10 years of Microsoft Flight Simming for me... How abou...

[Guest Jock in a Frock]

I recall some sort of sim on my old Sinclair ZX-81, so that would be 1981 (OMG, 25 years ago). Had F15 Eagle on my Spectrum, then a bit of a break before getting back into simming on my Amiga (1990), with FSII, then Birds Of Prey, then Airbus A320. Another break until about 1999 and got back into it with FS98, then FS2002, then FS2004.Glad to see some people have fond memories of their Amigas. I had A500s, A1200s and an A4000. All wonderful machines, and had some of the best coders around to get so much fun out of the hardware.:)

[JRMurray 214]

It's been around 22 years for me. I started with subLOGIC Flight Simulator for the Commodore 64 in 1984 (if my memory isn't deceiving me) and have bought pretty well every version of Flight Sim since then.Joel @ CYVR (near CYNJ, really)

[JRMurray 214]

>Even before SubLogic's "Flight Simulator" and "Air Transport>Pilot", I had a flight simulator for a Timex Sinclair 1000,>and then another one for the Commodore VIC-20. Since then>I've had every version of MS Flight Simulator, plus "Fly!" and>"Fly! II" and Sierra's "Pro Pilot" and "Pro Pilot 2".Me, too, Jim! The flight sim for the Timex Sinclair was really, really basic. I could hardly run the sim, as it had to be loaded via a cassette player, and mine never seemed to load programs well.Ah, memories!Joel @ CYVR (near CYNJ, really)

[JRMurray 214]

>Anyone remember "Jet"?Yes, I do. I bought it and just about every other flight sim, whether civilian or military.Anyone remember the UFO "simulator" from subLOGIC?Joel @ CYVR (near CYNJ, really)

[Guest jboweruk]

I started really with FS98 in 2001, then 2002, but really got right into it fully in 2004 when FS9 came out, that was truly the turning point for me, can't get enough stick time now though.

[rightseat 277]

20 years for me. I never owned a Commodore 64, but my parents did buy me a Tandy 3000 when I was 8. It had flight simulator on it, and I've been hooked ever since. Come to think of it, that Tandy was state of the art for about 4 years, time really have changed. You guys remember the old 4 color RGB monitors that you had to pay so much for? Mine displayed the MS water light green and the ground this pinkish color. I do miss that WWI Flying Ace minigame that it included--the one with the grids on the ground--the great, great, great grand daddy of MSCS. Ahh, memories.best

[Guest dpc]

Early 80s. Sub-logic on the C-64. My wife could not understand for the life of her what I saw in playing that game. I'd say, ":-jumpy look, it's Chicago!" and she'd say ":-roll no, its a bunch of lines and dots." She understands today though..http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...d=227100&page=3 :-hah -dave

[Wilbert 0]

How about more than 26 years.Been with Flight sim since about 1980 - Radio Shack Color Computer. Aircraft was just crosshair stationary in the center of the screen with little drawings (indicating moutains and etc.) moving down the screen indicating forward movement and only short lines to represent runways. Later moved on to IBM/TANDY compatible w/SubLogic SubLogic in 1981 and 1989 with Flight Assignment: ATP (Air Transport Pilot) on 5.25 disks (which I still have (Blue binders containing STAR Scenery Disks).Wow! what changes have been made.....W BrownMiami

[Sonar5 3]

>>10 years for me - How long has it been it been for you? How>long have you been Microsoft Flight Simming?>>RHNow we're going back.I haven't been a loyal customer, I just went with who I felt had the better product at the time.FS 5.1 in 1995-1996, first sim, CGA computer, I thought it was cool stuff for the time.Then a Hiatus and I bought Pro-Pilot 99 a few years later, in which I used to help earn my PP-ASEL. :) (That and a studentpilot website) I still remember making posts about my progress and asking questions.After that, my next sim purchase was Fly! II, which was awesome for the time. It was then that I joined Avsim too, I believe the manual had a link for it or something.My next purchase was MSFS 2002 pro, since the Fly series was no more. :(Then on to FS9 where we stand now.I still wish there were (real) competition to help spur along everything we want, but I'm grateful to fly what we have. The recent six day RTW race which Avsim won over Flightsim.com and sim-outhouse.com really brings out the positive aspects of what FS can do. I was able to fly 5 legs and three Berlin Airlift legs in the race and had a blast, along with many participants form the three websites.I'm looking forward to buying FSX when it is released, and I'm quite sure I'll be stopping at Costco to pick up my copy that day. Thanks Microsoft, you've broadened my horizons, helped me to be a more proficient pilot, and brought millions into a Hobby we all hold dear to our hearts.And thanks for the thread, great memories have been jogged.Regards,JoePP-ASEL

[Hakkie 0]

My first sim must have been in 1980, so about 26 years ago. Sub-Logic FS1 on the Tandy TRS80. Have also used Commodore C64 and Amiga versions. I then switched to the IBM platform. Have not missed a single version since then and still love it!

[lwestdal 0]

Shortly after WWII, the Jack Armstrong radio program offered a put-it-together-yourself J-3 Cub "flight simulator" for 50 cents and a couple of Wheaties box tops. The apparatus was made of card stock with dotted lines to mark folds and tabs that fit into slots to hold the whole thing together. The completed "simulator" was shaped something like the old Apple IIe, reduced to the size of a shoe box. A static instrument panel was printed just below the "screen," which was an open space allowing you to look inside the box where a small, paper J-3, two to three inches in wingspan, hung suspended by strings. The strings connected to the bottom end of a "Tootsie Pop" sucker stick poking up through the floor of the "cockpit," located where the keyboard on the Apple IIe would be. When the pilot moved the sucker stick left-right or front-back, the J-3 was supposed to bank or pitch up and down. The movements were jerky and not very realistic, but at the time it was as close to real flying as I could get, and I loved it. Ironically, now at the other end of my life--seventy in a few months--I'm still fascinated with the same toy. I've "flown" every version of MS Flight Simulator since FS5, and they all do things the Jack Armstrong version couldn't, but in the larger scheme of things, they're probably not all that different.

[woodreau 0]

I've been away flying real airplanes, but I remember starting with subLogic's FS II for the Atari 400/800/XL computers I guess in the early 1980's.When I finally moved over to the PC, I got MSFS 4.0 There I remember there was a CompuServe forum where people who worked with SEE made sceneries for 4.0.I also remember flying FS:ATP as well.I spent an entire summer creating scenery for Louisiana and Mississippi because MSFS 4.0 still only had the 4 areas - Chicago, Southern California, NY/Boston, and Seattle - and uploaded that file onto the CompuServe forum, which you accessed via dialup.If you wanted to go online, you had to disable your call-waiting, dial out on your 2400bps modem and if anyone else was using the board, you got a busy signal and had to call back later. Once you finally got on you got 30 minutes of access (because no one else could access the board if you were on it - anyone else got a busy signal) for the really busy bulletin boards to download your sceneries/files, read and post new messages.

[Cruachan 705]

"I purchased FS-II for my C-64 in 1984..... So 22 years for me".....ditto. Blimey, is it really as long ago as that?! I've flown every version since. Doesn't time fly when you have a fascinating hobby.Mike

[Datalink 26]

Blimey 10 years for me too then :-) I started with FS5.1 My folks got it for me for christmas, when we had a 386 PC back then LOLI've only missed FS for Win95 since then, as i didn't have the PC for it, however since then I've made sure to upgrade every 2 years or so :-lolI've also owned Sierra Pro pilot 2, FLY! and FLY II as well as one called Airliner pro (I think) but I didn't like that much.I would have to say that if FLY was still being developed and progressed further, I'm sure I would have stuck with that, I loved the visuals and the systems + PMDG airliners :(Things I have also done since then, well I had a few lessons in a PA28 and Cessna 172's at Shoreham, UK, I'm now under-going ATPL groundschool in Naples, Fl after getting my FAA PPL just before christmas. I also flew in a BA B777-200 sim at Heathrow back in 2000 - That has to be the best flight sim I've flown LOL - www.virtualaviation.co.ukAnd finally, the best thing is that the best is still to come! looking forward to FSX :-jumpy

[rhodges 6]

I don't know how long, but time flies too.I started out with some forgotten FS program on an old TI computer that used cassette tapes for loading. My first version or versions of MSFS were on the old 5" floppies, whatever that was. I have had every version since then.RTH1585368CFI