How far back do we go?

[ramprat 8]

Hi fellow simmers,I learned to fly in February of 1964 in a Cessna 150. And now I am part of a global community flying in a virtual world that I could not of imagined back then. I am wondering about my fellow sim pilots that make up this virtual reality. When did you learn to fly and in what? How far back do we go??? Best regards,Bill

[Guest tcable]

PPASEL in 1990 but my only flying is on the PC. Owning a house, getting married, kids does that.All I ever wanted to do was fly- now I'm in info tech :)I'm home every night and not on furlough or flying a CRJ as I probably would be as a pilot.Not that the CRJ would not be a good thing!Tim

[Geofa 108]

Hi Bill-I started simming in 1981 and learned to fly in 1989 on a Cessna 150 also.GeofaMy blog:http://geofageofa.spaces.live.com/

[slashed2 53]

Started out on the C-64 and sublogic flight sim back in 1982, made one attempt at a pilots license a few years back, but ran out of cash, hoping to try again within 5 years after I've scraped enough money together after buying a house, a pool, and paying for college for at least 2 teens, maybe 3.Okay, who am I kidding, pc simming is much cheaper, but still, one can dream.

[Guest PPSFA]

Private license in 1970, commercial/multi/inst in 1971 in a Colt, stupid computer in 1985, and I'll give ya the Readers Digest version of how I got into 'simming'.My 'S.O' at the time (signifigent other) wanted to learn computers so she could expand her 'marketablilty'. My next door neighbor was a 'shop' teacher and he also taught 'computers' at the local school.Long story short: I asked his advice, ended up with a Packard Bell 25 mhz with a whopping 250 MEG hard drive and 4 megs of RAM! Top of the line machine, and only cost me about $2000.00 with printer, monitor, etc!My SO spent a total of about 2hours and decided it was too complicated and that was the last time she went near it. I had two choices, find a use for it, or use it as a planter. I ended up going to a software store, found a bunch of flight stuff, B-17, Sub Logic, ATC, I dont remember all the titles but I bought em all. I've been 'simming' ever since. I used to use FS 95 for practicing IFR when I didnt get the time in real life. At the time I was amazed how accurate it was! I kept that computer even after I upgraded and sold it a few years ago, complete with all the software, for $100. at a lawn sale. It was a great learning experiance then, and I'm still learning now. XP Pro SP2-FSX SP2AMD FX60-8800GTS-2 Gigs RAMFEX-GEX-UTUSA-FSGenesis-and a bunch of other stuffComputer optimized by www.fs-gs.com

[ramprat 8]

I remember the Colt. I taught in Colts for a short time. As I recall, that little gem had the glide ratio of a manhole cover. On the plus side, it would seldom float on landing, even in the summer heat around Sacramento. Best regards,Bill

[ramprat 8]

Hi Ian,I can certainly understand the running out of cash part as it relates to flying. I couldn't afford to fly now. Things have really changed. When I learned to fly I was young and single. I sold my hot rod Chevy and ponied up the rest to make a grand total of $2000. Back then that two grand took me from zero through Private, Commercial, and CFI. Best Regard,Bill

[Guest PPSFA]

It was a great little plane, it would take off and land anywhere, fly backwards with a bit of a headwind, leap tall buildings in a single bound,,,,well, you get the idea :-)They are still around, I joined the 'Short Wing Piper' club for a few years and still think about buying one today, but I would go with the Tri-Pacer (flaps). It aint that fast but for 3 gals an hour its sure cheap to fly.XP Pro SP2-FSX SP2AMD FX60-8800GTS-2 Gigs RAMFEX-GEX-UTUSA-FSGenesis-and a bunch of other stuffComputer optimized by www.fs-gs.com

[vgbaron 3,506]

PPL 1961 Piper TriPacer & Colt - Commercial, Instrument & multi 1962 Piper Apache.If you remember the Colt, you gotta remember the Apache - single engine glide ratio equivalent to a grand piano.Amassed quite a bit of time in various a/c until 1985 when I had a heart attack. Now I just sim for fun and practice.VicQ6600 G0 CPU 2.4 o/c 3.65Evga 680i A1 with P31 BIOS 2G XP2-8500 DDR2 1066FSB Mushkin 996535 RAM 5-5-4-12-2T320G 7200 HD partitioned for XP/Vista/Programs 2 - 74G Raptors in RAID0 500G 7200 HD for backup SATA DVD burner Evga 8800GTS 640 PCIx XG 174.74 702/1620/792Kandalf LCS case w/ built in liquid cooling 850W Thermaltake power supplyVisit the Virtual Pilot's Centerwww.flightadventures.comhttp://www.hifisim.com/banners/hifi-supporter-sigbanner.jpg

[ramprat 8]

Yup, I taught AMEL in the Apache. Great trainer. Very forgiving. And it would hammer along at 150 or so. I also taught AMEL in the Twin Commanche, Aztec, Seneca, Navajo plus 300 and 400 series Cessnas. But out of all of them, the Apache was unique and fun to fly. It was also tough. I saw one belly in on a grass field with one engine feathered one summer day at Franklin Field just south of Sacramento. The instructor got the running engine shut down just before "touchdown" so there was little damage to it. They lifted the airplane on jacks and dropped the gear, replaced one prop, unfeathered the other, and drove it outa there. Nobody hurt. Just a little sheet metal work to be done on the belly and it was good to go again. N4122P, I wonder if she is still around today?Best regards,Bill

[Mike T 208]

1986 C150 KDAB.1990 ATR KIAH.1995 B737-100/200/300 KIAH.2008 C172R :-(Regards,Mike T.

[Daveo 36]

Wow,Commodore 64 and a 12 inch B&W Zenith tv for a monitor and sublogic in 1982. And about 120 hours in a Bellanca Viking in 1986 with my boss who was a naval flight instructor . A shame I never got my paper but the learning experience was priceless anyway. They had to get rid of that plane due to termites but it was nice flying back and forth from NJ to Virginia. And then about another 40 or so hours with a friend of mine in 1992 in and around Greenville S.C. in a Cessna 150 out of Anderson. I think I had more room in my volkswagen beetle.

[Art_P 6]

Learned to fly in the late 50's in a Cessna 140, and got my license in 1958.ArtBiostar TF560-A2+, Athlon 64X2-6000+, 4GB RAM, Geforce 8800GTS-320MB, 500W PSU, 250GB HD, FSX (SP1-SP2), Vista Home Premium 32 bit, CH Yoke & Pedals, 22" WS LCD monitor