Budget Flight Simulator

My introduction to the world of Flight Simulation came back in 2003 (yes, I am still new relative to the other folks I know on some of the forums out there). I purchased a spanking new copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 (the first edition to include AI aircraft and ATC communications). My goal was to become a real certified Pilot so I decided to become acclimated to the peculiarities of aircraft handling before I dealt with the real thing.

I also purchased a pair of headphones with an attached mouthpiece, a Flight Yoke and Rudder Pedals (courtesy of CH Products) and optimized my stereo sound system for surround sound. It felt like a religious experience even from early on! I then went on sites like Avsim and Posky to download add-on aircraft. I then experimented with sound file replacement so that the airplanes sounded like the real thing!

I learned later on that even though I could now be considered a hardcore simmer, there were folks out there with far more impressive software AND hardware! I saw a couple of uploads of images of Simulators with multiple monitors to simulate 3D views of the outside cockpit environment, and stacks of manually workable flight instruments! I began to feel rather inadequate with my single monitor and my yoke and pedals! I could only look around outside the cockpit as far as the hat switch on my yoke would allow!

I noticed some issues arising as I transitioned from Flight Sim to the real thing…

There was the real issue of my constant tendency to become fixated inside the cockpit. Whilst learning to land in a real airplane with an instructor, I also had to unlearn some potentially dangerous habits I had picked up in teaching myself to land using the Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Flight simulators can be fun and exiting as a basic learning tool, but I am still out when it comes to analyzing them for the danger they could present in terms of developing flying habits that could prove difficult to undue once you decide to fly in the real world.

Hard core flight simmers come in a variety of interests and aspirations. I met some guys who are solely into the whirly birds. They have flown every class and model of helicopter out there. Then there are the military simmers searching for the ultimate challenge online in sorties against fellow virtual fighter pilots. Many egos go down in flames…

I prefer to exist in the virtual world of civilian fixed wing aircraft. I relish the thrills of flight planning. I have all my Flight Simulator settings set to realistic so that all my planning mirrors that of the real world. I fly short hops between the Hawaiian Islands, or short trips throughout the Bahama Islands. My most recent long haul trip was between Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv (Israel) and Lester Pearson Intl. (Toronto, Canada).

I have my preference in terms of software (both free software and software that is no so free). I highlight my favorites:

Active Sky – Simulates actual weather conditions (including cloud layering) in every geographical location of the world in which you are conducting your flight. It automatically transformed the virtual skies to a thing of great beauty.

Flight Environment (courtesy of Flight 1 software) – In collaboration with Active Sky, the clouds appear in 3D layer and in many different forms, and every cloud type (at the correct height according to cloud type as well). There are great water textures, along with animated waves and great reflections.

FSPassengers (courtesy of Daniel Polli) – this is an add-on that enables the virtual airline pilots to simulate passengers on board and control in-flight services like food and movies, among other features. I can also create a virtual airline and simulate earning money by flying for the airline. This software also grades the quality of the entire flight, including the landings!

Aerosoft AES (Airport Enhancement services) – This wonderful add-on includes among other things:

• Aircraft Pushback with sound, animated objects and automatic perfect alignment.
• Push-In for backward parking positions
• Pushback using the TBL (towbarless) that lift the nose wheel and conventional that uses a tow bar to move the aircraft
• Animated gates that link up perfect to the doors of the aircraft
• Moving service vehicles that link up perfectly to the aircraft (catering, air stairs, cargo, buses, cleaning and refueling services)
• De-icing in winter

Ultimate Traffic (courtesy of Flight 1) – This add-on includes the airline schedules and animated AI aircraft model representation of every scheduled airliner in the world. All the aircraft take off and land according to a time schedule as they do in real life. All AI aircraft has movable parts and lights.

I came across another piece of interesting software recently. It is called the Squawk box. It is an online air traffic control for virtual pilots. I am learning more about it.