If you took on Fly! what would you do, change or add?

[Guest]

Peter opened up the usual can of worms with the "what would you like to see?" question. It brought out the usual suggestions for improvement. However, to me, the essential point of Peter's remarks are how FLY is going to be continued. I think the x-plane model is the place to start. The problem, however, is that Austin has *total* control: he does the code, he does the marketing, he does everything :-). Can a small group of developers retain such control and not get in each other's way and on each other's nerves? If that can be accomplished, then the way to market is to follow x-plane's lead: total marketing on the web with free incremental upgrades. Where FLY can beat x-plane is in focus. Austin tries to make x-plane an "everyman's sim"; he is even adding "combat" now. What happens is that x-plane becomes more diluted and non-directional. Make FLY's goal to be the number one *GA* sim. Keep that focus! Let PMDG, for example, provide the heavies, and Realair the additional GA aircraft. Focus only on those goals which enhance the GA experience. You may not hurt the MSFS market, but you may pull in a lot of x-planers and a few new people, and still make enough money with web based selling to keep the enterprise going. Going head-to-head with MSFS is a big mistake that Austin continues to make.

[LAdamson 240]

> Make FLY's goal >to be the number one *GA* sim. Keep that focus! Let PMDG, >for example, provide the heavies, and Realair the additional >GA aircraft. Focus only on those goals which enhance the GA >experience. But now you have the "chicken and the egg" scenario. PMDG and RealAir can't make any profit without FLY being immensely popular. And FLY will have are hard time without them.Now, if I had five or more million to invest, I wouldn't mind seeing a FLY with PMDG/RealAir/ROTW planes as stock, the original and new panels, and world wide scenery that looks like that 3rd party "SoCal" from altitude! Throw in a more complete airport/runway and nav data-base while at it! This forumula would outdo even MSFS for sure. It's just an awfully expensive formula IMO!L.Adamson