIPC has existed as far back as I can remember and it’s an extremely valuable and powerful tool. For some users, the absolutely free version is all you need when FSUIPC is required for ACARs programs like SmartCars. I use the pay version to synchronize my add-on hardware such as throttles, pedals and yoke.
#4 Volanta
Volanta is a great flight tracking tool. With the added subscription it allows some auto-save functionality as well as access from a mobile app. There are times I will load up a flight, take off and leave the room for a period of time. I can track the flights progress on the mobile app from my smartphone or tablet. I can even pause the sim via the mobile app. The other thing I like about Volanta which is missing from similar trackers is the country tracker. It is my hope to land in each country in the world and I’m over half way there while really not even trying.
#5 SimBit World – A Pilot’s Life Chapter 2
Arguably the best career mode add-on you’ll find, especially when you are only concerned about being a pilot and not getting involved in owning a business etc. I’ve been using APL off and on since the first version and in the past few months have been using it on all my tubeliner journeys. I’ve finally reached the rank of Captain and flying for British Airways exploring the UK, Europe and beyond.
#6 Navigraph
Navigraph probably should be ranked higher on the list, but since it is something I use on all flights it really doesn’t matter. From everything including FMS data to charts, this important tool set should be on everyone’s list of utilities used on each and every flight.
#7 Little NavMap
While I don’t use Little NavMap for tubeliner flying, it is invaluable for GA flights. While Navigraph charts can be used, and I often do use them when flying GA, I will almost always defer to Little NavMap for this purpose.
#8 BeyondATC
BeyondATC is still a very new add-on in my arsenal of utility add-ons, but as I’ve been using it more and more in recent weeks I’m slowly beginning to view this as a must-have for me and use it in all my tubeliner flying which makes up about 75% of what I do in the simulator. While the VATSIM network remains something I log onto about 50% of the time, I’m either flying early in the morning or late at night when very little ATC and air traffic is online. BeyondATC gives me the immersion of ATC and traffic injection that I dearly love to see.
#9 FSLTL Traffic Liveries
Regardless if you fly on VATSIM or use BeyondATC, the FSLTL traffic liveries and model matching are the absolute easiest set of liveries to install and maintain in your sim. Yes, I’ve tried just about all of them from payware to freeware and FSLTL is both quality and absolutely free and did I mention super easy to install. Installation and all updates are done via the FlyByWire Installer.
#10 MobiFlight Connector
If you use any of the WinWing modules (specifically the Airbus FCU) then do yourself a favor if you haven’t already and download the MobiFlight Connector. While it’s been a few months since I installed my WinWing FCU, I found the official WinWing software to be difficult to use and I almost gave up on using my FCU. Sometimes it would connect and most times it would not. Once I found out about the MobiFlight Connector and the WinWing FCU profile, it works each and every time without fail.
So there you have it, my Top 10 must have utilities for Microsoft Flight Simulator which I use each and every time I fly in the sim. I’d love to hear your favorites so please leave a comment and let me know.
Until next time…
Happy Flying!!!
Jerry