When I read the Subject of this thread I first thought "Gawd, not another simmer whining about needing to be constantly entertained... Gimmi-gimmi-gimmi, now-now-now (no offense Airbadger86). Then I started reading a few of the replies. There are some very good ideas here - this turned out to be a very good thread for ideas. So actually, thanks Airbadger86 for starting it.I have literally spent the last three years studying just ONE airport! Only flying to or from this airport (and it isn't even my home airport, ha!) Learning everything I can about it. I guess like other simmers who try to learn everything they can about a certain aircraft. Yes, I'm sure that sounds a bit extreme but considering I am modeling it is for that intense scrutiny. But even so I still haven't even gotten bored with that airport (getting close though, ;) )

Bored with FS?Become a developer. Developing in my view is more interesting and satisfying than going from A to B, but I know a lot of you would probably find developing to be tedious (not to mention that when you become a developer it can easily turn into a 7 day a week, 18 hour a day job... I kid you not!).Bryan

>Hey Lou, great post.>>Yes, we all will reach a moment in time when FS is put on>hold, gets "boring". I just went through it LOL. The last>time I fired up FS2004, was on May 27. Tomorrow, I'm flying>again. Got all the prep work done last night, and packed my>bags.. Should be good. >>PS: Lou, your friend was reading a paper?? Was he looking>for a new job?? LOL>>All the best>>Lee No, Lee, Andy is getting ready for retirement from a very successful legal practice. He also used to own a part 135 operation years ago. He owns the 210 and the 421.I'm still in the Dakota, but fly Andy's 210 whenever he lets me (it's good experience). Sadly, the 210 is for sale. Frankly, I'm not even sure if I like it more than the Dakota any way! Yes, it is much faster, but it is also heavy, thirsty, and I won't even mention the lousy ground steering!Otherwise, there were some good suggestions above about fighting boredom.Here's another one, if not already mentioned:Get out of the automated airliner cockpit, and back into a Cessna or similar. Go do some touch and goes, fly some procedures by hand. See if you can fly in IMC with a partial panel (vacuum failure).Get back to the basics, and the basics are something all real pilots need to do to stay sharp, so this is all very realistic. :)Regards,http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/gfx/images/F...R_FORUM_LOU.jpg

Great job on getting your ticket. That is EXACTLY why I am flying. This is practice folks, for those of you who have aspirations to fly IRL.

Gee, Bryan, you would really wish that on someone? ;)Regards,http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/gfx/images/F...R_FORUM_LOU.jpg

Boredom creeps in on occasion with just about anything you do. I've been flight simming since FS5.0 and while I've had "breaks" sometimes lasting for weeks, something always brings me back. (Being originally from Ohio as many famous aviators, flying is in your genes.) In fact, it's amazing to me how the excitment keeps reinventing itself over and over.Boredom? Try this:1. Don't FS everyday. After a break for a day or two, you'll hunger to get back in the virtual skies;2. Take a flight to somewhere exotic. My understanding is that most simmers fly in the areas near their real home airports. I frequently take trips to parts of the world where I've been, where I've never been, and where I'll likely never go -- and will spend a few weeks there. :-cool I have made conversation with folks who've been to some of these places. They totally believe that I've been there.3. Flying a repetitive route or series of routes? Put the heavy away and take out the twin and fly the same routes for a while. Change your altitude and have a different experience.4. Go outside and experience the real world with your kids. Get on your bike, go pump up at the gym. Heck, take in a concert -- go see a good movie! (The latter's a challenge, I know. Many more movies with "The Rock" being alergic to cinnamon and we're really in it deep.)5. Spend some time with your wife. I have to tell you, I like simming big time but...uh...time with the wife still far and away beats the Canarsie 13L approach by leaps and bounds, if you know what I mean.:-jumpy 6. Light up the grill -- open a brew; put some chicken thighs on your smoker. Nothing like tickling the taste buds with good bbq.7. Rip the Xbox controllers from your kids and play another game. "Star Trek: Legacy" is a good waste of time as is "Dead Rising". I love the simplicity of just dropping the game disk in the player, picking up the controller and being in the action. Quick and dirty -- no setup, flight plans, etc. Of course, the reward isn't the same as flight sim but you get the point.8. Audition for a play or a tv commercial. You might get it. Heck, it works for me frequently. I'm paying for my upcoming pc upgrade with bucks made from a couple of recent commercials. :)9. Read a book. Go to be early. Never underestimate the value of a good night's sleep.***This is what I do and it works. I almost always bounce back into flightsim like it's a new toy all over again.Good luck!!!Ed Lin, D.O.S.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edlin :-smooch

ha! all very good advices...except I can't do commercials because I am ugly. :-badteeth Jason

Jason,I haven't seen you but believe me, you're beautiful. Besides, you don't have to be pretty -- unique character looks are in demand.Ed Lin, D.O.S.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edlin

You are such a motivator...hook me up with your agent please :):):)At the mean time, I just finished practicing the 07 AOPA EXPO VFR approach procedure...going there on Saturday.Jason

You had to practice that???? ;)Anyway, see you there on Saturday, Jason.Look for me at the Aspen booth.Regards,http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/gfx/images/F...R_FORUM_LOU.jpg

>There's nothing to do in FS anymore. I used to enjoy>learning a new complex airliner but nothing really>groundbreaking has come out for 2 years. Anything good is>still months away and then the subsequent delays will kick in>anyway. On top of that, FSX has split the market and now>companies like PMDG are having to create 2 versions of the>same product, stretching out development time even further. >This really is a terrible hobby for people like me that need>something new every so often to stay interested. Dude,I have 264.5 flight hours on FS since 01-13-07. That is when I started my new log book. In 2005, I had about 600. In 2004, I had close to 1000.Yeah, there are better things to do, but its safer to stay at home.Especially in the violent cities of America.Kansas city has a real high crime rate with rolling gun battles at night between the police and wanna be gangstas. What a bunch of crap.Then, if you go out to eat with your girl friend, (I am not so lucky to have one right now) it cost a small fortune to go anyplace decent.I wouldnt want to take a date to Subway, even though I like Subway's food.Or the dollor menu at Mcdonalds, not cool unless your alone and wearing a disguise.So, flight simulator is very good if you dont miss the forest for the trees.Update your flight plans, learn repainting, learn to do FSSC by Derek Lung.I am getting ready to do a Direct Air repaint for Myrtle Beach.I hope it is good enough to post for you guys.CheersRoger Martin

'Especially in the violent cities of America.'Now that statement made me laugh haha! Mind ou when I was in LA, It could be said its a true statement!IanEGNT

Getting bored or 'hitting the wall' with a sim is not a bad thing but actually quite healthy. I have been playing baseball sims since 1959 and, in my experience, FS9 is no where near as addicting as baseball sims. I don't mean arcade games, but sims that seek to reproduce actual statistics.If you want to read a book that will not give you a good night's sleep read 'The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop' or do a google search on 'robert waugh baseball'. The wikipedia link is a pretty good short synopsis.A poster on one of the baseball sim sites once said that it was the most frightening book he has ever read and it could happen to any one of us. I have never had it go anywhere near that point, but I think I recognize the dynamic and have seen it happen to other people at least up to the point of divorce and maybe further.I believe that the reason that FS is not as addicting is because baseball sims, unlike FS, have a 'larger context'. That is, a full season consisting of more than 1000 played games along with standings and statistics that almost demand a conclusion to the season being played. To play a 4 game series between two last place teams in late August of the schedule is quite an experience. No matter how much you know you will be bored, you play it anyway. I know that they can be autoplayed, but that is not even approaching the same category as Robert Waugh and impossible to do with the desktop card game. The PC versions are tame by comparison to the board games.So, I am not so sure that a larger context in FS would be a good thing. I have lost interest in baseball sims since FS9 came out and, believe me, I am much happier. That is not to say that the 'itch' won't come back again, but I now recognize that 'to play is the thing', regardless of what the sim is.Airbadger will probably get the FS itch back again.Thanks for listening.

>You had to practice that???? ;)>>Anyway, see you there on Saturday, Jason.>>Look for me at the Aspen booth.>>Regards,Hi Lou,Yup I need to practice that. I've never flown to AOPA expo before. Based at White Plains, I'm somewhat used to busy airspace...but I heard it'll be crazy those days at Hartford. My plan of arriving there around noon on Saturday doesn't help in that sense either. I'll for sure look for you. So you can easily recognize me, I'm a skinny Asian dude. :):)Jason

I was going to say a similar thing, but with the qualifier that it really lets you know how useless you can become behind the wheel of anything with a few drinks under your belt. Try a hand flown and tricky SID to ILS approach in the dark with crappy weather and chunky terrain all round when three sheets to the wind - good luck!Gary