how to make long flights more exciting?

 

 

 

Don't load enough fuel for the trip.

 

:lol: :lol:  :lol:

It's very natural and normal to get bored with one's usual routine within the hobby.  I too am mainly an IFR Airliner type, but I too get bored with it occasionally, and usually either just do some Orbx flying in something like the RealAir Legacy, Ants Aircraft Tecnam or Aerosoft DR400, or else take a full break from all things FS for a month ..........

 

It does a world of good and you come back itching to get back into those tasty airliners, which for me are: QualityWings 146 / Avro, Coolsky DC-9, and the occasional hi-tec Aerosoft Airbus X Extended flight. :smile:

Some of you really need to try FS Instant Approach.  It works amazingly well, even for very complex aircraft like the NGX.  I think they give free trials with it.

It is one of the addons that has really had an impact on flight simming for me.  

I can set it up before my flight, and if I feel like it, just fly the full route and ignore it, or if I get tired, I just hit "Connect" and I'm on approach.  It's not something that would be used for every flight and, of course, you're not going to use it online.

Even if you set up your own approaches, it would take you forever to set them up for every airport in the world, but with FSInstant Approach, you can land at any airport.

It will really push you to try approaches to airports that you normally wouldn't fly to.

I'm not trying to sell it to anyone, but I'm just really impressed with how it works.  I'm not a big fan of their other products, not that there is anything wrong with them, but they really made one that I like with FS Instant Approach.

Try the Tupolev 154

Some of you really need to try FS Instant Approach.

 

Sorry but for me (and I suspect a lot of others), flight simming is not about placing the aircraft on an existing approach and just flying landings because they're most fun.      I can't think of anything worse!

 

For me FS is about planning, weather, fuel, configuration (of FMC etc), and then the full flight phases.

 

But each to their own - I appreciate some will like what FS Instant Approach does.   I don't think it's the answer to all issues around occasionally getting bored with airliners however.

For me its VATSIM and flying ferry routes in something like the Eaglesoft Citation X, an hour or twos flight is very cool with real people ATC and not long periods between different phases of flight.

Sorry but for me (and I suspect a lot of others), flight simming is not about placing the aircraft on an existing approach and just flying landings because they're most fun.      I can't think of anything worse!

 

For me FS is about planning, weather, fuel, configuration (of FMC etc), and then the full flight phases.

 

But each to their own - I appreciate some will like what FS Instant Approach does.   I don't think it's the answer to all issues around occasionally getting bored with airliners however.

 

That's exactly why I said that it is not something that you would want to use all the time.

I have a business that takes a lot of my time, and many times FS Instant Approach is the only way that I can find time to get in a full flight using any of my many payware aircraft and airports.

When I have the time, I love to plan the whole flight in detail, but for me, that is just not possible most of the time because I have other very important commitments.

So it's either very short-hop flights or FSInstant Approach to any airport that I want to try an approach, or nothing at all.

A real commercial airline pilot has no other full time commitments that are more important than flying his route.  That life can't be simulated for those that don't do it for a living.

Flight simulator is very enjoyable, but one of the least important of my commitments.  FSInstant Approach just helps me to get some time to enjoy it.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is AI plane spotting. I look for ones that are taking off or lannding.

 

I have a business that takes a lot of my time, and many times FS Instant Approach is the only way that I can find time to get in a full flight using any of my many payware aircraft and airports.
When I have the time, I love to plan the whole flight in detail, but for me, that is just not possible most of the time because I have other very important commitments.

 

That applies to me too-  I get about an hour at most many nights with work and other things I have to do...  which is why I spend my time using my own saved flights close to TOD.  I must try FSApproach someday too........  I must also add the shooting approaches just isn't letting the aircraft fly itself to a landing, it's printing out the actually IAP and doing the approach briefing, etc....  just like I do when in the Frasca when getting current for r/w IFR flight...

 

But FSX is many things to many people-  some like just looking at the wing like a passenger, others like to emulate every part of being PIC.....  it's all fun.  For me, at going on 62 (hopefully having accrued some of the "meaning of life" in that time), with a demanding job and the chance to do real flying occasionally, plus living close to the Rockies and loving the outdoors, it's a competition for time, and as I get older I find that for a given unit of time it has more value....  Sitting in front of a monitor for hours pretending to be somewhere else just doesn't qualify....

 

Good thread.... Bruce.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is AI plane spotting. I look for ones that are taking off or lannding.

I tried that way back with FS9, got totally bored of it after about 1 minute or so. Although being a plane spotter in the RW its extremely boring in the sim

One thought occurred to me.  Why not try big military iron?  Maybe fly some IR routes.  They have military versions of civilian aircraft and (of course) a lot of their own.

Wow, thanks for the feedback everyone!

 

I'm going to stick with General Aviation flying for the next few months, and then get back into Airliners.

 

Probably this summer, I'll have a lot more time and a bit more motivated to dedicate a few hours too the NGX (Or if the 777 is out by then ). 

 

So for now, ORBX with GA, and in a few months i'll get back into airliner flying.

 

I'm starting to wonder if its just me getting bored of the 737NGX. The NGX is the only airliner payware I have at the moment, so I'm starting to wonder if i'm just getting bored with that plane. Well, we will see when the 777 is out. 

 

 

Also, I just downloaded FS Instant Approach. I have always been looking for something that did this, it is great!

 

Also, I just downloaded FS Instant Approach. I have always been looking for something that did this, it is great!

 

I have it and use it.  If I set up over water it does weird stuff...works well otherwise.  I'd love it if they would allow you to set up for full approaches...select the IAF.  Maybe that's the fix for when Radar Contact hoses my vector to final *grin*.

I usually do other things - go out and do errands or whatever, do other activities in the house. It's also a good opportunity to study the manuals. I usually browse the net and read on the iPad if I'm staying at the comp. 

 

Just think of it as time you could spend away from the computer doing any other activity. 

Lately I have done a lot of CS707 flying with the CIVA INS. The INS nav keeps you fairly busy, but not so busy that it becomes more of a nuisance than anything else. At cruise speeds, you will find yourself doing a DME update every 30 to 45 minutes, and if you update waypoints by hand, you will have to do that two or three times per flight. And the best part is that the INS is free!