Hi all,Well I used to always almost fly the Big Irons, And I own nearly all of the payware ones. I used to dable in the GA Arena with some of carrendos and all of FSD's offerings. Whilst flying a GA plane I woud see a Big Iron fly over me or see one take off and that would make me want to go back to my big irons :). However latley Im moving more towards the GA Arena, and I am now flying them more than the big Irons, I have also found a passion for the vintage aircrft (not the Default FS2004 Ones) Bill Loyns etc. I thought I would never turn my back on the big irons.I find the real thrill of flying only in the GA planes with no Auto Pilot or a limited one to help me out. I feel a bit guilty as I have all these great big irons but I now find it (not always) a pain and quite boaring once Im up to Crz just sitting there waiting for the descent.Have I matured, and gone back to the roots of FS2004, and flying? or am I just being silly, and maybe needed a break from airline life? Has this happen to anybody else :-hmmm Jason

Yepp it happened to me the minute i bought Misty Fjords.....Havent flown anything but GA's since before christmas.The scenery is so great, and the amount of places to fly into is huge....Still havent flown to the same place twice :)And new addons for MF are popping in almost several times a week!Haven't had such fun with flying for years!!Johnny"I'LL BE BACK"[div align=center]http://www.avsim.com/hangar/fly/josve/pmdg.jpg ][/div

Ahhh Ha.... More GA converts:-jumpy Brian

Welcome to the dark side :-lolActually you should try out some of the default vintage aircraft as well. The Cub, Vega, Trimotor and Jenny are all above and beyond any of the default props and jets.

From another "low and slow" flyer who just plain enjoys the scenery, my hat is off to you. Enjoy the GA flying.

You're not alone Jason. I, too, have just about stopped flying anything larger than a 172 (and the RealAir Spitfire). Over the years I've run up over 3000 hours over at WestWind flying mostly 744's and 763's but there just isn't any satisfaction for me doing that kind of flying anymore (other than the occasional go at the Kai Tak IGS). All the fun for me now is really in the smaller aircraft and places like Emma Field, Orcas Island, and Misty Fjords. Maybe I'll have another go at the big guys when the LDS767 is released, but I don't think I can ever go back to flying the heavies very often. Now if they can just come up with an FMC, LNAV, and VNAV for the Cessna.....:-)Doug

Don't feel guilty. They're are only a 'click' away should you want to go back. To mix things up for me lately I have been flying the heavies to a major destination, say Alaska, then I break out the tail draggers for some exploring in the area. Makes a nice combo. Next stop... the Aussie Outback (and I don't mean for a steak dinner!)

>Don't feel guilty. They're are only a 'click' away should>you want to go back. To mix things up for me lately I have>been flying the heavies to a major destination, say Alaska,>then I break out the tail draggers for some exploring in the>area. Makes a nice combo. >>Next stop... the Aussie Outback (and I don't mean for a steak>dinner!)That's EXACTLY what I've been doing. I just bought "Island of Elba" from Aerosoft. So, I fly into one of the "big airports" then "pick up my holiday passengers" and bring them over to the island. Best of both worlds!ricardo

I'm a big fan of heavies myself, but I like to mix things up. I like flying a small GA, a commercial turoprop, or a full size airliner just the same. Just depends on time and overall mood. Nothing wrong with variety. ;)

Thanks guys...Im glad im not the only one.Your right there is nothing wrong with variety...Jason

"Have I matured, and gone back to the roots of FS2004, and flying? or am I just being silly, and maybe needed a break from airline life?"No, you have come of age!Not that I'm "against" large aircraft, and hi tech navigation is satisfying in its own way. But maybe you have re-discovered the essence of flying: The cultured and manual control of a maneouvrable aircraft with finesse and skill, something I've been an advocate of for years (but rarely achieve).What could be more satisfying than a simple turn through 180 degrees, not letting altitude change by more than 20 feet? What could be more thrilling than a precision approach without a GPS, or ILS, through a layer a fog?What could be more engaging than setting tower view and creating your own airshow routine, with perfect rolls, loops, hammerheads and immelmans?What could be more useful to one's flying esteem than a simple flight from A to B over rugged terrain, following a VFR map?In short, anyone can give themselves the illusion that they are a pilot by setting the FMC and watching it all happen.Welcome back to the world of real flying!Rob Young

Here's one that sort of combines both: Fly your PMDG 737 (make sure you have the Alaska Air livery ;-) ) from Seattle to Wrangell, AK. It's a regular scheduled route. I won't give anything away, just be sure you have the proper approach plate, and plan it out. Also, just for fun, wait until the weather in Wrangell is not CAVU. I have a freind who moved to Wrangell, which is when I got interested in trying this one. Oh, the takeoff from Wrangell is also interesting if the wind is blowing the "right" direction :-wink2 Mike

>"Have I matured, and gone back to the roots of FS2004, and>flying? or am I just being silly, and maybe needed a break>from airline life?">>No, you have come of age!>>Not that I'm "against" large aircraft, and hi tech navigation>is satisfying in its own way. But maybe you have re-discovered>the essence of flying: The cultured and manual control of a>maneouvrable aircraft with finesse and skill, something I've>been an advocate of for years (but rarely achieve).>>What could be more satisfying than a simple turn through 180>degrees, not letting altitude change by more than 20 feet?>What could be more thrilling than a precision approach without>a GPS, or ILS, through a layer a fog?>>What could be more engaging than setting tower view and>creating your own airshow routine, with perfect rolls, loops,>hammerheads and immelmans?>>What could be more useful to one's flying esteem than a simple>flight from A to B over rugged terrain, following a VFR map?>>In short, anyone can give themselves the illusion that they>are a pilot by setting the FMC and watching it all happen.>>Welcome back to the world of real flying!>>Rob Young >Hi Rob,All the things you have mentioned, are very true, and as far as doing it in light aircraft, I guess Im lucky I have all your planes to do it in :)Jason

Well.... one of the joys of this hobby is you can do whatever you want. There is no 'right' way to fly.Most of my flying is GA, but then I'll go through a stage (as I am right now) where I'll fly nothing but classic jetliners (BAC 111, B727, DH Comet, etc.) then maybe some turboprops (YS11, PMDG Beech 1900, HS 748) then maybe an F4 off a carrier. Then I'm in Bill Lyon's Tiger Moth on an old Bell 47 chopper.Marvellous hobby, isn't it.Curiously, the one type of aircraft I almost never fly are the default Boeings. Why do that when there is Stellan Hilmerby's DC9 series or the Eric Cantu's Boeings and Richard Probst's panels?BlairCYOW