This is an expensive hobby

[ryanbatc 12,799]

...and actually sitting on my duff at this computer is even more dangerous to my health than flying ever was.

Geoff

 

This is an excellent point. I recently had to adjust my keyboard and controls setup... my wrists were getting sore. Also staring at the monitor is not good for anyone...

 

I recommend trying to get up and move around once per hour...

[SteveW 1,792]

I always get up every 45-60 minutes and find something else to do. Ever thought that living in a bungalow or single story property can be bad for you? No stairs!

 

If you have the CH Yoke and Pedals, what about adding the throttle quadrant? Apart from extra switches and control and immersion for props, even taxiing a twin with a throttle per engine can be handy for turning too.

[Krister 51]

Do not get ANY ORBX scenery!!!

 

Your wallet will suffer immensely and don't say I didn't warn you! :D I'm a long time FS9 user although I've owned FSX since its release date. The only reason I finally installed FSX and kept it installed was that I bought PMDG737NGX. However, I still mainly kept to flying FS9 on VATSIM. Then I figured I might try out some ORBX-scenery since everyone was talking about their quality and thanks to some newly found tweaks I got my computer working nicely with FSX. Now I'm an ORBX junkie...

 

I then also got the Realair Lancair where I have the Reality XP 530 installed and now I am stuck criss-crossing over northwest US. Pair it up with FSKneeboard2 for iPad, Activesky 2012, TrackIR and it's just GA heaven! I actually don't have FS9 installed right now, but I have to put it back since I can't get FSX to work well with the VATSIM client software.

[Anthony1968 19]

Do not get ANY ORBX scenery!!!

 

Your wallet will suffer immensely and don't say I didn't warn you!

 

Yes it is "rather special". Would you not dig a bit deeper to to resolve the Vatsim issue rather than switching back to FS9. Especially as you have invested fairly heavily in FSX.

[Krister 51]

Yes it is "rather special". Would you not dig a bit deeper to to resolve the Vatsim issue rather than switching back to FS9. Especially as you have invested fairly heavily in FSX.

Actually I wouldn't be "switching back", just alternating! Except for the fact that PMDG737NGX is only available in FSX, I have never really found anything that speaks in favour of FSX when it comes to flying on VATSIM, quite the contrary. Yes, the 737NGX is the best add-on aircraft ever made for MSFS so far, but I have plenty of extremely impressive airplanes in FS9 too. In FS9 the performance is better, I have much more payware sceneries for FS9, Squawkbox just works without a hazzle and with all the add-ons I have (Activesky2012, GE Pro, UTX) I can make it basically as good looking as FSX.

 

But since I took up flying IRL I've become much more interested in flying low'n slow and that's where ORBX and Lancair (together with the RV7, A2A Cub, Sibwings Birddog, SF260 and some more) fits in just perfectly! Actually, since I got my license, I've become a much better pilot in FSX! :D

[Anthony1968 19]

Actually, since I got my license, I've become a much better pilot in FSX! :D

 

I totally agree, you can read all the manuals you like but some professional instruction in a real aircraft is of huge benefit. It becomes like riding a bike, you don't forget.

[jacksonsgtp 1]

I got my Private, Commercial and Instrument rating long before I got into Flight Sim. I already knew how to fly VFR and IFR, but I didn't know all the little tricks, settings and crap for FSX and computers in general. I have found you can Flight Sim in a real world procedural way, or you can more or less Flight Sim as a game. I have taught people to fly in FSX, with no flight or flight sim experience and always started them on the basics, just as a Flight Instructor would in real life. Then continue the lessons (both flt sim and ground school), such that they can fly Solo and operate the aircraft to the numbers, handle emergencies, airspace, ATC, weather and airport operations, just as in real life.

[metalmike 34]

If you're going to do mainly GA flying, I'd actually prioritize investment in ORBX sceneries, rather than the big airports like Fly Tampta, FSDT and such, 'cause those are obviously suited more for commercial jets.

 

As for cost, an entire ORBX region costs as much as, or sometime less than, any one of the addon airports from the bigger developers you mentioned.