jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Any opinions om Flight Simulator? I've seen a couple of videos on YouTube, and it looks interesting. Is it necessary to have extra hardware to get the most ut of it?

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

The last flight simulator I was seriously into was Microsoft FS9 (2004). I would log into a virtual network with other flight sim pilots and air traffic control. Although you do not need extra hardware, buying a yoke and rudder pedals really makes it easier to control the aircraft and adds a little bit of "realism" to the experience. In addition to the yoke and rudder pedals I have a throttle (4 engine) unit as well that can control 1 to 4 engines plus extra toggles/switches for other parts of the aircraft.


I did see the adds for the latest MS Flightsim, and the graphics look incredible. It looks like they have also made drastic improvements to terrain rendering using satellite imagery to draw houses, farms, lakes, roads, etc... But keep in mind, all of the greatest realism features of the flight sim come at a massive expense to system performance.


Since I am solely on linux now, if I get back into virtual flying I will buy X-Plane as it runs as a native application on my platform. It has been around for some years and has a lot of mod supported content as well as great features.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

So why play a game? Why not fly the real thing. I find it such a RUSH to get onto the flight deck and be able to enjoy the clouds up close! You can learn how to pilot a plane and have a real great time of it. I occasionally fly from Republic Airport in Farmingdale. I’m sure you can put a few lessons under your belt. There is the Elmira Corning Airport in Horseheads. Treat yourself to the real thing.
While I’m not certified yet, it is a fun experience. Now I just have to convince my wife that I want to fly a MiG-29 jet. The next thread on this post may be from Bellevue Hispital!

usnret Loc: Woodhull Il

I agree! Not long ago I sold my Cessna 152 and let my certificate expire. As my memory is fading Iv'e a mind not watching the carb heat, stall recovery and a few nasty crosswind landings will still be in my last brain cell to go.
Don't imagine ya get those adrenaline rushes settin in front of a computer.

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

OP asked about the new flight simulator, not if the experience was better than dead sticking a stall at FL180 in a Beechraft twinnie. There are numerous reasons people use flight simulators, and what if OP wasn't medically able to get a Rec/Private Pilot license?

I too enjoyed the few intro flights I had, but I knew getting certified would end with me flying very rarely to have any real benefit.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Because I hate wiping puke off the inside of the windshield....

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Great idea! I could take lessons and become a pilot for about the same cost as buying Flight Simulator. Add a few dollars more, and I could buy a nice plane or two. Time to start looking online!

I used to live a few miles from Grumman and Republic, and I remember driving past them. A friend used to work for one or the other, and he still consults. I also remember Bellevue, not from personal experience, though.

I've decided that I'm through with flying. I've done enough. When airlines started stuffing as many people as could into a plane, charging for luggage, not providing food, etc., I decided I wasn't going to contribute to their bottom line. They got billions in government handouts. Watching on TV and my computer is enough. Besides, I've been watching hundreds of plane crashes on TV, and I don't want someone to be watching me crash.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

When I was in college, the guy down the hall had a pilot's license, and he talked three of us into chipping in and renting a plane. He took us up over the Hudson River and demonstrated a stall. Then he went into a dive to get the engine started. Yeah, lots of fun.

That reminds me of a flight form NY to NH. I flew from from Albany to Boston and then took a small plane for the flight to NH. The "airline" had just one small counter. Their phone was the payphone on the wall. They weighed everybody so they would know where to seat us in the plane. The pilots looked like they were in high school.

tcthome Loc: NJ

Funny! My brother gets sea sick but had no problems with small planes when he was taking lessons.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

I used to keep my Cessna 182 at Brookhaven Airport. I liked flying into Republic to have lunch at that WW II restaurant which had the P47 displayed out front. Is it still there? One of the best sight seeing flights I used to make was flying at 500 ft over Jones beach, right over JFK, over the Verrazano bridge, past the Statue of Liberty, then up the east river over all the bridges, then out the Long Island sound past the Gold Coast on the way back. Of course one had to be in communication with NY approach, JFK, and LGA.

JerryOSF Loc: Bristol, VA

I have been privileged to get rides in a PT-17 and a PT-26. The PT-17 is a biplane, the PT-26 is a WWII trainer. Both were exciting. For Linux users there is a flight simulator called Flight Gear available.

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

X-Plane is also available for linux, and has a larger mod base

bobbyjohn Loc: Dallas, TX

As a former private pilot (last flew in 1978), I also am interested in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 which has excellent reviews. I looked at the 3 versions, and am opting for the Standard version (lowest price of $60.00)...which has a few fewer airplanes and airports...I can live with that.

However, the hardware needed to have a good sim experience adds up quickly. In research, I found the Honeycomb Alpha Yoke is the best at $250. The Logitech Rudder at $170. and the Logitech Throttle at $60.

Add it all up ... comes to > $500 for such a joy ride!

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

I have the CH Product line. They are very durable and highly configurable for just about any possible way you want everything set up. It is pricey, but mine have lasted over 10 years now and still going strong.

http://www.chproducts.com/

Sensei

I have used a mirco soft flight simulator while teaching. It seemed to cut down on some of the time required and enable students to practice at a lower cost. Many airlines and the military use a simulator (not Microsoft) in practice. It is safer and cheaper than crashing a plane.