Well, not a whisper this year regarding the UK Flightsim Show. Not even a "no, it is not going to happen". Obviously, it is not going to happen now, but it saddens me that JustFlight have been absolutely and totally silent about it. I visited six successive shows between 2014 and 2019, and the last one was easily the best yet. Lots of happy memories........

.....but that was six years ago! It is so frustrating to think that it may never, ever happen again 

I would like to think that someone, somewhere is considering the possibility of kick starting a revival of the UK Flightsim Show. I would prefer to think that JustFlight still have plans to do it themselves.....but that year long silence is deafening.

Everybody over to Christopher's house!

4 hours ago, Fielder said:

Everybody over to Christopher's house!

And everyone bring balsa wood gliders and have your own air show:

 

It is depressing. I can remember going to the National Motorcycle Museum back in 1993 when I treated myself to a new CH Yoke. That was 32 years ago. Bloody hell! 😳

Then again in 2003 when I bought my GoFlight units still in use today. It was always popular and the organisers whoever they were deserve credit.

It seems Brexit has done for it. Just too much paperwork for Aerosoft et al to be bothered and RAF Cosford has undergone changes too.

Will we ever see another in my lifetime? I’d like to think we would because the interest is there and plenty of us see it as a great way to spend our hard-earned cash. 😁

Who are the biggest UK flight sim companies? FS Labs must be up there. I wonder what Andrew @MachTwothinks of the possibilities of hosting one. The Concorde hangar at Manchester is available for events.

It’s somewhat ironic that we have a great flight sim from Microsoft but their interest appears to be zero. Odd. Very odd.

Why not go to the big European one in Leystad next year?

Yes, it's not actually in the UK but I can't believe cheap return flights from Liverpool or Manchester to Rotterdam or Schipol are not easily available. 

Public transport in the Netherlands is a real eye opener; it's cheap, clean and easy...and bilingual 😉

1 hour ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

It’s somewhat ironic that we have a great flight sim from Microsoft but their interest appears to be zero. Odd. Very odd.

Not odd, just modern.   everything is online nowadays, the old flight sim show stuff is still happening it's just on specialist blogs, YouTube and the marketplace.   Their interest is clearly not zero because they're putting millions in, and the marketplace is their revenue stream.  What we could pony up at Cosford as a group of grumpy old men pales in comparison and wouldn't justify the expense in terms of ROI.  Look back on it fondly like your childhood days, with all the other things fondly remembered but sadly gone forever.

1 hour ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Who are the biggest UK flight sim companies? FS Labs must be up there.

FSLabs are registered in Cyprus since 2008

1 hour ago, DD_Arthur said:

Why not go to the big European one in Leystad next year?

Yes, it's not actually in the UK but I can't believe cheap return flights from Liverpool or Manchester to Rotterdam or Schipol are not easily available. 

Public transport in the Netherlands is a real eye opener; it's cheap, clean and easy...and bilingual 😉

Have you been to Lelystad because I have, twice. You make it sound like a quick trip down the M6.

Firstly, you have to get to Manchester Airport where parking charges are astronomical. Then the early morning flight. Then work out how to get the train to Lelystad. Then a bus service to the museum.

Then reverse all that to get home. Pete Dowson and I did it in one day around 15 years ago and it was exhausting. A second visit around 8 years ago with an overnight hotel stay was still tiring and expensive.

Compare that to a 75 minute drive down the M6 to Cosford. And Cosford was miles better with more setups people could try. I took my computer 10 years ago when the NWFSG had two tables for members. I demonstrated FSL Concorde - the only person to do so. Their stand was showing the Airbus.

33 minutes ago, kevinfirth said:

Not odd, just modern.   everything is online nowadays, the old flight sim show stuff is still happening it's just on specialist blogs, YouTube and the marketplace.   Their interest is clearly not zero because they're putting millions in, and the marketplace is their revenue stream.  What we could pony up at Cosford as a group of grumpy old men pales in comparison and wouldn't justify the expense in terms of ROI.  Look back on it fondly like your childhood days, with all the other things fondly remembered but sadly gone forever.

I will never give up hope, Kevin. Some of those "fondly remembered things" are friends who I would like to see again, and it was that flightsim connection that made those times so very special. I would also like the opportunity to meet a few other AVSIM forum members, and discuss flight simulation "face to face" again. I have not done that for six years 

37 minutes ago, kevinfirth said:

Not odd, just modern.   everything is online nowadays, the old flight sim show stuff is still happening it's just on specialist blogs, YouTube and the marketplace.

Modern and definitely second rate. You can’t beat handling kit you’re interested in buying.

And that’s the only way you’ll meet people you’ve only interacted with online like here. I’ve never become friends with anyone on AvSim except those I’ve met at Cosford like Chris Tutthill aka @tutmeister. Personal introductions to the FSL team were only possible at shows.

20 minutes ago, SierraDelta said:

FSLabs are registered in Cyprus since 2008

Pretty sure many staff reside in England.

8 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

and definitely second rate.

I cast no opinions on the quality whatsoever...

 

10 minutes ago, Christopher Low said:

Some of those "fondly remembered things" are friends who I would like to see again

Always happy to get together Chris, why dont you come along to RIAT with Raul and the gang next year? 

16 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Have you been to Lelystad because I have, twice. You make it sound like a quick trip down the M6.

I have been to Lelystad and Delft and the Hague and Rotterdam and Amsterdam,  etc. many, many times because it's simply so easy and the Dutch are very, very nice.

You live Greater Manchester Ray? Why would you drive to the airport?

Yes, I wouldn't make it a one day trip, relax and spread it over two or three. Working out how to get around on public transport in the Netherlands is hardly difficult. Last time I took the train Amsterdam - Rotterdam (eleven months ago) I seem to recall it cost a princely four euros.

Next month we're going to the van Gogh museum. We fly Exeter - Schipol, take the train out to station Noord and then get a tram* to our dirt cheap but very comfy motel out in the suburbs.

It's as easy...or as difficult as you want to make it.

 

*Tram = actually a kind of minature Bullet train.

Do the JustFlight guys visit AVSIM these days? I have the deepest respect for them for getting a flightsim show in the UK off the ground in the first place, and I always enjoyed talking to them at RAF Cosford. It really was one of the highlights of my year back in the day, and I miss it!

10 minutes ago, DD_Arthur said:

You live Greater Manchester Ray? Why would you drive to the airport?

Taxi there and home including Airport charges is £40.

How old are you? That makes a big difference. And if you see something you like at Lelystad and want to take it home that’s impossible except for small items. At Cosford or Birmingham I just put it in my car.

Quite frankly I never thought much of Lelystad show. The ones in England were always better.