The perfect combination :-)

I couldn't avoid posting this message because, after many years of flight simulation, I believe I finally found the total satisfaction out of two simulators, one that I had long had in my backups disk, and a new one, whoose first version I had bought in 2005 for the very same reasons I decided to try the newer version now...

It's true that none of the sims gives me any sort of airline-type simulation, but that's really not what I am looking for these days. Also, for the very same reasons I ended up using only this two simulators, I believe I can pass any offer before Aerowinx PSX get's released - then I may rejoin the pleasures of flying a big airliner :-)

..The sims?

- Silent Wings v1.10 (a soaring simulator because gliders are what I fly in RL)

- DCS World with (for a start) the p51d and Bs2 modules

..Why?

Well, I believe that both complement because there is really no way to properly fly a glider in DCS World (yet...), and there is no way to simulate an helicopter or a powerful prop aircraft in SW (yet?... sw2 was long announced...dreaming, I know...)

Both simulators fulfill exactly what I ask for in a flight simulation - accuracy/plausibility in as far as flight dynamics/engine/systems modeling goes, together with an environment that turns a simulated flight the closest possible to a real life flying experience on the simulated machines - a few nice / detailled gliders in SW, the p51d and the BlackShark in DCS World.

DCS World is keeping me busy primarily consuming technical/historical books focusing primarily on the p51 and it's flying techniques (the sort of reading I couldn't guess I would be doing anytime in my simmer life...), and the BS2 nanuals. I do not like the military side of simulation, but as far back as 2005, also when FSX was not yet available and I was not satisfied with the alternatives, I bought LOMAC and enjoyed it as far as my old PC allowed it to...Eventualy FSX got released and we all know the "revolution" in flight simulation it was/still is... and LOMAC ran so slowly on my rig that I gave back using it...

My present PC is not top notch (2500 running w7-64-HP and gts450 nvidia gc, 8GB RAM), but it runs DCS World very acceptably at medium settings, and Silent Wings beautifully with all options maxed out...

My 2012 ride accross simulation platforms, starting with MS FLIGHT and ending with AeroFlyFS was what I can call a trues DISASTER! MS FLIGHT was probably the simulator that caused the biggest impact in my simmer life, probably equalled only by DCS World now. Then came back FSX Gold and a lot of old add-ons I had from the past. Then X-Plane10, and even AeroFly FS... I was desperatly trying to find satisfaction, which, for me, means good / plausible flight dynamics, plausible flight environment preferably allowing to fly gliders as well as other aircraft types. The military side of simulation is not really something I appreciate, specially at DCS World standards where the war techniques are so sophisticated and you seldom see your enemy closer than through a display in your cockpit, unless you fly the p51d :-), but the fact is that DCS World offers a world with lot's of dynamic AI objects to worry about. Yes I am not flying my usual IFR flightplan using a GPS but rather doing dead reckoning flying the p51d, but, hey, it is so beautifuly complete, detailled, accurate in every aspect from the flight dynamics (under any flight states) to the engine / systems modelling, including so many damage possibilities resulting only from the improper operation of the aircraft, that it feels to me like a true paradise.

My "integrity" checks with DCS World (Silent Wings was long tested and accepted as being by far the most realistic soaring simulation platform since I started using it in 2006...) all resulted in 100% aproval. There is simply no aspect I can peek to cause a critic or even introspective doubts about some aspect of the flight / engine / systems modeling not being accurate. When it comes to the hjelicopter - BS2 - then things turn into an even much more complex state of affairs... It is going to take me at least an year to get acquainted to it.

...Advantages?

Well, investment for sure - I have never spent so few bucks for so much joy, and the pace at which the add-ons for DCS World, particularly those that might interest me, are released ensures that I am not going to turn into the sim consumist I usually tend to become... It's better than MS FLIGHT specially because the add-ons are the opposite of "cockpitless" :-)

Other than the above practical/budget reason, there is the incredible sensation of flight that both SW and DCS World give me. I start SW for tasks around the Europe, but also in New Zealand on England, using free scenery areas and the excellent soaring environment provided by SW. This way, while I am now away from RL flying (soaring season here in Portugal will restart around March/April only...) I can efectively train true soaring techniques and, apart from the joy, I can keep proficient over terrain that closely reflects what I can find in RL. With DCS World and specially the p51d, I have the chance to dream about how it certainly feels to fly such a powerful ww2 prop aircraft. I haven't yet involved in air combat but I keep busy simply flying, doing dead reckoning navigation, managing flight under adverse weather conditions, formation flying, aerobatics, etc... ANd I have no more than 10' in the helicopter... Just starting that thing will be a challenge :-)

Well, I can say my 2012 will end beautifully, after the rather rough ride along it, with all of the disappointment, X-Plane10 and thn even Aerofly FS turned out to be, and the usual feel of boundness that FSX, being a long stagnated platform, brings every time I try to fly even the best add-on aircraft to the limits...