Hello ChopperGirl, Welcome to Avsim.

 

I enjoyed reading all your links and a adventures, Fantastic stuff.  Pics are really cool as well. 

 

 

Yes as Jaime said DSC world,  Is deffo worth a twirl 

Here is a challenge. Why not design your own microlight in FSX P3D? Not as easy as it sounds but if you can get your head round the design tools and xml for running it in the sim then it can be quite satisfying :mad:

I found out to get into the menu, so I'll have to get into the menu, learn the default key bindings, and do some proper flying in it.   I'll give DCS World a whirl as well.  It'd be really cool if I found some modeler that would model up my plane complete with color scheme, but having seen all that's involved in creating aircraft models, I know that's a serious buttload of work.    I'll get into the menus of some of these and see if I can't learn my way around, and the one I like best I'll hunt for at least one of any kind of ultralight to install in it...  they all pretty much fly within the same limits.

 but having seen all that's involved in creating aircraft models, I know that's a serious buttload of work.  

That it is! There was a Hollywood film about called "Never Ending Story!" I have just finished redoing a 2D panel for the Super VC10 and that is 1gb even zipped!

DCS is an excellent sim ... but it's heavy military iron, the direct opposite of Microlights!

Except, maybe there is an opportunity to build a drone with recce capabilities for DCS Combined Ops, and maybe even sell it through the DCS web-site?

 

More realistically, if money is tight, FSX Steam edition is much cheaper than P3D and regularly available at 70% discount for less than $10, takes practically all FSX add-ons and is fully moddable.

 

Just to try P3D you can get a developer license for $10 a month, no need to have a track record of any kind of development.

 

And don't give up just because of the lack of a degree ... I'm just coming up to 40 years in the computer industry with no degree - coding, designing and 'architecting'.

 

Cheers

Keith

Not getting anywhere with these Flight Sims...  

 

Rise of Flight --> Mission based WW1 combat, retro cute but not what I'm looking for

Flight Gear --> Won't install fully, says it needs base files.  Doesn't like the base files I download for it.  I think the latest version is not compatible with last available version of base files.

DCS --> can't fly a single plane without buying something, not even demo plane.  Did I miss something?  It says the P51 is free, but won't let me fly it, just set it as a wallpaper.  Instant action menu stays greyed out no matter what I select.

Warthunder --> not really what I'm looking for, more of a  multiplayer network dogflight game

Xplane --> installed, but can't find the bin file or launcher to start after install, no start menu shortcuts or in Program Files folder or Program Files (x32) folder, or on an folder on desktop.  Anybody?

Prepar3D: requires purchase $59.  Probably nice, but don't have $59.

 

Looks like I'm going back to the dumbed down flight mode game in Google Earth, at least the terrain is correct.  If only I could slow the plane down to ultralight speeds, even if the flight dynamics are not quite right... :-/  I just need it to learn what my airports and local area look like from above, because I don't want to be fiddling with a map and GPS and VOR when one hand is on the stick, and the other on the throttle. 

~
 

Update:  I must of thrown away the Xplane folder on the desktop, so I reinstalled it and figured out I had to click the mouse to get joystick control, and click out of it to return to mouse cursor, so at least I was able to get off the runway. A search of the Xplane forums shows quite a few people have tried or made ultralights, so I'll putter around with Xplane some more later.

You do know that XPlane Global is more expensive than Prepar3D?

The free demo just runs for a few minutes...

 

Still suggest waiting for next FSX Steam sale.

 

Cheers

Keith

For those curious about following along more my bare minimum airplane project, restoring a vintage 3 axis ultralight:

The Dorothy restoration thread on Home Built Airplanes:

http://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forums/light-stuff-area/24261-dorothy-choppergirls-38-volmer-jensen-vj-24w-antique-ultralight-motor-glider.html

 

Thanks everybody for your input and recommendations.   Happy Flying ;-)

 

CHOPPERGIRL

http://air-war.org

 

DCS --> can't fly a single plane without buying something, not even demo plane.  Did I miss something?  It says the P51 is free, but won't let me fly it, just set it as a wallpaper.  Instant action menu stays greyed out no matter what I select.

 

 

The TF-51 is Free, the P-51D is payware. The TF-51 is a dual seat version of the P-51D. Also you can fly the SU25T for free as well

 

I can't get passed the main menu.  I'm logged in, I click TF-51D, and all it shows me is a balloon to set the wallpaper.  I close the balloon, and menu items like Instant Action, Create Fast Mission, Mission, Campaign, Multiplayer do nothing when  you roll over them (greyed out).  The only menu items that turn blue when you roll over them and work are Logbook, Encyclopedia, and Exit.  

 

Daft. 

 

What am I missing here...?

I know why. You installed DCS World 2.0. You need DCS World 1.5

DCS World 2.0 has only the Nevada map, which is payware. DCS World 1.5 instead has the real free map. The two maps have not been merged in a single client yet

Oh okay thanks.   It seems self evident, at least to me as a developer myself, that software publishers should make and test to be sure their installer distro on their main download link (that one with the typically big button) runs "right out of the box".   Derrrr and fail ;-)

 

 

It seems self evident, at least to me as a developer myself, that software publishers should make and test to be sure their installer distro on their main download link (that one with the typically big button) runs "right out of the box".

 

You're the first developer I know that doesn't have $59 for a quality flight sim platform like P3D ... but P3D does have a "developer subscription" for $9.95 that you can cancel any time ... they also have a 60 day refund policy if it's not to your liking.

 

As far as the Ultra-lite ... I've flown in a few and they are extremely cold, noisy, windy, and vibrate so much it's hard to see ground detail under throttle, and VERY VERY slow even moderate headwinds can require a S pattern to reach destination.  With that said, I'd highly recommend you continue the adventure as a single seat like you have in the picture requires NO license to fly but there are a few rules you have to follow FAR 103, two seater does require a license/certificate.

 

Cheers, Rob.

Oh okay thanks.   It seems self evident, at least to me as a developer myself, that software publishers should make and test to be sure their installer distro on their main download link (that one with the typically big button) runs "right out of the box".   Derrrr and fail ;-)

 

Clicking on download leads here

 

http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/world/

 

Where you can clearly read that DCS 2.0 requires the Nevada map, since it's written. So i guess developers also need to learn to read

 

 

Rise of Flight --> Mission based WW1 combat, retro cute but not what I'm looking for

Flight Gear --> Won't install fully, says it needs base files. Doesn't like the base files I download for it. I think the latest version is not compatible with last available version of base files.

DCS --> can't fly a single plane without buying something, not even demo plane. Did I miss something? It says the P51 is free, but won't let me fly it, just set it as a wallpaper. Instant action menu stays greyed out no matter what I select.

Warthunder --> not really what I'm looking for, more of a multiplayer network dogflight game

Xplane --> installed, but can't find the bin file or launcher to start after install, no start menu shortcuts or in Program Files folder or Program Files (x32) folder, or on an folder on desktop. Anybody?

Prepar3D: requires purchase $59. Probably nice, but don't have $59.

 

The absolute cheapest, and most equipped for what you're after is most definitely FSX Steam Edition.  When on a serious sale (the Steam Summer Sale will be in a few months), it goes for between $5 - $7.  It often goes on 50% sales as well at random times.  The Steam version of FSX is also likely the easiest to install and run, as Steam makes that task trivial.

 

The reason why it's likely a good choice is that it ships with a Air Creation Buggy 582 SL Trike that is fairly decent. Maybe not quite as spartan as your real world acquisition, but it's nice and slow, and easy to fly with the keyboard. 

 

So, cheap (when on sale), can fly it with minimal effort with a keyboard, and comes with a *very* low n' slow aircraft.

 

However, basic / default FSX isn't going to provide you with a very realistic view of your area by default.  There are tools and utilities to create photo-scenery, or there are some free sources, depending on where you are.  Delving into either will require some learning, but it's worth it, and pretty much mandatory regardless of which sim you choose.

 

A good second choice would likely be X-Plane 10.  It goes on sale on Steam occasional as well, but not often.  The advantage to X-Plane is that it has an extremely large freeware community, and a fairly easy toolset for creating your own scenery.  When bought and installed through Steam, it again makes installation and starting the sim trivial.

 

My last point would be to recommend even a cheap/really cheap joystick.  It will heighten your enjoyment of any flight simulator you might choose hugely.