@B777ER I look forward to following some of your flights! Looks like you are not too disappointed with MSFS 😉!

53 minutes ago, Doering said:

Wicked stuff guys! From a related angle - I’m just so stoked for a couple of the aircraft coming with the 40th Anniversary edition - Spirit of St Louis and the Spruce Goose! Researching the history on both now! Always been fascinated with the Hughes story and great to read about it all over again! Long Beach CA, here we come with another video! So yes, MSFS provides a new adventure for me often with the release of great vintage aircraft!

Of course Hughes never produced a viable production aircraft, though the XF-11 came close.

Probably the most successful Hughes product, the AIM-120 AMRAAM, was not actually operational until after his death.

 

Been flying all over random parts of the world in FSE using my Longitude. Seen some absolutely stunning scenery and approaches in parts of the world I can't pronounce.

I 2nd Bob's excellent OP, and just as those who posted in this thread about their own experiences I also find the coverage in geographic terms provided by MFS simply unique, and rewarding.

I have been able to "Visit" places on Earth that I only knew from shots or TV / video, and actually operate an aircraft from airfields that I never found in any of my previous sims, specially because in the last 30+ years of simming I bought maybe 5 scenery enhancement products, including Paris and San Francisco for FS5...

I never used a VA, but I do like to search for airports where bad weather is being reported and then plan a flight with them as a destination 🙂

I first flew to all the lower 48 states.  Then flew around the world.  Then from Key West to Grand Isle Maine following the coast line all the way.  Now I'm flying to every capital city in the lower 48.  Have done 19 so far..

I have learned so much about this world we live in.  MSFS has made this possible. Everyday is truly a new experience.

Roy

A couple of good sites to discover new places to virtually fly to: https://worldtour.flights/ (can browse flight plans on here filtered by environment type or word region), and also https://flightspots.co

This topic came up a few months back too, I posted on that thread some spots worth flying to/over based on my travels IRL :)

 

Edited November 2, 20223 yr by lwt1971

16 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

https://flyvirtual.net/index.php/

Thanks for sharing Bob! I'll check this out. I've been waiting to start one but it might be easier to just join an existing one.

50 minutes ago, Lotharen said:

Thanks for sharing Bob! I'll check this out. I've been waiting to start one but it might be easier to just join an existing one.

The nice part about this VA is you can fly any aircraft you want, on any route you want, and you can also make up routes to fly. 

1 hour ago, Bobsk8 said:

The nice part about this VA is you can fly any aircraft you want, on any route you want, and you can also make up routes to fly. 

Is the lure the fact you don't need to figure out which route, i.e. you use routes of the VA?  For nearly two years I did just that in MSFS:  flew all over the world, in any plane I wanted, on any route to myriad places I'd never been, all over!  What particular issue(s) does flying for a VA solve for you?  

I started using A Pilot's Life v2 several months ago which initially was a bit stiffling until I got sufficient coin to buy 3 aircraft licenses (covers the entire range of that model so are licensed to fly all 737's, all CRJ's etc), and was hired by Endeavor, then American, then United and now I'm flying for Southwest.  This as well has me flying in an out of airports I've never considered even in the US.  You are somewhat limited initially to flying a schedule created by APL but accepted by the user as you can request new schedules until you find one that works for you.   You have options to fly out of your current employer's routes any times as well so while I'm flying for Southwest I can take a detour and fly for Lufthansa or anyone else where actual routes exist.  So I do this when for example I don't want to do a night flight for SWA, and head to Oceana to fly for Qantas where it's daytime.  The real lure fo me is that all flights are scored according to this current set of criteria and that adds a lot of meaning beyond just being able to fly anywhere in anything, for me.  I find this really helps me keep my head fully engaged as it's not easy to score perfect 100's unless you stay focused.  Flying real airplanes where there are actual consequences for not keeping your head in the game does not suffer from this issue like simming does, and scoring is a feature that helps.  I do get 'all serious' when I set up and fly because I'm trying to keep my score going up!