Flight simulators are a computer program that, in conjunction with the appropriate hardware, allows the operator/pilot to have the same (virtual) experience (more or less) that actual pilots have, in whatever kind of aircraft is being simulated. Flight simulators are, really, the first successful, widely available application of the promise of virtual reality programming. Among the many available flight simulators, Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) and Pro Flight Simulator are the most popular. Both are robust and compatible on Windows 7 and the current Mac OS.
The current edition of FSX is quite impressive IF you have a state-of-the-art gaming machine.
Now if you are a flight simulator beginner, not a pilot and you have a powerful gaming machine then FSX can deliver many, many hours of enjoyment and seeming realism. I have enjoyed my copy, immensely! :)
However, if you are a pilot looking for cheap stick time or you are ready for more of a challenge or you are already a more advanced flight simulator pro, then you would probably be happier with Pro Flight Simulator. Pro Flight Simulator is not really a game at all; it is a full-fledged Flight Simulator, just a step away from what the FAA and the US Military are using to train their pilots! In fact, you don’t have to go back all that many years to a point where the current Pro Flight Simulator would out-class anything they had! Of course, theirs is closer to virtual reality with the enclosed cockpit environment and the physical enhancements that allows the pilot to experience yaw, roll and turning and diving g forces to some degree. But still, to have easy access to this level of technology at game level prices is awesome! And, really, the realism is very impressive! With over 120 kinds of aircraft to fly throughout the virtual reality of the whole world based on the Defense Mapping Agency [DMA] maps, which are among the most extensive and thorough collection of maps in existence, the experience is awesome! Great attention has been paid to the real world environment that you are flying through. Weather is a key factor in any pilot’s life and it is not neglected in the Pro Flight Simulator, the weather seems real and is as unpredictable as weather usually is in real life. It is quite exciting to fly through pouring thunderstorms with lightning, hail, sleet and snow! What with 120 different airplanes and helicopters, true to life flight dynamics, the whole world to fly over and more airports to land and take off from than most of us will ever have time to find (over 20,000!!!), it doesn’t get any better than this! And it’s nice to know, that the system automatically updates your aircraft to the latest flight models every month. I love the peace of mind I get from knowing that the program is purchased and stored through ClickBank. If I ever experience a total system crash or hard drive failure, I have a member link where I can re-download the program to get up and running again.
I have found Pro Flight Simulator to be the best experience I have ever had in the Flight Simulator universe!
