gruntygame

TA-4F Skyhawk could also make for a really good free plane if ED or a 3rd party wanted to make an official module. They could do as you suggested and limit the payloads on the free version and then the paid version could even be the kiwi version. From what I can tell it's a better modernization than the Viggen got.

I won't pretend to know what it takes to develop a DCS module but working from an existing aircraft will substantially cut down on man-hours. However much effort it would take them I'm sure they'd reflect it in the price. Just look at how quickly the A-10C II was brought to market and how cheap it was to upgrade to. And almost nobody spends $60 for a L-39 (or soon MB-339) when they want to learn because there are less instructors and they know they'll hardly use it once they've finished training. Don't get me wrong, this shouldn't be a priority for ED. I'd hate to make the Viper pilots wait even longer for their aircraft's final features.

For those who are unaware, the F/A-18D trades some of the fuel capacity of the C variant for a second seat. Although the US Marines used it in combat roles most operators used the D variant as a trainer. Ever since the A-10C, DCS has lacked a trainer worthwhile flying in combat and capable of teaching deployment of modern weapons. The F/A-18D is the perfect aircraft to fill this void. Instead of having the trainee share their screen to the instructor, the instructor can check and change the aircraft and weapon configuration, and demonstrate how to perform maneuvers all whilst sitting in the same aircraft as the trainee. This would be particularly useful when teaching skills such carrier landings, smart weapons employment and ACM. The skills learnt in the F/A-18D would be directly transferable to the F/A-18C and act as a great basis of knowledge when transitioning to other modern multi-role fighters. Better yet, the F/A-18D would be perfectly capable in a modern DCS mission (even without the WSO equipment found in the USMC planes). I don't imagine it would take much work for ED to make since most of the work would be done once the F/A-18C is out of early access. As for selling it, I think selling it as a standalone aircraft and in a bundle with the F/A-18C would work well if ED charged extra for the bundle (proportional to how much extra work was required). For owners of one of the standalone aircraft a discount could be applied for the one they don't own allowing current F/A-18C owners to become instructors and graduated F/A-18D pilots to transition to the single seat fighter.

I really want to buy it, but the aircraft keeps causing regular momentary freezes and semi-regular computer crashes. I just can't support a product that I can't use. I get that they don't want to be constantly fixing it in open beta, but if that's the case I'd rather they just finished it and only guarantee stability for release build of DCS.