Very general questions on MS Flight Simulator

[carl01]

Hello all,

 

My son is mad keen on flying and wants to be a pilot, so I was thinking of MS Flight Simulator as a Christmas present to keep his interest going. Problem is, I have zero idea about computer games (the last one I played was Space Invaders in about 1983). Therefore I have a few basic questions:

 

- From the bit of homework I've done, it seems Xbox Series S is the best platform, is that right?

- He is only interested in commercial aircraft, so which simulator version is best?

- How many commercial aircraft are available? Can more be added/bought, and if so how?

- What format does the game take, is it on a CD-type disc or should it be downloaded? If the latter, how do you put the thing on an Xbox?

 

Many thanks if anyone could give me a clearer idea of this kind of stuff.

 

[Nels_Anderson]

Always nice to see new people interested in aviation. Let me give you one opinion on your questions.

 

Platform: If you're going to be serious about this, the best platform is a Windows PC, not a gaming system. If you go with Xbox then Microsoft Flight Simulator is your only choice whereas with a PC you have other options.

 

Aircraft: "Commercial aircraft" is a pretty broad category. All the sims have some commercial aircraft available, either default (they come with the sim) or as third party add-ons. If it's one specific plane you're interested in, you'd want to check for availability of that.

 

Availability: How many depends on what sim you choose. MSFS 2020 (the current Microsoft Flight Simulator) has a few built in and others available for purchase. Being relatively new it may well have a smaller selection than other options. X-Plane is the other primary popular choice, with XP12 being the current version. It has quite a good selection available. Prepar3D is another option, though lately it has lost popularity with third party developers so options for add-ons are probably not as good. Though old, FSX (Microsoft Flight Simulator X) might be worth considering, as it has a wide range of add-ons available. However, it is old...really old...having been released in 2006 and is not being upgraded or given much in the way of official support.

 

CD or download: Hardly anything comes on CD any more. New computers don't even have CD drives. All the sims I've mentioned come as downloads. You download them and run an installer. This is how pretty much all software comes these days.

 

A comment about your interest in "commercial planes": If your son has no previous experience with flying, jumping directly into a Boeing 747 is not going to work. Real pilots start by learning to fly little Pipers or Cessnas. Master that and you move up to more complex planes...twins, turboprops, jets, etc. It's a fairly long process but flying is a complex skill and if you're going to do it right there are no shortcuts.

 

You might also want to introduce him to some real world flying. One option is the EAA's "Young Eagles" program, which offers free introductory plane rides to kids (https://www.eaa.org/eaa/youth/free-ye-flights).

 

This also lets you meet some real pilots in your area who can answer questions and some of the local chapters can offer addition help beyond the initial ride.

[PhrogPhlyer]

23 minutes ago, Nels_Anderson said:

You might also want to introduce him to some real world flying. One option is the EAA's "Young Eagles" program, which offers free introductory plane rides to kids (https://www.eaa.org/eaa/youth/free-ye-flights).

The EAA is an excellent choice. This allows one to get up close and personal with aircraft, pilots, mechanics, and so may others who love aircraft and flying.

You might also consider visiting your local small(er) General Aviation airport. Even though times have changed and you can't just walk onto the ramp (as I started doing at 10 years old), If you visit the flight school or mechanics shop there, they are more than happy to walk you around and let you see real planes.

If your son is slightly interested in the Military Services, you might see if the CAP has a local Cadet Squadron (https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/).

And there is also Aviation Exploring, another great organization (https://youcanfly.aopa.org/high-school/aviation-exploring).

Real and/or Sim, aviation is a great way to learn, participate, and share your son's "mad keen on flying."

[mrzippy]

@carl01 Welcome!  You did not mention your son's age.  It might help in making some of the decisions.  I agree with Nels about doing this on a PC rather than being restricted to an Xbox.  A good and less expensive route would be to purchase FSX Steam Edition, sometimes on sale for around $5.00.  It has plenty of different types of aircraft and airports and also tons of freeware planes,  airports, and scenery.  Built in flying lessons are included.
 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/314160/Microsoft_Flight_Simulator_X_Steam_Edition/

[lnuss]

There is some great information for you above. Mrzippy is right that your son's age will affect what you do at this point. The sim choices as described above pretty much cover it, and have laid it out pretty well, but I'd add one thing, that the computer you have/buy will also make a difference in your choice of sim, since MSFS2020 and X-Plane will need more computing power than FSX does. You'll also need to think about how to control the sim, since using a keyboard is very awkward and doesn't provide a very satisfying experience, but you can start with an inexpensive joystick (or maybe a yoke) and rudder pedals (not required, but IMO important).

 

I'll also echo the above about the EAA (find a local chapter through eaa.org), both for the Young Eagles program (for kids 8 to 18) and for getting around aircraft with adult guidance and hands on experience. And if your son also has any thoughts of the military the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) could be an excellent choice. Besides some studies about aviation it offers several orientation rides in powered aircraft and, in some areas, additional orientation rides in sailplanes (gliders). CAP Cadets wear Air Force uniforms with special insignia, learn military customs and courtesies and drill and ceremonies, as well as getting some good training in leadership.

 

And again, I'll echo Nels' comments about learning to fly. As a former flight instructor I can guarantee a lot of frustration and development of bad habits (aviation wise) that are time consuming to break in real aviation if an airliner is the starting point and main experience in the sim. Flying is, in most respects, counter-intuitive since the complete environment in the air is nothing like experience on the ground, but properly taught the basics can be picked up fairly quickly, and the built in lessons in the sims can help quite a bit.

 

Best of luck...

 

[carl01]

Many thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

 

Just to clarify a little, my son is only 11, so may well change his mind about flying in years (or weeks) to come. However it's always been a strong interest of his. Earlier this year he wrote a letter to a few airlines and Lufthansa were kind enough to fly us over to Munich so he could take a look around the operations centre and fly a simulator, which was a great experience and completely unexpected. I guess he's interested in the big commercial aircraft because that's his experience of flying so far, but of course I take the point about starting at the bottom.

 

Lovely idea about the EAA but we are a long way from the US I'm afraid.

 

As for simulators, I doubt my laptop is powerful enough, that's why I was thinking about Xbox. A joystick would also be better than a keyboard as someone said.

 

I'm still not quite clear about how a game is loaded onto an Xbox though - I thought you slot in some kind of disc? If not, how is a downloaded game loaded onto the device?

 

Anyway I hope I've provided a few more details, would be happy to receive any more suggestions.

 

All the best.

[loki]

59 minutes ago, carl01 said:

I'm still not quite clear about how a game is loaded onto an Xbox though - I thought you slot in some kind of disc? If not, how is a downloaded game loaded onto the device?

 

There is an online store on the Xbox where you can buy and download games and other apps, similar to the app stores on iPhone and Android smartphones. In fact, on the Xbox Series S you mention, there is no DVD/blu-ray drive at all. If you can stretch the budget a bit, the Series X model may be better in the long run, or if you have a 4k TV.

[carl01]

Excuse my ignorance, but does that mean you connect the Xbox to a laptop, or carry out the download on a TV screen via the joystick?

[PhrogPhlyer]

6 hours ago, carl01 said:

Just to clarify a little, my son is only 11

Have you considered DAeC (Deuscher Aero Club)?

They are located throughout Germany and have many activities, model aircraft, gliders, powered aircraft, etc.

I was also a young boy with a passion for aviation, spending much time at a local airport since 10 years old.

That passion never left me. I hope the same for your son.

https://www.daec.de/

https://www.daec.de/sportarten/modellflug/

https://www.segelflug.aero/

[carl01]

Hadn't heard of the DAeC, but that sounds like just the thing to keep his interest alive - many thanks for the idea.

[loki]

7 hours ago, carl01 said:

Excuse my ignorance, but does that mean you connect the Xbox to a laptop, or carry out the download on a TV screen via the joystick?

The Xbox is a computer itself and doesn't need any other computer to function. It connects to the internet the same as any other computer you have at home, either through wifi or an Ethernet cable to the router, and uses the TV as a monitor. You use the gamepad that comes with it in place of a mouse and keyboard (though you can connect a mouse and keyboard too). Take a look at some videos on Youtube to get a better idea of how it all works.

 

 

[carl01]

Thank you loki for your patience. I guess there comes a point when you lose touch with technology, and it seems I passed that point some time ago. Anyway it's clear enough now.

[loki]

The tech world does move fast. Keep asking questions, and someone here will be happy to help.