Any desktop flight simulator fans out there?

[Jerry_75_Guy]

I know Francois has previously mentioned an interest in desktop flight sims (so if you're out there please do chime in my friend :-), and also that we have a few others here with varying degrees of interest in aviation in general, so this one is for all of you like minded folks.

 

At long last (yes, I'm actually a bit relieved and happy about this; it's been a long time coming), my PC is dying, and we've ordered a new Dell that will show up around the end of the month. This will finally provide a platform powerful enough to smoothly run a few of the current flight sims for PC's.

 

I've been running MS Flight Sim '04, and it has performed passably well. In fact, it has actually been a pretty reasonable tool to help me maintain my basic instrument skills (though not legal currency, obviously) for next to nothing; this is huge, since being a poor student (again, after 20yrs of pursueing my aviation career), I get few opportunities to climb into a real plane (well, plenty of chances, just no money for avgas). But with this newer machine, there are finally a few, better, options available.

 

Which products would you recommend?

 

I don't go whole hog; i.e. I don't have rudder pedals or a thrust quadrant as my multifunction joystick seems to be enough for my purposes. I don't use multiple monitors (though that would be nice), or pursue online multiple user activities. So "MS Flight Sim X" looks good, but I've also heard a bit about a product called "X Plane" that some of my fellow Cozy MkIV builders like, as they claim that they can download or create "Cozy" software, and practice with a model that has flight characteristics like the aircraft they're building. This also implies the possibility to get B-757 models, which I'd like, since I know and love the plane, but will likely never get to fly a real one again.

 

I should add that since fiddling/tweeking a computer to get software running well is neither my forte, nor an area of interest for me, the ease of use and the intuitiveness of the functions and features are important attributes I'd be looking for in a product.

 

So what works best for you? Which programs have the best graphics, realism and features, etc.?

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

I maintain the exhibit properties for the Flight Sim group, traveling to Oshkosh, etc every year. I can tell you anything about their booth, but I know virtually nothing about the program itself. What I can tell you is that if you purchase a joystick (recommended) don't get one that has a force-feedback feature. The developers recommend against it.

[Jerry_75_Guy]

Ah, Oshkosh....

 

If there's a heaven, and I get to go there, a big part of it will look a lot like the convention

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

http://stevemalguy.smugmug.com/gallery/5604867_TdiS5#343997233_teCkY

[David]

If I were you I'd try to fly in a C152. It's cheap...and simulates flight without really achieving it.

[Francois_Dumas]

Hi Steven, just caught this post out of the corner of my eye !

 

Yes, I dabble in Flightsim..... have been doing that for over 30 years now, and ultimately made it my profession a few years ago.

 

You may remember the 'wars' of 'Windows' versus 'OS/2', of 'Mac' versus 'PC'? The same can be said for X-Plane versus MSFS (now MS FSX).

 

Hardcore 'flight modalists' (is that a word?) just stick with X-plane, developed, maintained and run by one single individual, because it is supposed to provide the most realistic aircraft behavior. I know all about it, having had various versions of it.

 

The other 'camp' sticks with Microsoft's Flight Simulator for its depth of simulating the entire world and all of its airfields/airstrips. And more importantly having thousands and thousands of free and commercial add-ons available for it (versus a couple for X-plane).

 

I am in the MS camp I'm afraid, although I DO wish it would run on a Mac or on Linux.

 

Currently FSX is the latest incarnation (and frankly, I still like FS2004 better), and it will provide you most of what you are looking for in terms of immersion, add-ons and reality. Slowly slowly new add-ons are now appearing for FSX too (because of a radical change in the underlying program developers had a hard time adapting to new technologies this time).

 

If you want to learn more, please visit my forums at simFlight.com. We have specific forums for FSX and PC Technology, and just about everything else, with lots of dedicated and knowledgeable fans to help you.

 

Hope this helps,

Francois

[Jerry_75_Guy]

If I were you I'd try to fly in a C152. It's cheap...and simulates flight without really achieving it.

 

 

Some of the paychecks (tiny though they were) that I enjoyed earning the most, came from the many hours of 'near flight' spent in C-150's and C-152's, etc.

 

If I could spend the rest of my working life flight instructing (and not starve to death in the process, which is quite a trick!), I'd die a happy man

[Jerry_75_Guy]

Thanks very much Francois! I'll visit the forums.

[russell_bynum]

If I were you I'd try to fly in a C152. It's cheap...and simulates flight without really achieving it.

 

Now that's funny.

 

My first flight in a 152 was after spending a bunch of time in Dad's 182. After run-up, I radioed my intentions on Unicom, took the runway, smoothly pushed the throttle to full,l and released the brakes.

 

I think I made it about 50ft before pulling power and aborting the takeoff attempt. The instructor said "What's the matter?"

 

"There's something wrong...it's not making any power, so I aborted."

 

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAA!!! It's a 152."