I've had some version of MS flight sim since they first came out with them. I am a real-life commercial/instrument rated single engine pilot with over 1150 hours of flight time. Most of my heavier flying time was back in the 70's when I was earning my various flight ratings. Today I can't fly for medical reasons, but even if I could I wouldn't be able to fly even a C-172 because of cost. Toledo Suburban Airport where I would fly from charges over $165.00 per hour plus Mighigan sales tax of 6.5% to fly a new C-172 Skyhawk. Granted, these planes have the Garmin G1000 glass panels and most other modern goodies but I complained when they rented out lease back C-172's for $50.00 per hour. Back in the 70's, I got three hours logged in a Piper twin, trying for my commercial twin engine rating but even then, the cost was close to $200.00 per hour to rent that plane. The rating had to go. I haven't checked lately, but I'll bet it costs close to $300-400.00 per hour to rent that same plane today with fuel costs of almost $5.00 per gallon for 100LL fuel to run it.For the relative few wealthy folks out there who can afford these rates, fly your flight sim to economically learn navigation and airport protocol and only pay for things only a good flight instructor can teach you. For the rest of us, be damn glad you have access to the closest thing to real flying there is. You may not feel the G forces and a few other (comforable or uncomforable) things that happen in real planes, but you experience almost what a real-life pilot experiences everytime they fly. Enjoy FX10, FS9 and/or FS2002 and be very glad you can.

I've had some version of MS flight sim since they first came out with them. I am a real-life commercial/instrument rated single engine pilot with over 1150 hours of flight time. Most of my heavier flying time was back in the 70's when I was earning my various flight ratings. Today I can't fly for medical reasons, but even if I could I wouldn't be able to fly even a C-172 because of cost. Toledo Suburban Airport where I would fly from charges over $165.00 per hour plus Mighigan sales tax of 6.5% to fly a new C-172 Skyhawk. Granted, these planes have the Garmin G1000 glass panels and most other modern goodies but I complained when they rented out lease back C-172's for $50.00 per hour. Back in the 70's, I got three hours logged in a Piper twin, trying for my commercial twin engine rating but even then, the cost was close to $200.00 per hour to rent that plane. The rating had to go. I haven't checked lately, but I'll bet it costs close to $300-400.00 per hour to rent that same plane today with fuel costs of almost $5.00 per gallon for 100LL fuel to run it.For the relative few wealthy folks out there who can afford these rates, fly your flight sim to economically learn navigation and airport protocol and only pay for things only a good flight instructor can teach you. For the rest of us, be damn glad you have access to the closest thing to real flying there is. You may not feel the G forces and a few other (comforable or uncomforable) things that happen in real planes, but you experience almost what a real-life pilot experiences everytime they fly. Enjoy FX10, FS9 and/or FS2002 and be very glad you can.

Being from the same part of the world I like your name.....need to add annts...Can't agree enough. Flight sim has saved me money for every rating I have ever got, continues to save money for proficiency, and will be my enjoyment when I finally lose my medical as all eventually do.I just had a friend-very experienced, every type of flying including African bush flying lose his medical .Instead of feeling sorry for himself-he just got involved in flight simming-and is amazed.Re: twin flying-if practicing-just throttle way back. The other day when practicing approaches averaged 19 gallons an hour-almost acceptable!

"Re: twin flying-if practicing-just throttle way back. The other day when practicing approaches averaged 19 gallons an hour-almost acceptable! " Sure makes my little C150 sound better(5 GPH)!! Lou N1472Q

Hi, Geof and Waterville. I went out to KTDZ back in the early 70's and began making all of the arrangements to begin lessons. Short story version: life got in the way; marriage, a new job, a new child, a new house, a new, . . . you get the idea. Now that the dust has settled on all of that and I have the time, I can not or should not take lessons for health reasons. If it were not for that I would be willing to sell off the houses, dissolve the trust and go fly to my hearts content, although she who must be obeyed might have something to say about that. I have been dreaming about flying since I was a toddler. The first toy I remember was a die cast airplane. While I was growing up in Indiana I used to hang out at the local gas station, not to be around cars and grease monkeys but because the owner was a pilot and if I asked often enough he would give in and take me for a ride in his Cub or C140. I was literally in heaven! I lived on old US 40 halfway between Indianapolis and Terra Haute, I could watch the DC3s and DC4s going by on their way to St. Louis and back flying low enough to see the pilots faces as they followed the highway. The fighters from the ANG at Terra Haute uses to do their thing over our area, first the F-86s then the F104s. I was so excited as I watched the F-104s go vertical, kick in the afterburner and disappear only to come straight back down, breaking the sound barrier.As you can easily guess, I have been 'flying' a computer ever since the Atari days. It doesn't replace what I've missed, but I would be missing a lot more without it!Bet regards to all,Mel

Hi Watervillevor and everyone.I will try to address your no Medical and Real World Flying. You may already know this, but since you did not mention it I will try to see if this will help you. Look for a place where they have an LSA for rent. You can fly these birds Without a Medical. If you did have your Medical revoked or you did not qualify for it the last time you had it you cannot do this. If you did not qualify for your Medical, last time you attempted to get it, you Will Not qualify / be able to do this until you are able to renew your Medical then let it expire.This gives you the opportunity to fly for about $90-100 / Hr., if have a valid Driver's License. If your Doctor says you are able to fly without endangering others, you basically fly on the Honor system. You can also get a partner and split the cost to make it more affordable. Post here if you need more info. Good luck. TV

It's really hard to explain how useful FS(any version), has been for me.. both in currency, training, and just pure fun ..As for the LSA stuff.. there aren't a whole lot of clubs renting them yetOne of the clubs I'm affiliated with just got one though.... www.newflyers.net .. they have an LSA trianing program..Here's a page about the aircraft before the club leased it:http://www.zoneaviation.com/forsale_n566fd.htmlThey're located on the north side of Columbus (KOSU).. not terribly far from Toledo. If you ever plan to be down that way.. PM me and I'll try to be there. I haven't checked out in it yet.. and don't plan to. I'm on the high-side of 220lbs.. Me + anyone aren't going very far in it.. So I save my flying time and resources for something more utile.. but it might be something that would interest you.. or, time/weather permitting, I can take you up in their old Warrior (brand new engine), and let you take the controls..

It's really hard to explain how useful FS(any version), has been for me.. both in currency, training, and just pure fun ..As for the LSA stuff.. there aren't a whole lot of clubs renting them yetOne of the clubs I'm affiliated with just got one though.... www.newflyers.net .. they have an LSA trianing program..Here's a page about the aircraft before the club leased it:http://www.zoneaviation.com/forsale_n566fd.htmlThey're located on the north side of Columbus (KOSU).. not terribly far from Toledo. If you ever plan to be down that way.. PM me and I'll try to be there. I haven't checked out in it yet.. and don't plan to. I'm on the high-side of 220lbs.. Me + anyone aren't going very far in it.. So I save my flying time and resources for something more utile.. but it might be something that would interest you.. or, time/weather permitting, I can take you up in their old Warrior (brand new engine), and let you take the controls..

There is also a LSA Flight Designdealer in Hillsdale, Mi. which is also not far...

There is also a LSA Flight Designdealer in Hillsdale, Mi. which is also not far...

The Flight Design CTLS is a great plane.....as long as the main gear stays attached. ;)They have a nasty gear strut sheering problem.

Hi Watervillevor and everyone.I will try to address your no Medical and Real World Flying. You may already know this, but since you did not mention it I will try to see if this will help you. Look for a place where they have an LSA for rent. You can fly these birds Without a Medical. If you did have your Medical revoked or you did not qualify for it the last time you had it you cannot do this. If you did not qualify for your Medical, last time you attempted to get it, you Will Not qualify / be able to do this until you are able to renew your Medical then let it expire.This gives you the opportunity to fly for about $90-100 / Hr., if have a valid Driver's License. If your Doctor says you are able to fly without endangering others, you basically fly on the Honor system. You can also get a partner and split the cost to make it more affordable. Post here if you need more info. Good luck. TV

Thanks for the LSA suggestion. In my case the FAA lifted my 3rd class medical certificate because I told them I had colon cancer surgery in Sept of 2006. The FAA then demanded my medical certificate and told me that I would have to have an MRI of my brain, a CT scan of my abdominal cavity and associated organs (not just my repaired colon) and that my oncologist, other doctors and the hospital where I had the surgery would have to compile and submit to the FAA mountains of data relative to my cancer condition. In addition to all that, the FAA informed me I would have to redo all the tests about every six months at a cost to me approaching $10,000 per episode. AOPA assured me that AOPA could make most of the tests go away but that didn't happen and I let my AOPA membership expire. I would love to jump in a C-172 and just tool around the Toledo, OH, area but I don't have that kind of money;right now about all I can do is fly my FS2004 sim and try to stay somewhat current on NAV and general flying procedures. Maybe some day, if I whip the cancer they will again let me fly the real ones.

Hi Watervillevor and everyone.>Thanks for the LSA suggestion. In my case the FAA lifted my 3rd class medical certificate because I told them I had colon cancer surgery in Sept of 2006.The FAA then demanded my medical certificate and told me that I would have to have an MRI of my brain, a CT scan of my abdominal cavity and associated organs (not just my repaired colon) and that my oncologist, other doctors and the hospital where I had the surgery would have to compile and submit to the FAA mountains of data relative to my cancer condition. <That should not have happened. In that case you should have qualified for a normal expiration, you just ground yourself until you get done with the Chemo, and get a note from your Doctor that you are OK. You may want to verify with OK and see if the Medical expired on it's own? If you sent it in on your own then it's a problem, see below.>In addition to all that, the FAA informed me I would have to redo all the tests about every six months at a cost to me approaching $10,000 per episode. AOPA assured me that AOPA could make most of the tests go away but that didn't happen and I let my AOPA membership expire.<You should be able to log in to AOPA and get to the Medical forum. Place a message for Dr. Bruce Chien and explain your situation, you can place it as anonymous. He will tell you what to do. If you cannot do it, I will place one for you. >I would love to jump in a C-172 and just tool around the Toledo, OH, area but I don't have that kind of money;right now about all I can do is fly my FS2004 sim and try to stay somewhat current on NAV and general flying procedures. Maybe some day, if I whip the cancer they will again let me fly the real ones. <Yes, the Sim can be a useful tool and fun to use. If you want to be around real flying another way to do it is to join CAP in your area. Post here for more info, or send me a private EMail. TV