We need a more professional way of saying what we do...

[briansommers 38]

we all say we are flight simmers or we say we are going to go flight simming. Well think about it, man if that doesn't sound super nerdy what does...it's no wonder people look at us with odd faces. What is a better way of saying what we do? What would be a better term or whatever to come up with that would make our hobby more serious.Funny thing is, once I explain it to people, saying that real pilots do this, you can actually go out and buy REAL aviation charts and and study REAL aviation principles/rules, etc and actually use them.and that we can "fly" with REAL weather, etc, etc.then the look goes to being rather oohhh, serious..so... I think I'll go...simulation flyingsimulate a flightvirtual flyingcomputer flyingfly on my computerwhat else say you..this Thanksgiving diner and Christmas, it would really be fun to be able to say my hobby right along with everyone else saying what they did during the summer and not sound so freakin' nerdy.I mean, good grief even when you say you fly radio-controlled model airplanes, you get more respect then when you say you are a flightsimmer..

[Superpilotv2 2]

That sounds darn familiar to me!! :smile:My dad allways says I´m wasting my time with what I´m doing. But well, I don´t care!

[Chuck_B 2]

"Virtual Pilot".

[briansommers 38]

TRUE WE ARE,, oop s caps on.. but everyone is wasting time with there hobby, I mean if were making money in our hobby then isn't it work? or at least work that we love?but what hobby does your dad have? isn't he wasting time as well? and oh not everyone is, there are some who actually do then go out and learn to fly the real deal.

"Virtual Pilot".

I agree that is what we ARE but I'm looking for a verb, what is it that we DO. you can't say well, I'm tired I'm going to go out and virtual pilot for a bit..

[Ron Attwood 2,429]

I 'do' flight simulation, should anyone ask. But I cannot recall being asked...ever! It's normally me(you) who brings the subject up. You usually have to drag people up to your sad little room to show them your cockpit. 'Normal' people don't give a toss!

[Chuck_B 2]

I agree that is what we ARE but I'm looking for a verb, what is it that we DO. you can't say well, I'm tired I'm going to go out and virtual pilot for a bit..

... and what's your hobby? [what do you do] . . . "I'm a Virtual Pilot, and now I'm going "flying". What's the problem?And if you're getting up from the Thanksgiving table to Go Simming, maybe you should look at how much of a geek you are." LOLOLOL

[briansommers 38]

hehe, no I'm not going flight simming and missing the pumkin pie...but I like your example, nice one

[Superpilotv2 2]

TRUE WE ARE,, oop s caps on.. but everyone is wasting time with there hobby, I mean if were making money in our hobby then isn't it work? or at least work that we love?but what hobby does your dad have? isn't he wasting time as well? and oh not everyone is, there are some who actually do then go out and learn to fly the real deal.I agree that is what we ARE but I'm looking for a verb, what is it that we DO. you can't say well, I'm tired I'm going to go out and virtual pilot for a bit..

Yeah, you´re right! A thing what you love will another find time wasting. Everyone its own thing. And well, I´m flying for real. Learing to fly in an ASK 21 sailplane.

[MarkW 879]

Give it up ! To the rest of the world, including my family who knows what I do, we are just a bunch of "pretend pilots" & gamers. Sadly its the truth and honestly I could care less what they think, its a hobby I enjoy and I will continue on enjoying it. Mark.

[mgh 89]

Give it up ! To the rest of the world, including my family who knows what I do, we are just a bunch of "pretend pilots" & gamers. Sadly its the truth and honestly I could care less what they think, its a hobby I enjoy and I will continue on enjoying it.Mark.

Exactly! Why are some apparently so insecure and worried about being thought of as a "gamer". It's a sub-$50 gane - just have the confidence to enjoy it.

[briansommers 38]

yeah, I know, I'm afraid you are correct indeed and yes It won't affect my enjoyment of the hobby either... it would be nice at least once though .. It's like that one article on the other site that was talking about flight simming isn't sexy.. well how was your vaction Bob? oh yeah, we went skiing down blah blah blah and well the so and so's went rafting down this river, blah blah blah , what did you ? oauhhhh oh me? yeah, I sat in front of the pooter and pretended to be a pilot! yeah!

[Chuck_B 2]

Exactly, Brian. Exactly!

[n4gix 3,709]

I get really odd looks from folks when they ask what I do for a living...I just tell 'em I do 3d modeling of aircraft, like the ones they use in Hollywood movies. For some reason that's more acceptable than when I said "for flight simulators..."

[ViperPilot 69]

Interesting...Back in the day when I was using primarily Combat FS (CFS, CFS2) my friends were interested mainly in the "shoot 'em up" aspect of the sim, which is understandable. They would all take a turn behind the stick to see how it felt, and to see HE incendiary hit with devastating force! :PNow, as I use FS 9, most of my friends ask me questions like, "You can really fly anywhere in the world, and it looks real"? Or, "You actually fly in real time"?They show some interest, and that's OK, since they've known for years that I'm an aviation buff.Just tell folks that you participate in Flight Simulation, or that you're a "Virtual Pilot". If they can't deal with it, that's their loss... not yours.Alan

[Raindance 25]

You can never convince people who don't themselves do computer games or sims that any of it's worthwhile, so I don't bother even trying. They've probably vaguely heard of stuff like World of Warcraft through newspaper articles if they've heard of anything in that line, or they've seen kids playing arcade shooters in motorway rest stops, and so they assume you're a serious case of arrested development.If they show some genuine interest you might get a conversation going, otherwise forget it..