I've been FS'ing for longer than I can remember, from F18 on the Amiga, FS1 on the PC right through to FSX and DCS black shark (Ahhh, the beauty of the beast)I work in the software industry and was formerly an aviation engineer. I find myself spending more and more time reading through operating manuals and and running through check lists than is perhaps normal for an individual with a family and a normal career. PMDG is the bane of my life and their excellent products are pulling me into a pattern of behavior that my friends tell me is increasingly geeky. Are you lot all geeks too? Are we Normal? is flight siming limited to frustrated pilots or to those who need a gap filling in their lives?Yours (slightly tung in cheek)Paul Yates

Waste not, want not.

I've been FS'ing for longer than I can remember, from F18 on the Amiga, FS1 on the PC right through to FSX and DCS black shark (Ahhh, the beauty of the beast)I work in the software industry and was formerly an aviation engineer. I find myself spending more and more time reading through operating manuals and and running through check lists than is perhaps normal for an individual with a family and a normal career. PMDG is the bane of my life and their excellent products are pulling me into a pattern of behavior that my friends tell me is increasingly geeky. Are you lot all geeks too? Are we Normal? is flight siming limited to frustrated pilots or to those who need a gap filling in their lives?Yours (slightly tung in cheek)Paul Yates

Paul,it can be difficult to master an aircraft that is new to you,but i find myself in the same boat, with this aircraft i find it very frustrating to even start the engines,its been more than one day and innumerable attempts and i find that my engines do start and then turn themselves off, though i am not new to simming, like you said i find myself spending more and more time in the forum and reading the manuals then flying,even the md-11 took me just 30 minutes to get going,but this proves to be a tough nut to crack.vivek

Thats what make PMDG so good - the level of real world procedures and realism is huge!Sure, the 747 took me ages to learn. But now i can power it up and enter a flight plan in the FMC in no time at all. Stick with it, its worth it.Or, if you dont like the realism, there is always the FSX default microlight! :-)

Thats what make PMDG so good - the level of real world procedures and realism is huge!Sure, the 747 took me ages to learn. But now i can power it up and enter a flight plan in the FMC in no time at all. Stick with it, its worth it.Or, if you dont like the realism, there is always the FSX default microlight! :-)

I don't think you quite get the jist of what I'm saying.... I like the realism too much. These products are not just FT and away you go, which is a good thing and sucks you in. I'm questioning my sanity in pursuing a hobby which has become an obsesion....Note to self.... "must do more actual work and stop obsessing over flight simulation"

I don't think you quite get the jist of what I'm saying.... I like the realism too much. These products are not just FT and away you go, which is a good thing and sucks you in. I'm questioning my sanity in pursuing a hobby which has become an obsesion....Note to self.... "must do more actual work and stop obsessing over flight simulation"

Ah, i getcha. In that case, yes, im in the same boat! Im currently doing a long haul from EGLL (heathrow) to KORD (Chicago). Im saving the flights midway when im done with my session, but i refuse to up the simulation rate to keep the realism!

Is the greater geek the geek that flies it, or the geek that makes it?

Is the greater geek the geek that flies it, or the geek that makes it?

Well, in your case (PMDG) you sell it, so thats not geeky at all...

I could always use your accurate system modeling of avionics as an excuse to study methodologies for testing real time embedded systems..... to DO-178Geek alert....step away from the console....

Couldn't agree more... I'm afraid to say I started simming on a TRS-80 (747 landing) and I still say the best I've ever used was Flight Unlimited 2/3 for the PC - that was awesome, just awful that Looking Glass went away.Worst I had was Fly!... that was truly dismal... think the ! was a comment not a title lolol.Geek, nah, we just aspire to be one lol.John Ellison

I can honestly say that I sometimes get more enjoyment out of reading the Operations Manual than actually booting up FSX and flying. That's geeky. But Flight Sim and PMDG are wonderful things - a true inspiration for starting real world flying in my case and the main reason I'm now poor. Reading all those manuals made the ATPL theory easy though...