Howdy

 

So I've always had a vague interest in flight sims but after seeing the previews for the upcoming Microsoft release, my interest is back!

Questions on my mind:

(i) is there a natural progression of planes to learn?

(ii) Which is the best commercial airliner to learn that would give the best overall understanding of ALL the major airliners (big difference between Boeing and Airbus I assume?)

(iii) Will Microsoft's flight sim support Bombadier private jets?

(iv) Will it support fighter jets? Is that even allowed?

(v) How about helicopters?

I also have questions about how own goes about home cockpits but I'm sure there are thousands of threads about that so I will use the search function!

Thanks

Malthus101

 

Welcome aboard!  Great questions concerning the new flight simulator, probably most covered in the Microsoft Flight Simulator Forum listed just below the FSX-FSX-SE forum.  Be prepared for lots of opinions and plenty of reading.

OK thanks - I should copy and paste it into that forum?

I can move it to that forum, if you like!

Opinions? Here? Never...

(i) is there a natural progression of planes to learn?

That's the beauty of a simulator, you can jump straight into a multi-engined turbine and it doesn't hurt when you mess up. If you want to learn to fly from almost scratch it might be an idea to simulate what you'd do in real life. Start with something like a Cessna 172 and go from there. You get to enjoy the scenery more than you would in a big jet too.

When I first started I was also taking flying lessons, but I'd recommend buying the PPL course books anyway, or at least have access to an online version.

(ii) Which is the best commercial airliner to learn that would give the best overall understanding of ALL the major airliners (big difference between Boeing and Airbus I assume?)

There isn't one that gives you an understanding of all. In terms of main current jets you have Airbus which is "almost" the same across the board and uses a sidestick rather than a traditional yoke. Then you have Boeing, which still all have control columns / yokes but are mainly split between old school (non fly by wire) 737 and then all the rest. Airbus was very much first with the ethos of commonality between all cockpits,.so where pretty much knowing one Airbus and you know "most" of the others, this is not the case with a Boeing. A 737 feels VERY different from an A320 (and is better / worse is different ways). I prefer to fly the 737 because it actually feels like I'm in control, where as an Airbus is enjoyable in different ways.

(iii) Will Microsoft's flight sim support Bombadier private jets?

No reason why not. Might well need a 3rd party developer to create it though - we just don't know yet.

(iv) Will it support fighter jets? Is that even allowed?

I would think so. No reason why it's not allowed. Default MSFS is civil, not military (perhaps with the very odd exception). For mil jets I'd probably look at a different sim (DCS, XP) if I wanted fuller immersion that MS has provided previously.

(v) How about helicopters?

They were (poorly) simulated in MSFS before. Asobo have said that helicopters will not be in the new sim on release, but that might change (as other things already have by the looks).

Very simple overview, but maybe it helps.

FSX has flying lessons that start with the basics and go from there.  I would recommend that approach if you want to learn what aviation is about.  If you get an itch and jump into something bigger to explore what it has to offer, no big deal.  As stated before, its a simulator and you can do what pleases you. 

haha everytime I see the title to this thread I think of this song.

It's on topic and relevant- It has airplanes and it talks about the future.😜

 

 

OK thanks! I think I'll start with a Diamond DA20 Katana - I think I saw somewhere that Diamond will be working with MS on this so it makes sense that plane will be in there, right?

Thanks for info on Airbus - yes I wondered if they may make all the cockpits/controls the same where possible, quite a modern approach I suppose.

So would a fair progression be DA20 to a small Bomabdier private jet to a small commercial Airbus to a full sized Airbus?

Thanks!