Realism (How Far Is Too Far?) [The Maddening Chase]

Hello everyone.

I don't think I've ever posted here before, but I have always used this site as a place to find general information regarding flight simulation, and then of course, for some very excellent community built add-ons. So, while I know this isn't the proper forum for it, before I start my main topic, I suppose I should say hello at the very least.

Now, anyways, on to the topic at hand.

Realism. I like it. I think everyone that plays flight simulators are basically in agreement here. We all like realism, and the nice thing about PC gaming/simulation in general is it's basically up to the individual's taste in terms of how much realism you'd like to add to your games. I know many here will have played FSX (or any other version) by the books flying the big iron on awesome SIDs/STARs and their crazy different language maps on VATSIM and are just generally hugely impressive. "Multitasking you call it? Pfft, I do this in my sleep some nights."

Then there's the GA guys, who fly the little birds into some of the craziest weather/airstrips ever imagined and they do it while nonchalantly sipping tea like champions. "What do you mean there's 'technically' no airstrip and impossible crosswinds? Shut up and watch a master at work."

Then, there's me. I don't know if I'm a subset all of my own (I highly doubt I am) because I use add-ons like AirHauler and FsPassengersX, and essentially try to run my own aviation business. I try to be in charge of other "pilots" (AI mostly) finances, maintenance, all the while flying a little bit myself. And here's where I'm going bat *expletive* crazy.

I have Captain Sims' wonderful 737-200 add-on and I customized some paintjobs and started a small-time airline in FsPassengers and flew the big iron. But, I sadly don't know the first thing about SIDs STARs, and despite this I even flew on the very accomodating and patient VATSIM servers. I love the 737-200 but standard GPS/FSX Default ATC flying finds me bored. Sure, the simulation of a commercial environment is definitely there in regards to the IFR flights covering distances that would be logical to assume real human beings would purchase a ticket for.

But I think my true love lies with GA flying, specifically the small planes like Cessna 337's, (my absolute favorite plane, the ol' suck n' blow...wow that's bad...) and even the 182, 185, and 172. I have high-quality add-ons of the 337. 182 RG and 185 and 172 (amphibian) from Carenado and they're just a dream to fly.

I started playing FSX again this time, I decided I want to start my own aviation "business" using FsPassengers. I want to use GA aircraft because while I also love the 737-200, I get bored flying for an hour in the 30k+ altitudes whilst also watching default ATC direct me into mountains on approach because I'm too dumb to understand STARs. However, the problem with general aviation aircraft in game is unless you use crazy amounts of Program Crashing time compression, they're so freakin' miserably slow. God I love these planes, but I also don't love sitting for 5 hours at my machine just to go 2 towns over. And here's where my weird obsession kicks in.

Part 135 passenger ops are quite common, (I believe) in the US, and VFR flight is not uncommon for these small charter ops, but usually you'll only find these types of outfits in Alaska (Again, I'm led to believe). I don't have an interest in flying in Alaska, and so I actually enjoy the default start up area of FSX (Friday Harbor Washington) which is made stellar by Orbx's PNW scenery.

Anyways, because I don't want long flights, and I don't want to base myself in Alaska where short hops on prop jobs seem common place, I have a general aviation business in Washington State, not far from major airports like KSEA and KBFI. So when I sit down to play the game I want to play, my stupid brain kicks in and says, who, in their right bloody mind, would pay high prices for a ticket to ride a charter along in the low chop in a rickety, smelly, Cessna for 100nm?! And that's where my immersion breaks.

As anyone who has read this far (you're a trooper by the way thank you) can already tell, I actually have no real world aviation experience in the least. Shamefully I'm 25 years old and have never even ridden in a plane. Never even been next to one. So, with that being said, it's possible, I suppose, but that's why I'm turning to you guys, the professionals, the real pilots and the veteran simmers.

Is it reasonable that someone would charter a Part 135 dinky prop plane for short flights? Who would these passengers be? I know in the end FSX is just a game, but my strange thoughts always drift back to the realism of it...and there's where I'm lost. I don't know of any small time aviation outfits in the mainland US, let alone people who would pay to fly short hops to small fields for no reason at all when large commercial ops can get them 10 times farther 100 times faster.

The nice thing about FsPassengersX is it has several flight "modes"--Normal (The one I think no one would pay for) Flight Tours (reasonably possible in GA aircraft) and Acrobatic (Also reasonable in GA) so I wanted my "business" to take advantage of all three...so I'm trying to work out a way to randomly generate 1 of these 3 types of flights to add variety to my "services"...but the main issue is as I've said a few times is I can't wrap my head around real logical people paying good money to fly short distances in small planes.

So, what do you guys think? Does it happen IRL? Am I far too obsessed with realism? I should just enjoy the game I want to play, but this always nags at me.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer some insight!

--Lee

I'm not an expert but it appears you can search at aircharterguide.com for operators by aircraft type, country, state etc. For example:

http://aircharterguide.com/AircraftSearch.aspx?AircraftCategory=Piston-Single&AircraftMake=CESSNA&Country=US&State=WA

Westwind looks nice for PNW flying: http://www.westwindav.com/index.html. Might be a good example of a r/w company to try and simulate.

As far as realism goes, the immersion factor must be considered.

WE have built a Avro Shackleton as well as a Aemacchi MB326 trainer (known as 'Impala' here in South Africa) Both these sims use FS2004, are twin seaters & the flight models are perfect. The sims are static - mo movement.

We know that we've nailed the realism/immersion factor when real pilots climb in, fly a circuit or two, then, when coming in to land, anticipate the landing bump by bracing themselves & bumping themselves in the seats on touch down.

Our imagination fills in the gaps for us. Just in a simple circuit.

BTW, our MB326 is a twin seater sim, built into a real fusilage. (damn my spelling), Both sims are using original seats, pedals, yokes/sticks etc. Using FS9 with freeware local scenery. We just needed a 'bullet proof' stable sim engine.

...so I'm trying to work out a way to randomly generate 1 of these 3 types of flights to add variety...

You might take a peek at destination_finder_for_fs9_v1.1.zip. It is a random destination generator for use either inside FS9 or outside (FS9 not running). You can estimate how far you want to go, even the general heading, if you so choose, and it will spit you out a list of airports to land at that meet those parameters. You can choose the bird, estimate either how far you want to go, or it's max range and pick one of the results. Once your passengers for the charter load up, it's off you go, possibly to an airport with a short runway, no lighting, no navaids, whatever you want. As you get better, have you "passengers" pick more and more difficult airports to fly into, to increase the challenge...

I know that's just one aspect but I just started using the software and I love it. Thought it might fit your needs. It's free, and in the Library here.

Pat☺

I'm not an expert but it appears you can search at aircharterguide.com for operators by aircraft type, country, state etc. For example:

http://aircharterguide.com/AircraftSearch.aspx?AircraftCategory=Piston-Single&AircraftMake=CESSNA&Country=US&State=WA

 

Westwind looks nice for PNW flying: http://www.westwindav.com/index.html. Might be a good example of a r/w company to try and simulate.

Hey, this is great! Thanks for the links and information about this company. I'm surprised my Google searches didn't turn up the same results. I've been browsing their website and such for a bit, looks pretty interesting. Thanks!

You might take a peek at destination_finder_for_fs9_v1.1.zip. It is a random destination generator for use either inside FS9 or outside (FS9 not running). You can estimate how far you want to go, even the general heading, if you so choose, and it will spit you out a list of airports to land at that meet those parameters. You can choose the bird, estimate either how far you want to go, or it's max range and pick one of the results. Once your passengers for the charter load up, it's off you go, possibly to an airport with a short runway, no lighting, no navaids, whatever you want. As you get better, have you "passengers" pick more and more difficult airports to fly into, to increase the challenge...

 

I know that's just one aspect but I just started using the software and I love it. Thought it might fit your needs. It's free, and in the Library here.

Pat☺

Pat, thank you as well for this awesome reply. I'll definitely be giving that program a try, see what I can find and what kind of trouble I can get myself into. FsCaptain and AirHauler are great programs (unfortunately kind of expensive) for the generation of point a to point b flights, but FsPassengers throws in the ability to do a scenic flight (essentially fly a big circle around something and land back at your departure airport) and then acrobatic flights (fly around like a maniac and then land back at departure) and so that's what I need the most help determining. Whether the flight should be a normal a to b, a scenic, or acrobatic. The program you listed will help nicely in getting me more a to b destinations, instead of having to install other programs I won't use as much, (I already own, just have been too lazy to reinstall), but I think I found an admittedly crude solution to the which of the 3 flights will it be?

And that is a random number generator. Basically have it generate a number between 1 and 3. If I get a 1 it's off on a normal flight with the random destination picked by the program you listed. If it's a 2 I'm doing circles over pretty things, and if a 3, I'm taking extra airsick bags.

So thanks again everyone who replied with such great information! I really appreciate it!