I used to only do flights in real time but I don't have the time any more and as stated above, what is the point of ignoring your sim (watching porn, sampling cognac or walking the dogs) and running in RT?

 

I now use X2-X4 once at crusie level depending on the length of the flight.

Real time is easier, and use AP for bathroom breaks or make coffee. Long flight plan my route with frequent landing stop if needed vfr outside big cities

Interesting question and responses. Its obvious to me from the responses that some flt simmers take their flying seriously.

 

I have been simming since the very first days of sub logic and I have no desire to find ways to spend the time while the computer goes through the motions of a long haul flight. Especially if its over water...which it most likely is. I can't see the point really.

 

If I'm flying from Vancouver BC to Kahului, Maui....I set up the flight, fly the first leg over Vancouver Island, watch it fade into the distance.....then, skip (jump), move my aircraft to a point <30 minutes out and jump back into the cockpit to close the deal.

 

Time and life are too short to watch endless amounts of water going by, or finding other things to do while the plane is "flying itself" to the destination....I can't see the fun in that.

 

I assume that I fueled up properly, that my plane is in excellent working order and will not have a mech problem, and enjoy the sim for the best parts, takeoff, landing and watching scenery go by while low enough to actually view it.

 

I'm mostly a GA pilot for that reason. Short hauls, short hops...that's me.

Flying flight simulators for over 15 years off and on. Never once touched the time sim rate. If I am flying a long flight I do laundry, watch tv, browse the internet on my laptop, make food, read a book, enjoy the view, monitor the systems. Flown a few 12+ hour flights but most are 5-7 hours max. When PMDG's 777 and 747v2 come out I will once again be flying long flights. For the most part since I fly 99% cargo airlines, real scheduled flights aren't usually more than 8 hours.

The longer flights rare flying Sioux Falls to Winnipeg or Salt Lake to Casper as airports are to easy spot low and slow. Use roads and radio towers for Navigation, and VFR allow flexbility unlike IFR. No flight between is more 120nm between landings with my single prop ga aircraft.

Guys definately dont try to fast-forward through your flights higher than 8x.... it will bounce you around and make you stall.

Most FSX aircraft that I fly (PMDG, LevelD...) can deal with up to 16x as long as you keep and eye on it and 8x otherwise. That way you can complete an extreme long haul flight such as SYD-DFW or SIN-EWR in under 3 hours. Just enable time acceleration while in cruise and when you reach TOD you can go back to 1x.

When I have tried that with advanced aircraft addons usually they fly off course or something similar.

Flying flight simulators for over 15 years off and on. Never once touched the time sim rate. If I am flying a long flight I do laundry, watch tv, browse the internet on my laptop, make food, read a book, enjoy the view, monitor the systems. Flown a few 12+ hour flights but most are 5-7 hours max. When PMDG's 777 and 747v2 come out I will once again be flying long flights. For the most part since I fly 99% cargo airlines, real scheduled flights aren't usually more than 8 hours.

 

Exactly!! I can honestly say I never touched the sim rate either. The advantages of flying a PC. Now in real aircraft you don't have that choice.

Well I was going to post "Don't do them then..." and as a "Low and Slow" virtual pilot the one thing that's put me off flying tubes at all, is the length of most flights. However I find some really useful utilities mentioned here that may make flying the heavies a viable option so thanks for that, I'll research those further.

 

Still lateral thinking says if you don't like long fly the many prototypical short hops or even get rid of the autopiloting and fly some bush aircraft? After all the definition of APTL flying is "hours of boredom with minutes of extreme terror at the beginning and end" I guess most of us want to simulate the latter?

 

As for VA's flying real time.......... Hmmm your life, your choice. Guess I won't be joining though :huh: We only get the one life (?) and even if that's wrong you may come back as a Toad rather than an Eagle! :unsure:

 

Geoff

Interesting question and responses. Its obvious to me from the responses that some flt simmers take their flying seriously.

 

I have been simming since the very first days of sub logic and I have no desire to find ways to spend the time while the computer goes through the motions of a long haul flight. Especially if its over water...which it most likely is. I can't see the point really.

 

If I'm flying from Vancouver BC to Kahului, Maui....I set up the flight, fly the first leg over Vancouver Island, watch it fade into the distance.....then, skip (jump), move my aircraft to a point <30 minutes out and jump back into the cockpit to close the deal.

 

Time and life are too short to watch endless amounts of water going by, or finding other things to do while the plane is "flying itself" to the destination....I can't see the fun in that.

 

I assume that I fueled up properly, that my plane is in excellent working order and will not have a mech problem, and enjoy the sim for the best parts, takeoff, landing and watching scenery go by while low enough to actually view it.

 

I'm mostly a GA pilot for that reason. Short hauls, short hops...that's me.

 

Isn't simming a bit about "as real as it gets". I personally feels fast forwarding a flight is like cheating and can't see how real pilots can do that. I guess they are also bored sometimes when they cross the atlantic but that's life, it can get boring sometimes.

Invite a friend over and image your chitchatting with your copilot or even a hot girlfriend imagining its your hot stewardess , while the sim hums in the background and ocasinally check the intruments to see if everything is running good(With A2A Stratocruiser that's something I have to do, especially if I took of with my engines not in the best condition).

 

And about lifes to short, dont' need to sim everyday and take long halls. Me I have pauses from simming sometimes for months doing other things.

As something of a reformed "1x purist" myself, I gotta ask what is the point in it if your are not actively monitoring your flight (because you are watching TV, read a book, sleep, eat, shower, work etc.)?

 

 

When I leave the flight I just imagine saying to the copilot take over I need a nap. while in reality I go and screw that hot stewardess...(My girlfriend)

I have never done a looooong flight. The most I've done is a 2 hour flight. But haivng my computer on for 3, 4, or 5+ hours is absolutley pointless. This is a simulation, not real life. What I am suppose to do with my computer on for 5 or 6 hours? Get up a go use the a/c rest-room? :lol:

Some of you clearly don't have children :lol:

 

I don't even bother with long haul, and even short haul, unless it's very short haul, I will mostly get to the top of the climb, go to 16x and then go back to 1x about 150nm from my destination to fly the approach. Don't have time to do anything more than that!

I see time spent AFK with sim running as a waste of electricity, but can probably understand the mindset.

Some of you clearly don't have children :lol:

 

I don't even bother with long haul, and even short haul, unless it's very short haul, I will mostly get to the top of the climb, go to 16x and then go back to 1x about 150nm from my destination to fly the approach. Don't have time to do anything more than that!

 

I don't have childreen and I can see your point ^_^

Different strokes i guess some have time to do those long hauls and some don't. :rolleyes: