Congratulations and good job!Talking about flying in the real world is one thing, and actually doing it is another. I got interested in aviation when i was about fourteen, and even though for several years I gave it up, I ended upgetting my license at 19 so I could have a hobby on the weekends. Now, almost 35 years later, I am a retired 737-200 pilot for Southwest Airlines. Flying is a feeling like no other, and I strongly encourage you to go and get your license. You will never thank yourself enough.Sean:-rotor

Ricardo wrote..."You are right about one thing, flying a real aircraft is a lot easier than on the computer! Sit a high-time pilot down with zero desktop sime time and hook him/her up with FS2004. CRASH BANG SLAM Funny how it's not the other way around when sim pilots get into the real machines"Yep, Rico. LOTS of 12 year olds chasing around the skies in 747s and F16s with an hour or two of instruction. :-)

Not sure why this thread I started some eight months ago has been resurrected. All I can say is that I found that flying a small single engined plane for real and landing it at my local airport was easier than doing the same thing in the sim mainly because of the complete set of visual cues you get in the real world and the feedback you get from the control yoke and pedals.Bruceb

I loved this post.This is a great idea for every simmer of all ages. To take that intro flight with an instructor in your local airport. It doesn't matter that you have no interest in getting a license or doubts about clearig medicals or age.Here in the US, you can get a flight for $45 or so... I mean, its the cost of 1 add on aircraft in the sim.. It'll give a new perspective and you may enjoy the sim even more.And its very thoughtful of your son to do that as a gift. It sure beats a tie. :)Manny

>I loved this post.>>This is a great idea for every simmer of all ages. To take>that intro flight with an instructor in your local airport. It>doesn't matter that you have no interest in getting a license>or doubts about clearig medicals or age.>>Here in the US, you can get a flight for $45 or so... >>I mean, its the cost of 1 add on aircraft in the sim.. It'll>give a new perspective and you may enjoy the sim even more.>>And its very thoughtful of your son to do that as a gift. It>sure beats a tie. :)>>MannyYep indeed it's fun to fly the real deal :-)Congratulations on your flight sounds like fun :-)Andr