Who Here is a Flight Simmer?

[PhilDernerJr]

Just curious as to who gets down with Microsoft Flight Simulator.

What version of the game to you have, what joystick(s) do you use? What mods do you have and where do you get yours?

[pgengler]

I've been hooked on Flight Sim for years, since version 5.0. Right now I'm flying in FS2004, with just a basic Sidewinder joystick (though I'm toyed with the idea of going nuts and getting a really nice setup, with rudder pedals and all). No mods installed, because I'm not quite sure what I want, and there's a lot out there.

[Matt Molnar]

I was really into it for awhile, but I haven't played in probably a year. I have one of the MS optical Sidewinders with force feedback. I downloaded a lot of planes and adventures from various places but I never bought any. I did buy a traffic add-on with real-world schedules and liveries, I think it was called, of all things, Traffic.

The new version is due in November I think. Supposedly it will be optimized to run on Windows Vista, which won't be out yet. Based on the fact that 2004 sometimes hiccups on my video card which was top of the line when 2004 came out, I'm guessing the new one will demand a very high end card upgrade to run smoothly.

[T-Bird76]

I have FS9 on my PC, I don't get to it as much as I did in the past. I prob spend more time on it during the winter when you can't get outdoors as much. As for Joysticks I have the Logictec Wingman, its ok. As for Mods, lets just say my FS9 folder is over 40 gigs.

[Mellyrose]

My dad is obsessed with Flight Sim. So much, that he e-mails me about it... and rumor has it that he IMs Phil about it, too.

He told me that he just downloaded a patch that shows every single road in the country. He lives in Guatemala and tells me that he flies over his house every day, even though his home airport is LGA (in honor of Phil and I).

Anyway, I hope that Phil is asking this question because he's interested in getting back into it. I'd love to start up, too. As if we don't spend enough time in front of the computer.

[Nick]

Where can I download this.. I have to check out Falcon 4.0 also.. haven't simmed since high school.

[ISP Pilot]

FS 2002; Microsoft sidewinder 4.0. I usually fly the 737 or 777. My bases are LHR, HKG, SIN, GRU and JFK!

[USAF Pilot 07]

I, as Phil probably knows, used to be real big into flight sim. But after coming to the Academy, having a really ****ty computer, and just being so busy, haven't played it probably in about 2 years.

It's definately an awesome game, and depending on how dedicated you are, can be very realistic (at least scenario wise). I've taken several things from Flight Sim into the actual cockpit (all whopping 14 hours of flight I have, lol), but I also noticed there were a lot of differences. Just flying the aircraft is a lot harder in real life than it is on FS. I think a lot of that is due to the fact that you're actually flying so you're full motion, and you have things like turbulence and winds that play a huge role in the feel and stuff of the A/C.
On the other hand, FS does real well with certain things. ATC and ATIS were great additions to the game, as the ATC and ATIS you hear and say in the air, are many times the same as in the game. Trim and Rudder seemed almost non-existant in FS, though, whereas in actual flight they are pretty important.

I think FS would provide a really good resource for IFR flying. I think learning some of the things I did with "IFR flying" in FS will probably transfer over real well with actual IFR flying, but I can't speak from experience.

I'd definately like to get back into Flight simming, but that probably won't happen until after I'm done with school and have a better computer and have some more free time.
But, I'll probably be at Phil's everyday this summer to start playing more!

[GrummanFan]

I fly with 2004 occasionally, with a basic Logitech joystick. I have mostly military add-ons, lately I've been logging a bunch of hours in an EA-6B. My comp keeps slowing down to about 1 fps durring landings, which makes it nearly impossible to set anything down smoothly.

[SengaB]

Phil, I am glad you are back into it....didnt know.
As I am typing this I enroute from Bahgdad to Kabul, Afghanistan flying the Volga Dnepr AN-124!
Been simming since 1989 nad haven't stopped since. If it wasn't for these sims particularly falcon 3.0 and MSFS 5.0 I probably would not have thought of aviation photography or as a carrer choice.
I do a lot of my own mods with the AFCAD editor etc. I also utilize mods like Project AI, and others that add AI real airlines on real world flight plans. I also use my real world Jeppcharts and approach plates.
If anyone is interested in flying.. Phil, this is a good palce I think for them to post it.
Senga

[Garri767]

I am somewhat , but im boring ;) all my flights are around SFO

[AndrewM]

I have been on flight sim since around 1992, I think. Right now I fly FS2004 with a sidewinder joystick.
I upgraded my cpu about 2 years ago so that it would run better, putting in an extra gig of memory and a Radeon 9800XT 256 PRO grahics card which set me back about $550 but man was it worth it.
I used to fly all the friggin' time, now maybe like 2-3 hours a week. Been flying around Los Angeles a lot recently and just tried the Cloud 9 scenery for LAX and it's awesome.

[eheik]

I fly using FS04, with only a basic logitech joystick with no sidewinder. I love how microsoft put in the Sunset Bar and the danger signs as you fly into SXM, it adds the real essence of it! I also downloaded the f-14 from the internet, it is quite different than flying the 737.

[MarkLawrence]

FS2004 now, but started with Flight Sim on the Apple IIe originally - Logitech cordless Rumble Pad - I'm a PMDG fan - I have all their released aircraft - love flying them all - also have quite a few payware airports and a couple of other payware aircraft I don't fly as regularly as the PMDG aircraft. Current flight is saved (time constraints with a 2 year old toddler!) - PMDG 747-400F Glocal Supply Systems G-GSSA EGLL-FAJS - 10 hours of glorious whale flying!

[cancidas]

been into it for some time, now using FS9 with a logitech wingman stick and almost every POSKY airplane available. i tend to fly heavies, though i have a citation 10 and frequent the lear 60 as well. still waiting for a good G-450 or BD-700 to come out...

[DHG750R]

Definitely a FS9 nut here , Using a basic MS sidewinder stick , I use PAI , Ultimate traffic and some additional flightplans/ aircraft added from AVSIM . As for my preference for flying . PMDG's excellent 737NG , 747 series/PSS's A320 series and Level D's excellent 767.

A couple of my favorite addons are FSBUILD which is a very realistic flightplanner whch works with another addon called Active Sky. So my flightplans are based on actual conditions including winds aloft.


I try and fly a somewhat relalistic schedule based on what I find online or based on what I find at work.

[Vince]

I'm also a flightsimmer. I use FS9 with a microsot sidewinder joystick...I mainly fly A320 330 340 and the LDS767. BUt since i'm french i didn't read the whole manual (too hard) and i have some problems with the FMC..If someone would help me.... :oops:

[Ari707]

I've been using FS since it came on 5" floppy disks.... now up to fs2002

[G-BOAD]

i fly FS2004 and use the Saitek X52. cant wait for FSX (10)

[UrbanExplorer222]

I started with FS 95 then 98 now im on 2004. And I use a Saitek Cyborg 3D Pro

[PHL Approach]

FS2004, CH products Pro Petals, MS Sidewinder Precision 2 Joystick for the (Buses), CH Products Yoke for everything else. As far as software goes, where do I begin. Entire PMDG 737 series, PMDG 744, PSS Airbuses (But I just use the panel and merge them with better freeware models, e.g. iFDG) Feelthere ERJ, Feelthere 737 Classic, countless payware GA a/c (even though im a jet kinda guy). Moving onto scenery, I have Fly Tampa - SFO, MIA, DXB, TPA, SAN, SEA, and MDW. Imaginesim (crap) - EWR, DTW, MSY, and DEN. I would like to get Cloud 9's LAX. That about covers it...

[hiss srq]

Major Flight Simmer here. I f i am not doing it for real I am usually doing that. It drives my Girlfreind nuts. "Don't you do enough at work!? yada yada yada yada"

[mirrodie]

I dont get to do it as often as I used to but its a great way to kill time and wait for the misses to dry her hair ;)

[fly.mcs]

I use FS2004. As for the joystick, I'm almost positive it's the Microsoft Sidewinder (or something like that..). I enjoy flying my Song 757s. Other than that, I create my own aircraft using the paintkits. I operate my own airline using an Airbus 340-200, Boeing 777-200, and Embraer 170-100. My aircraft are from ProjectOpensky, IFDG, and Dreamwings. I download all my panels and sounds from http://www.avsim.com. FS has become a life for me, lol. I recently flew from Athens, Greece to New York in real time. Excellent flight (nearly 11 hours)!