NewISH to flight sims looking for guidance.

Hello Folks just joined today as I am hoping to get serious about learning Flight Sims. I can remember trying it in the 1980's.

I am a 100% Disabled Veteran hoping to build a Flight sim cockpit to be used to ease my PTSD and try to learn real world techniques (No flying knowledge at this time) with Microsoft Flight Simulator - Steam Edition currently NO ADDONS freshly installed from Steam. (Until I can save for Prepar3d v4 because I heard it is better on 64-bit systems than the Steam Version of MSFS)

Computer is a iBuypower Snowblind from Bestbuy

Operating System: Win 10 Home Edition 64-bit

Motherboard: MSI Tomahawk Arctic H270 chipset so no overclocking or dual video cards possible

CPU: 7th Gen i7 7700 3.60 GHz (Turbo) 4.20 GHz

Video Card: MSI 1070 Armor 8 GB

Ram: 16GB DDR4 3000 2x8GB ADATA XPG DDR4-3000 (PC4 2400) 8GB * 1 CL16-18-18 Silver

Power Supply: High Power HPL-800BR-F14S

OS Drive: WD Blue 250GB WDS250G1B0A

Gaming Drive: Toshiba DT01ACA200 2TB

Monitors: LG 4K OLED 55" and 34" LG 34UC97-S 3440x1440

I have Microsoft Flight Simulator X STEAM EDITION installed on a TOSHIBA 2TB (Hope to get an m.2 Samsung later)

Controllers that might be used

Joystick: Saitek X-56

Yoke: ch products flight sim yoke usb fsy211u

Throttle: CH Throttle Quadrant

Rudder Pedals: NONE lost the CH ones during move

TrackIR 3 Pro (Should I bother getting the newest one?

Oculus Rift with touch controllers, and controller (A consideration for immersion but worry about how to use the other controllers when wearing it)

I have a dream to buy a Volair Sim with the Aviation panel and 3 60" - 65" TV screens for better immersion. Or an Obutto R3Volution setup (Leaning toward Volair) and even thoughts of putting it on a wooden base that I could add D-Box Motion Actuators too later.

As a result of wanting the Volair system with Aviation panel I am strongly considering getting all new Yoke Rudders and Throttles form Saitek/Logitech (This will be done over time as I save up for a few items at a time)

Now that the details are taken care of here are my questions.

1. AM I INSANE?!

2. Can I learn real world procedures on these flight sims and enjoy flying as realistically as (Financially possible)?

I have the Private Pilot Lesson DVD from King Schools I found at a yard sale, Can I use them to learn to fly in Simulators? I am not

interested in BIG Jets as much as I am Cessna 182 Diamond DA40 and other GA crafts (Eventually interested in as real a sim of a

G1000 system as I can get), with a few others thrown in for fun.

3. Does anyone have Volair Sims stuff and is it worth it? If it is set up for Flight Sims is it possible to easily reconfigure for racing if I

wish?

4. Are the controllers I have OK for now as I save for the Saitek stuff and maybe later even better gear if I enjoy this hobby as much

as I hope. Has anyone tried using D-Box with Volair Sims?

5. Any other pointers like what are any must have add-ons for as realistic and/or pleasurable an experience as I can get (Over time if

too much money)

6. How do I learn proper aviation communication so I can someday use VATSIM?

Thank you for your patience I am sorry this is so wordy I see so many post people ask what can I run without listing system specs so started there.

Other Flight sims I have That I am not sure will run on my more Modern system:

A program from Abacus called Civil Air Patrol Pilot (made 2005)

X-Plane 9 (Made 2009) I might buy X-Plane 11 someday.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 A Century of Flight

Microsoft Flight Simulator X Deluxe Edition (2010)? (Is the Steam Version Better)?

Microprose Falcon 4.0 for Windows 95/98 (November 1998) (Not played much as I found it too hard)

Ubisoft IL-2 Forgotten Battles and for some reason two Disks of the ACE Expansion Pack (Not played much as I found it too hard)

We need a good WWI flight sim for todays computers

1. Not that I can tell from your post.

2. You can learn many/most procedures in the sim, but it's not easy without an actual instructor. It's a lot easier to learn things wrong and/or develop bad habits without a CFI to guide you. And there's a lot you can't learn in the sim, primarily related to aircraft feel and the feel of the environment.

3. I've not heard of Volair.

4. The controllers you have now will serve.

5. In the Real Aviation Tutorials and FAQs section below you'll find a lot of good information, culled from numerous discussions over the years, a lot of it regarding real world aviation, including things on how to fly. Also, tutorials/lessons that are built in to the sim can help a lot.

At this FAA site you can find the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, the Instrument Flying Handbook, the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) and more.

6. The AIM has some good information about communications, including recommended phrases and such. You can also buy an inexpensive aviation receive radio and listen to the communications from real pilots and controllers. The caveat, though, is that the aviation communication frequencies are line of sight, so you'll need to be fairly close to an airport to hear transmissions from the ground, perhaps within a mile or two (maybe less, depending on terrain) to hear aircraft on the ground, though you might hear controllers/FBOs from a few miles further, as they have higher powered radios and higher/better antennas.

Asking questions here can get some good information, too, though there occasionally is some well-meant but not quite accurate information given. Still there are lots of real world pilots, even instructors, here, as well as some simmers who are well informed.

Undoubtedly you'll hear from others here who can add to the above, and certainly you'll have more questions soon.

Finally, welcome to the world of simming.

I alway wanted to learn how to fly in real life but since I now feel that is not likely to happen as I am 53 with a Service Dog I am hoping making as realistic as I can afford flight sim cockpit setup will allow me to still sort of experience it.

I know it will be a slow over time endeavour and starting out with the Saitek panels is not the most realistic but I need to start somewhere. I think if I enjoy it I can save money for more accurate and professional equipment over time.

I'd say start simple. Learn to fly some of the default planes first. Any computer, fsx, and a simple joystal will do. (or the controllers you already have.).

See if you like it. And if you do, start thinking about investing more.

I had 5 years of great fun that way with fsx. Using only a simple joystick (logitech 3d pro) and loads of freeware Addons. (you can find loads of freeware on tip site and various others.)

but start by getting to know fsx, the default planes, and basic flying. The default Ultralight aircraft is the best way to get a feel for how a plane behaves. Low step up to more.

Enjoy!

I dabbled with this back when FS2004 was out (hence why I have the CH Products stuff) but was always too busy to spend much time with it.

One thing that I am shocked to still be reading on forums though is that Now almost 8 years after the release of FSX there are still problems with Frame Rates, I thought that the power of the new CPU’s and to a lesser extent GPU’s would have allowed seamless 60FPS with max graphic settings and photorealistic views LOL. (I must admit I do want as realistic a outside view as possible.

If I a researching correctly Prepar3d is FSX revamped to be smoother and work better with Multi core CPU’s and GPU’s? Maybe I should save up first and get that?

I tried running FSX-SE a couple days ago to try it with the Saitek X-56 (not ideal but convenient) but it tried spanning across all 3 monitors with a blank screen and a small box saying something was loading but after an hour I had to reboot computer as I could not shut the sim down not even in task manager.

Hi Ed,

Welcome aboard and thanks for your service.. I'm sorry to hear of your issues - we're of the same age and I served with the Navy for nine years...

You seem to have a more than capable machine and I use a full CH HOTAS setup as well - since game port days...

Yep as stated - start slow - and make sure you like it before investing a boat load of money... It does take a substantial amount of cash to achieve the results you see in some of the best screenshots around here...

Personally - P3D is where you want to be - but there is no rush... I wouldn't buy any software at this point that is FSX only - as eventually - everything will be 64 bit... P3D runs better than FSX without the need to introduce a thousand tweaks... I'm on an old 2700K/GTX970 and I even noticed a performance gain going from P3Dv3 to P3Dv4...

Yeah - even with P3D maxed sliders - best equipment out there - 60FPS is a bit unrealistic... The smoothest perception you can get is with a 30hz monitor and frames locked to 30 - as it eliminates the micro stutter - this isn't my solution but one posted buy a guru (Rob A) on the other website...

Wish you well and hope you enjoy your stay...

Regards,

Scott

Hi Ed,

Hah - "Rotten Groton" - haven't heard that term in years - I served out of Point Loma in San Diego...

Sent you a PM...

Regards,

Scott