Seems rather stunning...(disclaimer-not spoken as a moderater but as a simmer of almost 30 years)Every time I fly a rw airplane I always shake my head in amazement of the experience-but the same goes for the sim-how lucky, and amazing it is that we have this ability to get a reality that in some cases even surpasses reality...and imho it seems many lose perspective of how lucky we are.

Ahh, I finally have discovered the true meaning of Thanksgiving.I will toast to this tonight with my family.

Geoffa (and others who posted here),Outstanding post. And oh, so accurate. Well said by all here.I had something of the same thing happen a few months back here in Las Vegas. A friend of mine I used to work with in the Air Force came here for a 3-day training course related to his job (it was held at one of the local hotel's convention centers). He plays "computer games" on his home computer, but he uses a very basic setup for them...one monitor, a joystick, etc. Nothing extravagent. He would always jibe me in emails we exchanged about how much money I spend on my computer flying. We were supposed to go "out on the town" one of the nights he was here. I brought him over to my house the night we were going to do it, just to show him my computer. He was simply shocked at what he saw. He never realized what a multi-monitor setup like a 3-wide TripleHead2Go could do. I fired up FSX and went to his home town (Denver, CO) and flew around. I used various scenery...UTX, GEX USA, then some photoscenery that showed his house in the scenery. To make a long story short...we never left my house that night. He wanted to stay and keep playing on the computer instead! Worked for me.And I agree...this thread would make a great "sticky" post. Many FSX users tend to look at the negative side of FSX. "This doesn't look right! That's not how it should be!" They fail to see what it CAN do...which even after real-world piloting for over 30 years, can still amaze me. Long live FSX...and those of us who can appreciate it for what it CAN be and do...and not the "negatives" instead.And Happy Thanksgiving to all, wherever you may be in this world. Regardless of whether Thanksgiving is celebrated in your country or not, we all have many things to be thankfull for. One of mine is the many friends I have made, and continue to make, from my flight simming experience.Rick

Good post Geof, I had a similar experience showing my girlfriend her home town of Belgrade and letting her fly around there :)

I once again realized what an amazing piece of software we have ..how much we can do for such a low price to simulate reality

Indeed it is, but that statement is not just limited to MSFS... There are equally impressive things going on with combat flight sims, and in many cases the developers don't even charge for their work :)

This thread should be "required reading" for all whiners and complainers !!Thanks Geoff for verbalizing so well what many of us feel about the marvelous age we live in and our hobby/addiction in particular. I know of no other situation where so many give so freely.Happy Thanksgiving to all. :(

I agree with your sentiments wholeheartedly Geoff.And I think it worth also reminding ourselves how lucky we are to have AVSIM as a forum not just for getting help and helping others, but also for spirited debate, (polite) argument and, dare I say it, even a spot of complaining from time to time...! :( Best wishesIan

While there is always room for critique and complaint, there is also equal room for thanksgiving. I am well and truly thankful that I have a means of exploring my jones for flying for very little cost. Since I'll not likely ever achieve my dream of being a professional pilot, I am happy to have flight simulation to scratch the itch. Here's to the future of flight simulation: she'll never die as far as I'm concerned.

I think that Claude has hit the whiners... umm, make that "nail," on the head! :( It's a matter of perspective: only those of us old enough to have experienced the Dark Ages of Antiquity .....

How did you know I was a descendant of the Pharaohs born in Egypt????? :( Claude!

Thank you Geofa, and all other participants in this thread, and the whole simming community at large..I've enjoyed simming from a real pilot's perspective.. from an add-on developer's perspective.. and as a life-long aviation enthusiast.Anything else I'd add, would be redundant.. We are a lucky lot.HAPPY THANKSGIVING !

Thank you Geofa:You truly have a way with words for summing up the truth.There are many different types of FlightSimers going from one extreme to the other: It starts with the total newbie that has no real or past association with aviation at all, simulated or real. On the other end flightsim reaches the professional pilot with thousands of hours in all kinds of real world aircraft. Both are represented in quantity and quality within this forum community. There are many in the middle between these two extremes. The motivation varies as well from those that see FlightSim as only another computer game (bless their ignorant souls) to those that use it as an enhancement for the real thing. For me personally who can no longer participate real world as an old CFI from long years past, flightsim remains as the only prescription and remedy for the addiction.For those of us who have stuck with FlightSim for many years, and for those that have recently joined us for many years to come I believe there is a common denominator. We have all been bitten by a bug and it is in our blood. We all dearly love aviation regardless of what level with which we are associated. For longevity in flightsim (or any other catagory of aviation) you have to love it. Either you do or you don't, and if you don't I guess it must just be another task, probably a short lived one. Unfortunately, there are a few that take part in these forums whose motivation is a mystery. They contribute nothing, and complain about everything. Thankfully they are relatively rare and I know of no communication community that can be so helpful in advice, help, suggestions, and heads up information about new opportunities and contributions. I want to name names like you Geofa, but there are so many that it would be impossible not to leave someone out that should be included. So on this Thanksgiving day, I thank all who have contributed so much to flightsim. Your contributions fill many pleasurable hours of most of my days.Respectfully:RTH

:(

Thanks Geoff for putting into words how so many of us feel about our hobby. A happy and wonderful Thanksgiving to you and all my flightsimming friends.

Geofa, nice post, and truly true. Once we get something we like we become spoiled and want more. But hey it helps to drive the industry.Woops, forgot to mention that we should always thanks the people who do things for us and make things for us!!

Thanks Geof, great post.I