Many years ago I experienced the thrill of flight as a C-47 and B-26 crew member in the USAF

Thanks for serving! Sounds like you were in around the same time as my Dad - he was with the Grim Reapers in Korea. I'm proud to say I served 22 1/2 years, 17 of those as a Flight Engineer on C-130s and 141s.

my grandchildren and their friends (a college freshman to 6th grade and between); after ten to twenty minutes of play, they lose interest and without exception revert to their "two thumb games" for hours on end.

Nice post, Robert, and welcome to Avsim!The reason younger generations lose interest in hardcore simming is "somehow" (awfullness of economy flying, TSA searches, definitley no visits to the flight deck for impressionable kids) flying airline flying lost its appeal and has become a commonplace, even dreadful experience at times. Me, I remember taking one of the firsts CDs in my hands and looking at that disk in awe that a laser, a laser! could read millions and millions of data pits on the disk's surface. Today a CD is old hat, even a DVD is old hat! Same for flying: Big deal, a bus in the sky. Can't think of a less uninspiring aircraft manufacturer name than Airbus. So to the younger folks airline flight simming has become a sort of sophisticated Bus Simulator in the sky with nice scenery.Another reason is lack of context: WWII is fast receding into history, and all the greatness of aviation and aviation's incremental technological gains, with it. How many folks can tell the year of development of a piston radial aircraft by the shape of the engine cowling? Not many, these days.In keeping with the WWII theme, I remember watching both Letters from Iwo Jima movies by Clint Eastwood. Of course the next thing I did was take-off from Honolulu in my B-17 (it was designed by A2A but it's mine now!) and set west for Wake Island (the history of Wake Island!) and from there towards Iwo Jima. Man, it was quite an emotion arriving at Iwo Jima with the battles I had seen in the movies still fresh in my mind.So for serious simming, what comes to mind is "mind game".Now youngsters are after quite something else: Just as it is important for a youngster to play ball (usually with his father) to develop hand-eye coordination needed later in sports, there is also plenty evidence today that the porpularity of thumbs-style arcade games actually improves brain neural circuitry both in terms of speed and accuracy as in terms of multitasking abilities that aslo are useful later in life. Also as teenagers we all need to boost our fragile self-esteems by way of high socres that our peers can admire.So for this second type of gaming, fast hand-eye coordination (completely different from that needed for flying an ILS) comes to mind.Me, I still hope Flight eventually will be able to do both: Serious flying for serious simmers, and why not, also gold coin coordination achievements for youngsters.Cheers,- jahman.

"and that will get you slapped, spanked or whatever your favorite punishment might be."and I'll give ya a 1/2 hour to stop! :(

Yeah, I think that both supporters and dislikers of Flight have been often kind of uncivilized here. Both criticism and positive comments about Flight are OK, personal attacks not. Problem has not been only totally negative comments, but also some positive ones that were not actually based on anything but still were being posted to all threads where people tried to do some constructive conversation, both positive and criticism towards Flight.At least I am not all negative towards Flight like I used to be. Although I see no way it could be new FSX ever, it surely can apply for some audience and might take more people to more serious simulators too.

Ive come to the conclusion the people that are disappointed with an unreleased Flight, must hate FSX and FS2004 even more? Due to their distaste for them, they were hoping for a replacement and when it became evident it's not going to be, they felt betrayed. Comparing Flight to FSX is like comparing Train Simulator to FSX. They are a completly different enities and purpose. Those who felt the MS statements in regards to Flight are simply reading into them what they wished for. Simulator/Not simulator. Having used Flight for a month. I have found a newfound appreciation and respect for FSX/FS2004 base content and the 3PD people building content for them. With recent developements . It is apparent that MS is willing to make changes to Flight in response to input. Could be many people will be made a fool. I shall remain neutral as I dont like to be made a fool. Other wise WHO CARES :)

Edited February 10, 201214 yr by Barnstormer1

The reason younger generations lose interest in hardcore simming is "somehow" (awfullness of economy flying, TSA searches, definitley no visits to the flight deck for impressionable kids) flying airline flying lost its appeal and has become a commonplace, even dreadful experience at times.

I whole-heartedly agree with this...I grew up as part of a TWA family, where you had to dress up to board the airplane, and once aboard you got service. It was a glamorous event. Those times are long gone. Airline flight doesn't hold the same associated sense of awe in 2012.

Another reason is lack of context: WWII is fast receding into history, and all the greatness of aviation and aviation's incremental technological gains, with it.

I also agree with this. I know I didn't get into history and specifically WWII until I had enough life perspective (and understanding of the current state of the world) to understand how amazing of a feat it was that WWII was won by the Allies. Obviously along with that comes a history of aviation technology, that was spurred through the necessity of winning dogfights, having long-range bombers, and protecting those bombers in WWI, WWII and the Korean war. The love for history that leads to this path of the aviation "lightbulb" :( going on, however, is not really something you can instill in someone.