I first got into home based flight simulators way back in the early 80's, initially on the ZX-81. Things have certainly come a long way since those days, although the principle is still the same......you really do have to learn to fly the plane!

 

30 odd years later I fly anywhere in the world, online, with other flight simming enthusiasts. The planes have become more complex and demanding to fly, the scenery I fly over is recognisable (as are the airports) and the days of having to control the plane via the keyboard are over, replaced with full flight yokes/rudders/throttles and avionics.

 

Of course, this all comes at a price, both in terms of finances and PC systems, but I reckon it is worth it. Today, the realism and immersion is quite astounding.

 

I fly with Flight Simulator X (FSX) - I have tried other flight simulators, but, for me, FSX is the better platform. With FSX I can can use add-on products which enhance FSX's scenery, aeroplanes, AI traffic, weather, textures, sound and practically anything else.

 

Added to this software is hardware, which enhances the players immersion. These include flight yokes, avionic boxes, throttles, rudder pedals, switches, dials etc.

 

Added to this are flight manuals, lessons, charts, tutorials, maps and books on the subject.

 

When I started flying I could just about take off (a feat I could do manually), fly on auto-pilot and auto-land. Actual "flying" time was minimal as it seemed very difficult to master trimming the aircraft for level flight with the correct throttle settings and maintaining that level flight for an extended period and then descending at the specified descent rate and throttle setting whilst still maintaining level flight with the correct flaps set and ensuring that the aircraft hit the glide slope to the runway and maintained an even speed and descent to the touchdown point. It was so much easier to autoland and only take over the actual flying when 200 ft above the ground. Even then I crashed and burned a lot - even with brakes on full I didn't know about auto-brakes or reverse thrusting engines. Flight Simming is a question of learning new things that help you "fly high and land soft" (to quote Charlie Duke on Apollo 16).

 

Through several years I have learned how to fly, but have never actually left the ground. Some people ask me if I could fly a real plane now. To which I answer that I doubt it, the real world would be so much more difficult, not least because my life would be on the line and there would be no re-setting the flight if I made a mistake. That's the answer I give....but inside I often think that yes I probably could fly a real plane (along with 1000's of other flight simmers!). Nowadays I can fly a 747, or a Cessna, or a military jet manually from chocks off to the shutdown of engines; I can fly on instruments, navigating from radio beacon to beacon or fly blind using dead reckoning and I have a basic knowledge of real world ATC procedures.

 

Some people say that flight simming is relatively boring. In that, there is nothing to blow up, no real objectives to achieve, no scoring system etc. Well, IMHO, this doesn't matter to most people who flight sim. There are software programmes that simulate flight lessons (a score is given for good performance), a passenger programme that adds passengers to your plane and you gain popularity, money, kudos for completing good flights and other software that can re-produce cargo flights with incentives etc. These programmes apart, the real joy of flight simming for me is the satisfaction I get from learning how to fly and fly well - and that's all the stimulation I need to keep going back to it time and time again.

 

Saying that, I have been a member of two virtual airlines (VA). VA's are either fictional or based on real life airlines, run for flight simmers. They usually require a simmer to record flights either manually or using software (usually called ACARS). One of the VA's I belonged to was called AIRWEGO, which was a UK based VA and a lot of fun to fly for. They flew operations all over the UK and Europe. It was a great way for me to learn how to fly aircraft like the Boeing 737. I left AWG a few years ago, but was laways on the look out for a replacement VA. I joined Buffalo Airways Virtual (BAV) 2 years ago. This is a VA based on a real life airline (Buffalo Airways). This airline is famous for flying older types of aeroplane (the DC3 and DC4 etc) in Canada. It is a really different experience flying for this VA. Most flights are below 10,000 ft and under 200 knots the whole way. It's challenging flying over rough terrain, but enormous fun.

 

To enhance the experience even more I fly online, using software so I can see other virtual pilots also flying. This can be on the VATSIM network. VATSIM provides servers that simmers can fly on which projects their aircraft into the "VATSIM world". That world is fully accessable by any flight simmer and is also staffed by Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) who guide and use real world ATC procedures to help guide you to your flight plan destination. This is avery challenging environment. Learning these procedures enhances the experience even more.

 

Of course, as time has gone on, I have added to my personal immersion with hardware and software that enhance my experience, making it seem more real. I have added in a flight yoke, rudder pedals, avionics, throttles and switches. I have a 4 screen PC set up which means I can have a 3 screen cockpit - it looks as if I am looking out of the two forward facing windows in a cockpit and one monitor to display the gauges and SAT-NAV  etc. All this extra equipment is not cheap but I have reached my zenith with reagrd to a home cockpit. Some people go further and build actual cockpits of actual aircraft (or similar to) but I don't think I want to go this far. I have always set a budget in my head and don't want to spend over this amount. Also, I figure, if I spent £1000's then I may as well go and have real life lessons in a real plane. 

 

In summing up, flight simulation is, to me, the best of both worlds. I get to play a game whilst at the same time learning systems of flight. I get to fly over familier and unfamilier territory (there really is nothing like seeing your home town from 1000ft up in a Cessna or coming into land at Kai Tak airport in Hong Kong in a 747), and I know that if the call ever went up on a 737 bound for Ibiza..."can anyone fly the plane??!! I think the Captain and Co-Pilot have been poisoned!!!" My hand might very well go UP!