Surviving FS2004 - The Final Frontier
Converting to FS2004 and Gmax has been a problem for some designers, but
Ron Salt opines that it must be done and offers some help.
Getting More out of your FlightSim Experience
Should night flying be considered IFR no matter the weather? Ron
Blehm and a group of fliers try a night scenario and report their
results.
Surviving FS2004 - The Upgrade
Some people take flightsim's little imperfections as a challenge to be
solved. Ron Salt takes on one of those challenges in FS9.1.
The Wishing Well
When you're already a real airline pilot what do you wish for in new
and interesting flightsim features? Tony Vallillo offers his ideas.
Are We Asking Too Much?
Are flightsimmers asking too much of their sims? Andrew Tucker
thinks it over and finds that we have it pretty good!
A Flight Simmer's Salute John Whiting laments that too many aircraft designers take shortcuts,
but also finds that gems are out there if you look for them.
Panel Design Gripes Andy Johnston offers his thoughts on common flaws seen in
flightsim panels.
Flightsimmers Dreams
All people have dreams, and flightsimmers have very special ones;
Hans Linde describes his.
Going Retro Noel Sivertson describes how flightsim allow him to relive fondly
remembered former eras of flight.
VFR Comes Of Age In FS2004
With FS2004 and various add-ons, highly realistic VFR flight is now
possible, as John Dow describes using words and videos.
Surviving FS2004 Ron Salt learns to stop worrying and love Microsoft's hidden
upgrade bomb.
"The Good Ol' Days" Could Be Now
Flying was much harder in the old days and with flightsims we can experience
some of how it was, as Ron Blehm discovers.
Flight Of The Heart Terry O'Brien shares his life long love of flying and some of the people
who helped expand it.
Earl's Story
Most long time flightsimmers dream of taking the controls for real and
recently Earl Watkins got his chance.
Repainting The World Sergio Costa complains about the lack of good quality repaint kits
for both freeware and payware aircraft.
Virtual Airline vs. Real Therapy
Flight simulation can be an escape from real world pressures, or it can be
a chance to create your own simulated pressures...there's something for all
tastes, finds author Ron Blehm.
The Next Generation In Flight Simulation
Flight simulation can be about not only recreating exact models of real
world aircraft, but as Otis Watson describes, it can also be about
designing neo concept next generation aircraft.
What Is "Real" vs What Flightsims Can Realistically Accomplish
Many flightsimmers do not understand the trade-offs and choices that
developers have to make, and the problems with trying to meet different
expectations, etc. Rick Ryan takes a look at the subject from the
developer's point of view.
The Boundary Layer Of Fantasy And Reality
Where do fantasy and reality cross when it comes to flightsimming? Are
flightsim concept planes just fantasy or potential real planes just
waiting to be built. Samual Nahura explains.
A Christmas Wish Devon Leslie takes a look back at a momentous year in aviation and
recalls both the good as well as the bad things aviation has brought.
Is The Default Keyboard Layout Still Relevant?
With the growing importance of the virtual cockpit is the default keyboard
layout still useful? John Dow says no, but offers an alternative.
Can There Be Another Supersonic Airliner? Ron Magtanong looks at the history of the Concorde and wonders if
supersonic passenger travel will be available again in the future.
Flight Modelling The Hard Way Andrew Herd offers an interesting discussion on the complexity of
creating truly realistic flight models.
Arab And Israeli Flight Simmers
Peace through flightsimming? Mahmoud Fadli suggests the possibility
as while persuing our hobby we can leave real world prejudices behind.
Is Every Two Years Too Frequent?
Like clockwork, every two years we get a new version of Microsoft Flight
Simulator. But Michael Hoyer wonders whether that is too often.
Add-on Costs Too High? David Eckert suggests the people stop complaining about the "high cost"
of add-ons. Consider the economics involved and perhaps you'll be convinced
to give the developers a break.
A Turn To Payware? Jon Lam offers another perspective on the payware versus
freeware debate.
Freeware And Payware Peter May no longer takes developers' work for granted and suggests
that others offer the same sort of support that he now does.
Nothing Is Truly Free Adam Carlson points out a good reason why you may be seeing more
payware these days.
A Change On Our Community Miguel Bras feels that too many add-ons are now payware instead of
freeware.
Online Flying Leonidas Somakos explains why online flying, and especially fly-in
events, bring flight simulation one step closer to reality.
The Middle East And Virtual Aviation Mahmoud Fadli finds the virtual Middle East to be less active than it
should be and encourages virtual airline and individual activity in the
region.
St. Aubin Airport
No doubt many flightsimmers have shared the disappointment expressed by
Aurelien Carrigan on visiting the flightsim version of a favorite
airport and finding it not as real as can be.
Why Old Classic Panels Are Better
Analog panels from an earlier era are done better in flightsim versions,
according to Luis Kmentt Jr..
Microsoft's Century of Flight Could Be A Step Back
According to well known designer Ralph Zimmerman Microsoft's current
path of development could leave the next version of Flight Simulator missing
a very important component.
Save The Cutty Sark
The definition of "aircraft" gets stretched when talented designers such as
Shigeru Tanaka put their skills to the test. Normally you would not think of
the Cutty Sark as something available for flightsim use, but it is, and here
George Bowser encourages those who love the flightsim version to
help save the real one.
A Team Approach To FS Development
"No man is an island" when it comes to flightsim add-on development, and
there are advantages to that, as described by Jason Durbin
Breaking The Bank With Flight Simulator Devon Leslie takes a look at twenty years of flightsim history and
what it takes to keep up with the new versions and improvements.
Space Cadets
Yes, real airline pilots really do use flightsims. Tony Vallillo
explains how and why.
Flight Simming - As Real As I Want
Maybe flightsimming doesn't need to be "as real as can be", but only as
real as the user wants to make it fun. Derek Swanson explains.
Albert
Some flightsimmers don't quite get the difference between simming and the
real world. Andrew Herd explains it to them.
Thank You For Your Support! Rob Olson comments on fully commiting to FS2002 and the great support
provided by add-on developers.
Future Displays Hammed Malik discusses how future display technology could greatly
improve the realism of flight simulators.
FS2004 Wish List Rick Attfield makes some suggestions on what could be improved or added
in the next version of Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Perth Awakens
Aircraft available in the near future have the potential to change the
Perth, Austalia airport from a relative sleepy one to a busy hub. Jason
Durbin speculates on how changing technology can offer interesting effects.
As Real As It (Can) Get? Hans Linde comes to a surprising realisation about how the ever
increasing realism of flightsims does not actually increase the impression
of flying a real plane.
CFS3 Support For FSDS Dave Eckert argues that designers should have a choice in tools,
and not be forced to use only Gmax.
From Virtual To Reality!
Many flightsim pilots have taken intro flights in airplanes. Nick Hall
does it in a helicopter and compares the experience to flightsim choppers.
FS2002: As Real As It Gets?
Even non-techies like Victor Knight want more than comes included
with FS2002, and finds aid in add-ons and hope in the future arrival of
the next version.
Where's My Helipad? Rick Attfield asks for better helicopter support in future versions
of Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Plea To Microsoft Flight Simulator Developers
His recent upgrade to FS2002 leaves Paul van Dinther wondering why the
sim is still missing some obvious features and lacking in ease of use.
Gmax Planes As AI Traffic M. Porcaro discusses the need for more planes and repaints designed with
Gmax to allow for more options in AI traffic.
The Future Of Add-on Development Jason Durbin expresses some concerns about the difficulty in creating
add-ons for future flightsim versions.
Old Vs New
Still complaining about the faults in FS2002? Phil Colvin takes a look
at just how good we have it compared to years past.
Virtual Pilot Or Virtual Plane Spotter?
Are flightsimmers too hung up on the view from outside the plane?
Philippe Vanagt thinks the important view is the one inside the cockpit.
Military Aircraft Les Dillon questions the value of military aircraft being created
for civilian flightsims.
Flying The 89 Zone Rene Maes discovers an interesting quirk in FS2002, "The 89 Zone".
Perception Of Reality Rick Attfield compares the real world and the reality of the sim
world and finds that reality is what you decide it is.
2004 And Beyond Andrew Herd ponders the world of flight simulation in 2004 and beyond,
and considers what great things would be possible with more dialog between
Microsoft and independent developers.
Air Transat Flight 236 Devon Leslie offers a fictionalized account of how things can go
wrong in real airline flying.
On The Nose
Even flying with one of the world's best airlines doesn't guarantee trouble
free flights, as Chris Mitchell discovered.
Mommy! Charlie Took My Airshow Away Devon Leslie comments on how world events causing insurance rates
to skyrocket have filtered down to effecting things like air shows.
Can I Fly This Thing?
After many years of flightsimming, Dennis Schagen puts his skills to the
test by taking an intro flight in a real airplane.
Glitches Galore Chris Mitchell tells his tale of computer glitches coming at
just the wrong time.
From The Perspective Of A Line Technician
One way to get your foot in the door of the aviation world is as a line
tech. Stephen R. Goldsmith did it and describes his experiences.
A Girl In The Skies
Yes, there are female members of the flightsim community, and here
Salina Chan tells her story and describes what attracts her to
aviation.
My Experience Starting A VA J.C. Howell shares his experience in starting a virtual airline to
meet his own special flying interests.
A Teen View Rick Attfield expresses his feelings that age really should not make
a difference in how flightsimmers are treated by fellow flightsimmers.
Strangers In A Strange World
Finding enough time to meet the interesting challenges of flightsimming can
be a problem when real life intrudes. Hans Linde wants in on the
secret that others use to do it all.
Honestly? Rick Attfield discusses the merits of freeware versus payware and asks
how many can honestly feel that developers of payware should be denied their
due.
The Reviewer's Tale Andrew Herd describes the journey that lead him to become a flightsim
reviewer, and the fallout it brings--dealing with the Freeware Fanatics,
Space Cadets and others.
Have Flight Simmers Become Lazy? Cameron Jones wonders why many people these days seem to just let the planes fly themselves on autopilot instead of actually flying them themselves.
Arrgggghh, Controllers
The system may not be perfect, but air traffic controllers do add a lot of enjoyment and realism to virtual flying, as Paulo Carochas explains.
The Ultimate Upgrade
Flightsimmers should consider the ultimate upgrade--flying for real, suggests Tony Vallillo.
A Perfect World Tal Zana takes a look at some of the technical issues that prevent flight simulation from being perfect.
VA Response Ezequiel Gomez Balaguer offers his rebuttal to previous comments about
virtual airlines.
Super Flight Simulator?
Is there a place for a Super-Pro Microsoft Flight Simulator--something beyond
even the current Pro version? John Dow discusses the need and what it
should include.
The Virtual Cockpit Unbound
Are virtual cockpits really as great as some people seem to think?
Andrew Herd offers a detailed commentary.
Virtual Airlines And The Law Karthik Sampath warns that you need to take care when using a real
airline as a basis for a virtual airline, and also offers an option for
those who like simulating real airline flights.
Simulation Or Real Life Flying Terry O'Brien offers some personal comparisons of real flying and
sim flying, as well as some ideas to increase sim realism.
Procedures: A Must For Real Pilots, Why Not For Simmers? Vincent Brok asks developers for planes that allow for better
training in real flying procedures, and suggest that flightsimmers not
skimp on using real predures where possible.
40 Cents For The Gooney - A Question Of Richness?
Since our flightsim hobby is based on real aviation it's important that
flightsimmers support the groups that keep historic planes flying.
Christoph Ruhtenberg explains.
A Hairy Approach To Oakland International
Sometimes flightsimmers face challenges never imagined by real pilots.
Daniel Shannon describes just such a "hairy" situation.
How Should We Approach Flight Simulator 2002? Matt Szluka takes a look at FS2002 and asks what we should expect
of it, and finds himself delighting in the feeling of control that it gives.
It's What You Make It
Many flightsimmers think about being real world pilots, if only things had
been a little different. Robin Johnston relates his experiences.
Good vs Bad Rick Attfield focuses on the good features he has found in
FS2002, vs the bad.
Those Dear Dead Days Beyond Recall
Do you long for earlier flightsim versions that seemed to have fewer
problems? Ulrich Klein did...until the FS2002 made him a believer
again in the latest and greatest.
The Virtual World
After a year in the hobby, Patrick Paradis has come to appreciate
the real sense of community in virtual airlines and the community in
general.
The Glorious Eastern Birds
A wide variety of aircraft are available to flightsim users, but not many
eastern European or Russian models. Ugo Conventi writes encouraging
designers to consider creating some of these aircraft.
Is FS2002 Really All That Good? Patricio Fangio bought FS2002 with the utmost of enthusiasm, but found
a variety of disappointments.
How About This For A Point Of View?
Flightsims may not be 100% real, but as John Sibley points out, they
are real enough and real world events can affect the way we think about them.
Where's My Documentation? Jerry Endres laments the lack of printed manuals in many recent
software releases, and suggests that people speak up about it.
Thank You To Flightsimmers Phil Denney thanks those fellow flightsimmers who keep it a game
and thus help to keep it fun.
Tribute To The Gooney
A real NATS R4D-6 (DC-3) inspired the famous flightsim version. Javier
Sanz suggest that flightsimmers offer their support to get it flying
again.
Flight Simulator 2002 Made Me A Believer
The increased realism available in FS2002 has inspired a more serious
attitude towards flightsimming according to David Obando.
FS2002 POV Button
Changes in FS2002 over previous versions brings some problems, as Ferry
Herfst found in trying to use the Point Of View (POV) joystick button.
Bonus, Bugger & Busted Dean Riches shares his pleasure in being able to run FS2002 even on his
older model computer.
Save The Virtual Aviation World J.M. Springthorpe asks that members of virtual organizations, the
flightsim community and the world in general get along better.
You Can Fly The Heavy Metal Mark Robinson gives his thoughts about flightsimmers operating real
world aircraft plus some comments about VA's.
Hand-Flying The Heavy Iron
Maybe you can handle tough weather--with the autopilot on. But Ryan
Argue asks whether you can actually fly the plane by hand.
Life Goes On
Even after September's tragic events life goes on, including flying in
both the real world and the simulated on. Rick Attfield offers his
thoughts.
FS How I See It
How much realisim, performance, etc. should you expect? Joshua St.
Marie shares his thoughts.
Fly Real Joao Pinto looks at all the factors involved in making flightsim
flying real enough to satisfy him.
WTC Crisis
New Yorker Christopher Steele offers his thoughts on current events
and how he feels they should affect future flightsims.
Can It Be Done? Mike Reskovac debunks the notion that PC based flight simulators are
sufficient to learn to fly airliners.
FS2002
FS2002 is postponed and people are up in arms. Andrew Herd writes about
this delay and puts it in perspective with the world's more important issues.
Simming Versus Real
Flightsimming is an end to itself, argues J. Woodson, and no
flightsimmer should feel less complete because they are not working towards
becoming a real pilot.
Headline: Flight Simulator Is A Game Johnny Tason writes to remind people that at its core flightsimming
is still just a game and should not be taken overly seriously.
Don't Get Too Comfortable
Has Microsoft gotten too comfortable with their reputation in flight
simulation? Stuart Blick offers his thoughts.
Harmony David Bellmore has a change of heart and suggests that people
get back to the fun in flightsimming.
Acrobatic Manuals Martijn Pleines argues for the value of real printed manuals in
commercial software rather than the online Acrobat manuals that are
becoming common.
Payware Versus Freeware Colin Ware notes that the extras that come with payware products
quite often make them well worth purchasing.
Pricing Versus Quality Phil Pesce argues that flightsim designers should be spending more
time developing quality aircraft rather than scenery that just slows things
down.
Hand-Flying The Big Jets
To really be a pilot you should be able to hand fly the plane. Mike
McCarthy explains not only why but also how.
How Not To Drive A Virtual Pilot Crazy
In response to an earlier article, Rick Attfield offers some
suggestions from the pilot's point of view to virtual air traffic controllers.
The Increasing Complexity Of Aircraft Add-ons David Eckert offers some thoughts about the increased difficulty
now involved in creating add-ons, and the people who demand more and more
and want it free and quickly.
Payware Versus Freeware - Who Cares?
There's plenty of room in the hobby for both payware and freeware add-ons,
says Tim Kotula, so why spend time arguing over it?
The Thrill Of Space Simulation
Flight does not have to be limited to the atmosphere. Bob Johnson
describes how X-Plane users expand the limits of flightsimming.
VA's: A Bloody Waste Of Time! Karthik Sampath offers some strong opinions about the value of
spending time running and participating in virtual airlines.
Complaints Stephen Giorgianni states his case against some of the anti-payware
complaints being made.
Simmers Won't Get It If They Can't Afford It
Is Microsoft pricing themselves out of the game by requiring faster and
faster computers for each new version? Larry Stephens offers his
opinion.
Real vs Virtual Steve Armstrong gives his comparison of real versus virtual flying.
Virtual Airlines And The Law Nick Gage offers a reminder that virtual airlines must act legally
when dealing with others.
Laziness In The Simming World Rick Attfield suggests that more people try to actually fly the plane
rather than using GPS, autopilot and other tools to do everything for them.
Summer Vacations
Flightsim activity seem a little down lately...well, as Bill Pope
reminds us, during the summer there are other things to do.
FMC's--Why Not? Tim Wilky wants an FMC in every aircraft he flies.
Flightsimming And VFR/IFR Training Zach Cooke describes how flightsimming has helped some of his real
world flight training while causing bad habits that affect other parts.
Some Simmers Don't Get It Michelle Sakayama comments that complaints about new sims needing
newer and faster machines are not justified--new software should be
designed to take advantage of the latest hardware.
As Real As It Gets - And Cheap At Twice The Price!
In a counterpoint to a previous article, Dale Himebaugh argues that
flightsim add-ons are fairly priced and that there is no such thing as a
free lunch.
A Collection Of Short Stories Stephen Thomson shares his thoughts on several subjects, including
getting into real flying, flying fear, taking command of an airliner and more.
Hate And Admiration Christoph Ruhtenberg expresses his thanks and admiration to the
add-on developers, but also makes a request to them.
Where Is The Sanity? Andrew Jay asks if some people take flightsimming too seriously
and take the fun out of the hobby.
Adventures In A Cake Mixer
What keeps Joe Moffett coming back to flightsimming? Helicopters!
In this article he tells why.
Virtual Flight School Mark Knowles proposes opening a virtual flight school to better train
new flightsim pilots and asks for comments and support.
Competitivity
Flightsimming should be an enjoyable experience, not a competitive one,
so says Stuart Blick.
The Shock In The Real Skies
The ever improving world of flight simulation also served as an opening to
real aviation for Phil Pesce. Share his experiences as he advances
from novice flightsimmer to real life student pilot.
As Real As It Gets--For A Never Ending Price
Are people being priced out of an ever more expensive hobby because of the
cost of flightsim add-ons? Nick Wilkinson thinks so; see if you agree.
The Freedom Of Flight Rick Attfield compares real world flying with the operations during
online multiplayer ATC sessions and finds the sim world is sometimes too
strict.
Ultimate Simulator
Have you ever wondered if you could fly that jetliner if called upon?
Recently, Ian Mendez had the chance to find out.
Lessons Learned John S. Beckman reveals how lessons learned from flightsimming have
helped him enjoy (or at least panic less on) real flights.
My Way (To Fly)
Everyone has their own favorite way to use their flightsims, and here
Eduardo Fernandez shares his.
Shut Up And Fly! Todd Fredricks, like many others, uses flightsimming as an escape
from the outside world. Here he asks that flightsim forums stick to flying
and fun.
Respect And Politeness: Let's Not Lose Them
Sometimes we forget that real people are at the end of that email or forum
message. Ilya Prokhorenko suggests we remember respect and politeness
when dealing with other aviators, whether virtual or real world.
Have We Lost Something? Richard Baumruck asks what makes the flightsimming experience
successful. Perhaps it's making aviation dreams come true, if only in a
virtual way.
Flying Etiquette
Flying online with live ATC is only "as real as it gets" if people are
courteous and follow the rules. Mahesh Sahasranaman offers some tips.
The Tattoos Of Experience...
"Have you ever crashed?" How do you answer that when the answer is yes?
Bill Pope explains that it requires the full story and not a short
simple answer.
Flightsimming Can Only Go So Far Rick Attfield questions the sense of spending large amounts on
flightsim cockpits versus taking up flying for real.
The Skies We Fly
According to Jason Fields, the flightsim publishers are spending too
much time on ground details and missing what is really important--the sky
itself.
The Problems With .AIR files Tyler G. Jenness laments the common problems found in aircraft models,
and offers a solution that he has found useful.
Real World Aviation Nick Smith shares his experiences as a flightsim pilot transitioning
to real aviation, and the benefits flightsimming seems to have brought.
Counterpoint
In response to several recent op-ed articles, Michelle Sakayama writes
that there are female flightsimmers and technology enthusiasts, despite a
culture that often fails to encourage them.
Scary Ride Into LA
Sometimes it would be better to be flying virtually than for real...
Garrett Vinoski relates his story of one of those flights.
Lessons Learned For A Future Career
Sometimes flightsim "games" can teach lessons that apply to the real world,
as future airline pilot Matthew M. Szluka learned on a recent FS flight.
What Goes Into Designing A Good VA Web Site
Too many VA sites have a "me too" look or other bad design. Karthik
Sampath offers some suggestions to make your site stand out.
Editorials, Personal Comments And The Fray
Yes, it's an editorial about editorials...FlightSim.Com Staff discusses
editorial policy, feedback and flightsimming in general.
Age - Does It Really Matter?
Teen flightsimmer Marko Kovacevic expresses the feeling that only
performance should matter when judging fellow flightsim enthusiasts.
Flightsim Moments
Combine computers with the latest flightsim software or a cool new piece of
hardware and sometimes a "flightsim moment" where nothing works and everything
goes wrong gets you. FlightSim.Com Staff shares his latest.
Stormy Weather Anyone?
Former airline pilot Alastair McLeod shares a story about those
brave pilots who fly for the weather service directly into storms.
PC Training For Real Pilots
While working on his private pilots license, Joe Davitt explores the
value, and drawbacks, of PC flight experience.
Training In Virtual Aviation...What's The Point? Bill Pope is a real world military pilot who emphasizes the importance
of using flightsimming as a learning experience, with advanced virtual pilots
passing on knowledge to newcomers.
Flight Simulator - A Unique Program
Flight simulators are different from other sims and games--too difficult for
some but alluring for others. Celso Luiz relates his own story of
becoming a flightsimmer.
A Thank You To Microsoft Rick Attfield takes a moment to thank the people that have brought
us all the enjoyable (and in alternate versions, somewhat problematic)
flightsims over the years.
If You Thought Flightsimmers We Crazy...
Is there room for another kind of sim in your life? FlightSim.Com Staff
considers the impact of combining trains and planes in his sim activities.
I Want My Blue Skies Back! FlightSim.Com Staff complains about the limited visibility range in the new
Fly! II that prevents ever seeing a blue sky.
Is It That Hard To Become An ATP?
Despite a variety of difficulties, Omar Josef tells how he is
persuing his dream of becoming an airline pilot.
Is FS2000 Really A Flight Sim?
...or is it more of a scenery sim? Is the most important part--flying--being
given too little attention by flightsim designers, wonders Michael
McReynolds.
At 30000 Feet... Mick Kreiner shares his thoughts on how joining with others in
virtual airlines helps enhance the flightsimming experience.
My Simulation Story
A voyage of discovery, as Paulo Carochas goes from his early days
of wondering what to do with his flightsim, to being introduced to advanced
flightsimming, to passing his new knowledge on to others.
A Beginner's Tale Craig Tomlin shares his experiences in learning to fly virtually
using FS2000.
Is Realism Better?
Is all the realism of the advanced flightsim jetliners too much?
Peter Saul suggests going back to the simpler things in
flightsimming.
Association Of FS Pilots? Jonathan Winn wonders if there is interest in an association of
flightsim pilots. See what you think and then take his poll.
Fly!2K vs Flight Simulator 2000 Fred Clausen offers a side by side comparison of two top simulators.
See if you agree with his findings.
How Realistic Do We Think It Is?
Have you every really scared yourself making a mistake while flightsimming?
Rick Attfield shares his experience.
What About General Aviation?
Is general aviation being overlooked by flightsim aircraft designer?
David J. Coakley thinks so.
A Flightsim Fantasy David Chettleburgh discusses a feature that future flightsims are
not likely to offer!
Flightsimming Future: What More Should We Expect?
Everyone has ideas on what features future flightsims should add to what is
available in the current generation of sims. Vivek Saxena shares
his ideas.
One Week Airlines
Many virtual airlines are started with little thought as to what it actually takes to succeed--and are lucky if they last a week. David Bellmore asks that more thought be given before starting a VA.
The Madness Of FS!
Finding flightsim happiness requires simplifying your flightsim setup,
says Johnathan Sacks.
Military Fast Jet Aircraft Wish List Jon Watkins would like to see more military jets being created for
FS2000, and offers a wish list of his favorites. Take a look and see what
you think.
United We Stand... Aman Kumar suggests the future of flightsimming needs more pooling
of talents into groups.
Real Aviation Opportunities
If you want to go beyond flightsimming into real aviation there are many
opportunities, as Javier Sanz describes.
A New Dimension In Flight Simming
To add a new dimension to flightsimming try adding a co-pilot to fly
with you. Bill Smith found this may bring surprising results.
FS Future - Follow Up
In a follow up to his previous article,
Hugo de Vos speculates futher on the use of virtual reality to enhance
future flightsims.
Is Eye Candy Necessary? Oh Yeah!
Does flightsimming require pretty scenery, highly detailed aircraft, etc.
to be enjoyable? Daniel Pimentel says yes.
The Ratings Game FlightSim.Com Staff offers some thoughts about the use of numeric ratings
in reviews.
Are We Too Sensitive? David M. Grindele asks if flightsimmers get too caught up in
arguing and forget to enjoy their hobby.
Spoiling The Fun
Have flightsimmers become a bunch of old grouches, letting arguments spoil
the fun that the hobby should bring? Bill Stack offers his thoughts.
Are We Going To Fade Away? Steve Pilkington has been a flightsimmer since the early days, but is
happy with FS98 still and tired of upgrading. How many others share this view?
Virtual Airlines: Just How Real Can It Get?
Most virtual airlines do not actually operate as real airliners do.
Darren Hess and Michael Collier describe real operations and
ask how real can VA's get.
Aviation Interest Starts With Flightsimming
Discovering flightsims can lead on to a greater interest in real aviation
and even a potential career, as Javier Sanz describes.
Flightsimming For Dummies
For a newcomer looking in to the flightsim hobby the initial view can be
intimidating. Daniel Pimentel suggest that maybe we need a
"Flightsimming For Dummies" to help.
FS Future Hugo de Vos speculates on the use of virtual reality to enhance
future flightsims.
How 'Bout Some Reality!
Sitting around an airport, looking at real planes, got Osman Tunagur
thinking about some down and dirty aspects missing from flightsim planes.
Who Is Really The Best VA On The Net?
Though a question impossible to answer, Tyler G. Jenness points out
those features that a virtual airline should have if they are to make this
claim.
Review Writing
One way to share your hobby with others is to write about it--reviews, tips,
Op-Eds...Aman Kumar has enjoyed his writing experiences and
encourages others to give it a try.
Flight Simmers Anonymous David Bellmore writes about the addicting qualities of the flightsim
hobby and what you can do to save yourself.
Are Flightsimmers Too Sensitive?
Being in the public eye, as flightsim freeware developers are, requires a
thick skin. Lee Norrie suggests that flightsimmers try to realize that
when dealing with undesireables within our hobby.
The Bias
Ever feel like an outcast because of your enthusiasm for flightsimming?
Sean Hanson knows the feeling but still defends his hobby.
Too Many Planes - Not!
Can there be too much of a good thing when it comes to flightsim add-ons?
Art Burke says no!
Looking Forward Cameron MacDonald examines the current flightsim state of the art
and looks forward to what we can expect in year to come.
Virtual Excitement
If normal airline flying is getting old for you, there are other types of
virtual organizations that provide different flying challenges. Jerry
Plotts describes one possibility that will really test your flying
skills.
Why Freeware?
Why do we enjoy freeware so much? Osman Tunagur says it's partially
the thrill of the hunt, and to continue to enjoy the thrill we need to
protect the people who provide the freeware.
Highly Complicated Enjoyment
After a year of flightsimming Jonathan Winn has gotten past the
initially overwhelming complexity of flight and offers encouragement for
newcomers.
Starting A Virtual Airline
Seasoned VA member Christopher Trott offers some worthwhile advice to
anyone starting a virtual airline, especially about dealing with virtual ATC
organizations.
The Answer To Worldwide Peace - Flight Simming? Manny Aquino reflects on the virtual world that flightsimming has
created, not just inside our computers but among the people involved in
the hobby.
Problems For Smaller Virtual Airlines
Are smaller VA's treated fairly by groups such as those that provide online
ATC services? David Bellmore thinks not.
Everything That's Cool In Flight Simming Is Usually Free
Author Rob Olsen writes on how good we have it with all the high
quality free add-ons available and encourages people to recognize the
desigers who create all this good work.
The Planes Of Flightsimming
Author Fred Clausen would like to see a greater variety of add-on
aircraft available rather than so many jet airliners. See if you agree.
Scenery Here, There And Almost Everywhere
Is the U.S.A. being underserved by commercial scenery developers?
FlightSim.Com Staff thinks so and asks for something to be done.
The Tale Of Simmerville Patrick Wink relates a cautionary tale on the state of the
flightsim hobby.
The State Of The Community
There is currently some reason for concern about the future of freeware and
the flightsim community as a whole. Here one opinion as expressed by
James Yardley.
Setting The Standard
Everyone has their own standards for what makes a good flightsim add-on.
In this article Matthew Murray shares his. Read it and see how his
ideas compare with yours.
Just How Successful Is FS2000?
FS2000 has been out long enough now to have fully established its place with
flightsimmers. But how successful has it been, especially versus FS98, the
previous version? Rob Olson provides his answer.
Delays
Don't you just hate delays? The current state of real world air travel
makes writer Malcolm Kenworthy yearn for the joy of flightsimming as he
relates in this recent airline tale.
Around The World In 600 Days?
Use flight simulation to expand your, and even your family's, horizons.
Peter Stark makes his simming more real by setting off around the
world in a light plane. You might want to do the same. Learn more about
Peter's enjoyable trek here.
What Makes A Serious Flightsimmer
Flightsim software can be treated as a game or as a realistic simulation.
John Dow offers his thoughts on the difference in approaches to
flightsimming in his personal take on serious simming.
How Do You Flightsim?
Flightsimmers have different ideas on how to make simming "as real as it
gets". FlightSim.Com Staff offers his "rules" for flightsimming...read what
he has to say and then think about your own ways of flightsimming.
Less Is More - Once Again! Stutters Be Gone
Our latest technology can also cause problems, as FlightSim.Com Staff
discusses here. Sometimes it's better to stay simpler rather than use the
latest panel technology which can have negative effects on simulator
performance.
Making Your Virtual Reality Real
Writer Kurt Van Wagenen wonders why more flightsimmers don't turn
their aviation interest into the real thing--a pilots license. He took this
step and thinks others could too.
Legal Eagle-Flight 0666 Now Boarding
Legal issues can be a problem for flightsimmers involved in virtual
airlines if care isn't taken. Jeremy Morrison offers his thoughts
here.
What! No Autopilot?
For the flightsimmer who has grown too used to the easy navigating made
possible by modern instruments going back to an antique plane offers some
real challanges, as Bill Smith found out in the flight that he
describes here.
Open Those Window Shades!
For some people, airline travel has become at best routine and at worst
something to dread. But really it's a marvel that ought to be enjoyed.
FlightSim.Com Staff offers his thoughts.
The Public Needs Your Help...On Flying
There is a lot of misinformation in the media and amoung the general public
about flying. FlightSim.Com Staff comments on this and suggests that as people
knowledgeable about aviation, flightsimmers help change this perception.
More Guilty Pleasures
For those obsessed to some extent with the flightsim hobby it proves
to offer a variety of guilty pleasures which only increase with time
and experience, as Bill Smith describes in
his thoughts on flightsimming.
Drat! There's Always Something
It seems that even the best add-ons always have something wrong, usually
something obvious and often pointed out by users even before the product
is released. FlightSim.Com Staff offers his thoughts on this situation.
The Magic Of Flightsimming
Why do we flightsim? The rewards to the true flightsim pilot make it all
worthwhile, as FlightSim.Com Staff writes, including sharing some of his
best flightsim experiences.
Obsessive Compulsive Flightsimming
The truely obsessed flightsimmer can do anything...even fly the FS98
helicopter using keyboard and mouse, as Bill Smith describes in
his thoughts on flightsim obsession.
The Flight Modeling Issue: FS2000 Pet Peeves
In this article on FS2000 add-ons, John Stanton offers his personal
feedback to developers on what he'd like to see in FS2000 aircraft and
panels.
The FlightSim Experience: Has It Lost Direction?
Has flightsimming lost its direction--going towards more and more "eye
candy" and away from the real simulation of flying experiences? Bernie
Stafford thinks so, and in this opinion piece offers his thoughts on the
current state of flightsimming and where he'd like to see it go in the future.
"Honest Abe" Reviews
Do you sometimes get the feeling that you can find "happy only" reviews? Even
the best products have flaws but do reviewers tell you about them?
FlightSim.Com Staff offers his thoughts on "Honest Abe" reviews.
Less Is More - A Plea To Designer
Flightsim designers sometimes seem to forget that the add-ons they
create are actually meant to be flown with, not just generate pretty
pictures or slide shows. FlightSim.Com Staff offers a plea to designers
to trade-off some fanciness for flyability.
Simming Step By Step
Flightsim users often get frustrated by trying planes and procedures
that they are not ready for. Author Bill Stack offers some
common sense suggestions for beginners, recommending that they learn
to fly step by step.
Force Stick Mark IV
The Force Stick concept continues to attract attention. In this
article Dave Best offers an alternative system that includes
a basic electronic and mechanical description.
Force Stick Mark III
In his previous article, FreeTrainer developer Paul van
Dinther offered a proposed design for the Force Stick
sim control device. After further feedback from readers he now
offers a number of refinements.
Force Stick: The Design
In an earlier article, FreeTrainer developer Paul van
Dinther proposed a new sim control device he called the Force
Stick. Based on further thought and feedback, he now presents a
proposed physical design.
A Report On Greece
The country of Greece has many resources available to the flight
sim pilot. Greek native Kyprianos Biris describes the
scenery, information, ATC and more that should entice you the fly
some of the beautiful and challenging routes to this country.
The Ideal Aircraft Control
No current flight sim control system really simulates the way real
aircraft controls work. FreeTrainer developer Paul van
Dinther proposes something new that he calls the Force
Joystick. See what he has to say, and then join in with your
opinion.
On Being Moral
The flight sim community has seen all too many cases were developers have
had their work improperly taken and used by others. In this article,
Rev. Edward A. Kellum discusses the morality of the issue and encourages
developers and others to do the right thing.
Variation Makes For Challenges, Enjoyment And Rewards
Doing the sames things over and over can get you in a flight sim rut.
Author Bill Stack suggests many variations to get out of that
rut and making flight simming more challenging and rewarding.
What's Wrong With Microsoft Flight Simulator
Private pilot Chuck Forsberg considers MS Flight Sim as a
training tool for pilots, points out its problems and compares it
with other available sims.
Protect Your Future
Panel designer Roy Chaffin discusses copyrights and related
issues involved in proper and legal use of freeware and other
material.
Realism + Pragmatism = Great Flight Simming
Author Bill Stack of Training Associates weighs in with this
opinion piece on the current state of flight simulation and people's
reaction.
