The problem with flightsimming (but not really)

[ErichB 3,637]

With all the amazing addons coming our way (along with what we already have), there are a number of significant problems manifesting themselves

 

1.  There're too many excellent aircraft to fly

2.  There's not enough time to fly any one complex aircraft long enough to become proficient on it

3.  How are you possible supposed to visit all the airports you have installed. (Just spawning in doesn't count.  Must be a planned flight into or out of)

4.  Social engagements are getting in the way

5.  It's becoming as expensive as golf, but that's okay

6.  The line between reality and simming is blurring

7.  Your simming experiences with shader mods installed are more pleasing to the eye than nature itself.

8.  You've realised that by now you've spent enough money on flightsimming to have financed a PPL with IF and Multi ratings.

 

In all seriousness, balance is the key.  But our immediate/medium term simming future looks bright.

 

 

 

 

[Paraffin 2,197]

Well, it's still a dirt cheap hobby compared to most. Including golf, with travel and club fees involved. I used to own a small sailboat and charter larger ones, now that's an expensive hobby.  :smile:

 

Anyway, I have a suggestion that has worked for me, in learning to fly just a few planes and getting very familiar with them, and that's the FSEconomy virtual air charter game available for FS9, FSX, and X-Plane.

 

You can join right away and rent different models, but eventually the urge might kick in to "buy" a plane with your virtual dollars earned from flying assignments in rental planes. That takes time and effort. Once you buy a plane there is strong motivation to fly it, because it earns more virtual money than renting. It means you'd better like the model you buy, because you're going to spend a lot of time in that cockpit. It builds familiarity with the systems and the handling when you're not skipping around to different plane models so often.

 

I mostly fly a "purchased" Turbo-modified Grumman Goose in FSE. It's a plane with simple cockpit systems, but I've spent so many hours flying it that I'm very comfortable with handling cross-wind landings, and anything but the most extreme weather (I mostly fly FSE assignments with real-world weather turned on). My latest plane in FSE is a Bell 412 helicopter, which I bought specifically because it will force me to fly it and get better at handling helicopters. Anyway, that's my solution as outside motivation to learn just a few plane models extremely well.

 

The game has some social aspects too, if you want to join an organized FSE Group and work with others flying assignments on a local network of airport FBO's. Or like me, you can role-play the solo air charter bum (Tales of the Gold Monkey, etc.), and not have much interaction with others except on the FSE forums.

 

Note: FSEconomy is basically a GA charter sim, and doesn't support anything larger than a biz jet or medium commuter/cargo plane. It's not for the heavies or scheduled airline routes, but there are other virtual airlines out there that might scratch that itch.

 

[Richard Sennett 2,499]

With all the amazing addons coming our way (along with what we already have), there are a number of significant problems manifesting themselves

 

 

Well said - nice post  :wink:

[Jimmy RFR 406]

1.  There're too many excellent aircraft to fly

So true. So, so true.

 

2.  There's not enough time to fly any one complex aircraft long enough to become proficient on it

True again. The trick is to resist buying super complex aircraft as they are released. (Good luck with that!)

 

3.  How are you possible supposed to visit all the airports you have installed. (Just spawning in doesn't count.  Must be a planned flight into or out of)

My solution for this was to quit buying add-on airports, for the most part. I never usually regret buying aircraft, since I'll roll one out of the hangar every once in awhile just to admire it and give it a bit of airtime. But I do certainly regret a few of my airport purchases, as I don't even have most of them installed.

 

4.  Social engagements are getting in the way

Social eng... what??? I don't understand what those are... :wink:

 

5.  It's becoming as expensive as golf, but that's okay

I suck at golf, so yep, it's okay!

 

6.  The line between reality and simming is blurring

I want whatever you're flying!

 

7.  Your simming experiences with shader mods installed are more pleasing to the eye than nature itself.

See above. :smile:

 

8.  You've realised that by now you've spent enough money on flightsimming to have financed a PPL with IF and Multi ratings.

I'm seriously contemplating glider lessons, and yes, I could of done that for sure on the money I've spent in the last two years alone!

[FormerSF3 15]

 

8.  You've realised that by now you've spent enough money on flightsimming to have financed a PPL with IF and Multi ratings.

 

You do realize that the cost of one payware addon (which you can fly all the time) would buy you 1/10th of an hour in the real simulator.

 

Also 1 payware addon would buy you about an hour in a real airplane.

[greggerm 312]

8. You've realized that by now you've spent enough money on flightsimming to have financed a PPL with IF and Multi ratings.

 

If you've been simming since the 1980's and factor in all the hardware and software for every computer you've ever simmed with for your entire life, perhaps. But even if that were the case - it could often be said that lots of flight simming may have actually helped lay the groundwork for someone's interest in obtaining their PPL, as opposed to the other way around.

 

I certainly don't mean to pick on the original point (*because me and my checkbook over the years get it!). For me, flightsimming has been a very positive feedback loop - interested in aviation, found flight sims. Made me more interested in aviation, made me more interested in simming... and on and on and on. Even if my sim-oriented investments over the years could have defrayed a foray into a real license, I still consider it money well spent!

 

All good problems to have, though!

-Greg

[ErichB 3,637]

 

 

I certainly don't mean to pick on the original point (*because me and my checkbook over the years get it!). For me, flightsimming has been a very positive feedback loop - interested in aviation, found flight sims. Made me more interested in aviation, made me more interested in simming... and on and on and on. Even if my sim-oriented investments over the years could have defrayed a foray into a real license, I still consider it money well spent!

 

Couldn't agree more, Greg

[tonywob 4,768]

 

 

You've realised that by now you've spent enough money on flightsimming to have financed a PPL with IF and Multi ratings.

 

Sad, but so very true :-)