By Mike Nelson:"Microsoft Flight is out! Here's what I think based on playing Flight pre-launch, and only with the stuff you'll get for free when you download it. Next week I'll update this review with my impressions of the friendly skies post-launch (after sampling some of the paid goodies), and that's when I'll slap a score on this sucker."http://pc.gamespy.co.../1219653p1.html

I do note already in that review the comment regarding the dislike of the world being largely devoid of life- which I completely agree with.

Edited February 29, 201214 yr by Buckster

"...I have to admit that it's a good entry point for wannabe pilots." - Mike NelsonExactly.

Edited February 29, 201214 yr by Lawyer+Pilot

I think the review is quite balanced and accurate for the most part. With Flight we will see what we will see when we see it, I guess.Kind regards,

I have been an avid flight simulation enthusiast since the days of FS5 and am also a real world private pilot. I have tried Microsoft Flight and don't see anything "wrong" with it. It is not called Microsoft Flight Simulator ... it is called Microsoft Flight. Microsoft FSX is still around and available to hardcore simulation enthusiasts.I'm taking a different slant on the audience for this software. How many people never even consider picking up a simulator because there is too much of an investment in their time to learn all the nuances? How many people would never comprehend the joy of piloting an aircraft because it wasn't easy enough or cheap enough to try? Microsoft has eliminated both of these hurdles in one shot. Is Flight! the be all and end all of flight simulation? Of course not. Have they potentially laid the foundation to make it so? Possibly ... time will tell.Hardcore simmers may be disappointed. However, if this software exposes more people (both young and old) to aviation and possibly piques their interest in pursuing aviation as a career/hobby in the form of flight simulation and/or real-life flying, I think that Microsoft has done their job. Sometimes, people need a little nudge and some confidence to take the plunge towards bigger and greater goals and this software may be the nudge for a larger audience than you think.I am an aviation enthusiast ... not just a flight simulation enthusiast. I constantly look for new ways to get people interested in aviation and I think this is a noble and worthy attempt to do so my Microsoft.

I'm taking a different slant on the audience for this software. How many people never even consider picking up a simulator because there is too much of an investment in their time to learn all the nuances? How many people would never comprehend the joy of piloting an aircraft because it wasn't easy enough or cheap enough to try?

As a student private pilot and FS user for nearly twenty years I agree with your sentiment entirely. I haven't tried Flight yet ( it's downloading as I type) but if I can quickly dip into it for a bit of fun it may be just what I need. Learning to fly for real is very expensive and my PPL will probably take me years to gain but I'm in it for the fun so I'm not putting myself under any real pressure. Equally, properly setting up a flight on FSX can take quite some time. I often decide against a Sim flight because I don't have a whole afternoon to give up for it. This is where Flight comes in, I hope. I also intend to introduce my children to flying with this new "game". FSX is far to complex for young children and I'm not qualified to bring them up for real just yet.

I'm not sure why everyone says that FSX was not accessible for newbies ??it was - it had its fair share of "fun" missions/tutorials etc.... BUT it also catered for when you became more profficient and wanted to move up .... thats the difference for mewhere do "newbie" MS Flight simmers go to if they get the taste for sims after playing this ?will they be satisifed with FSX if they have to contend with an older/less glossy graphics engine etc ?

I'm not sure why everyone says that FSX was not accessible for newbies ??

The biggest barrier to accessability, in FSX, was the Microsoft's defective implimentaion of Gamespy.

"...I have to admit that it's a good entry point for wannabe pilots." - Mike NelsonExactly.

I'm a PADI Divemaster and BSAC Instructor, I love Scuba Diving, but I couldn't have started this hobby without a snorkle and mask.This is how I see Flight.

The biggest barrier to accessability, in FSX, was the Microsoft's defective implimentaion of Gamespy.

Gamespy ? I've been playing FSX for years and yeras (bought it on day of release) - and never used Gamespy - and has not hindered my gameplay :)

I'm a PADI Divemaster and BSAC Instructor, I love Scuba Diving, but I couldn't have started this hobby without a snorkle and mask.This is how I see Flight.

after playing Flight - where do they then go "scuba diving" ?

after playing Flight - where do they then go "scuba diving" ?

I don't think you understand the metaphor. :Confused:

If you are are student pilot, I *highly* recommend sticking with FSX or XPlane 10. When I was a student pilot (I have a private pilot's license now) I did use the Microsoft Flight Simulator series to help practice a lot of different things. I thought I knew what I was doing having been a flight simmer for 10+ years before I started learning to fly for real. It turns out I was doing everything wrong. Real flight training actually made me 10 times better at MS Flight Simulator. No joke. Flight sadly removes many of things that could help you with your training. Like no ability to set weather. No ability to change the time of day (somebody correct me here if I'm mistaken). They don't support individual toe brakes, which is absolutely necessary for taxiing in my opinion. No ATC. Well you've probably already read all of whats missing before. You get the idea. If you are a student pilot, I recommend staying with a simulator that actually tries to be a simulator, and both FSX and X-Plane do a decent enough job. Flight is just not that. It's an arcade game. Flight is geared towards gamers that don't give a flying pancake about what it really takes to fly.Full Disclosure: I have not YET tried Flight. I've read enough to know that it is not the game for me. I am a real-world pilot and all of my flying experience is in Cessna 172 R and 172 S models in the midwest USA. I got my FAA license in 2002. Been doing flight simulation for something like 20+ years. I would consider myself somewhere between a moderate and a hardcore flight simmer -- I have purchased SOME payware, but not a lot. I have a LOT of flight sim hardware however, including: 5 GoFlight modules, Saitek Flight Yoke, Saitek Cessna TPM, Saitek Cessna TrimWheel, CH Products Pro Pedals, 1 Saitek Flight Instrument, Saitek switch bank (the thing with the mag switch and gear lever and all the toggles, a Track IR 4, a Saitek X52, and numerous old pieces of equipment that I still have but no longer use.EDIT: Added strikethrough and fixed the font (it went to superscript on its own for some reason)

Edited February 29, 201214 yr by Xpendable

Like no ability to set weather. No ability to change the time of day (somebody correct me here if I'm mistaken).

you're mistaken... so why not stop with the uninformed posts until you actually use it. Thanks.

There is a MASSIVE audiance that go to air shows and air museums all over the world that have an INTEREST in flying, but not the time or skill to learn a full "hard core" flight sim. This is who Flight is for. Those people may "catch the bug" and want to learn more, and invest more time. Some of them may upgrade to FSX, and some may carry on to get there PPL. This is who Flight is for. And I like that. Even though Flight was not made for ME, I still personally enjoy it for what it is.

^{It's an arcade game.Full Disclosure: I have not YET tried Flight. I've read enough to know that it is not the game for me}

Thanks for the honesty in the "Full Disclosure," although the quoted sentence really gave that away. What you've apparently read is a mess of uninformed buffalo cookies.Can you honestly tell me what other sim allows you to actually spin properly? Or perform advanced aerobatics? The real beauty of Flight is hidden by a pretty, painted face. You have to look past that and discover the hidden gems that are actually there.You cannot do that by reading forum posts, but only by actually doing the digging yourself!