I thought it was just a game...

[QuasarZ]

I got squawk box to work, but now when I fly it doesnt seen like ATC is there or will talk to me?

 

[SkyBoy1981]

Probably isn't anyone on this time of the day. Later in the evening usually between 6pm and 10pm eastern time is when most people are connected and there is more ATC available. If you go to http://avsim.com/hangar/utils/servinfo/ and download the Servinfo software it will give you an overview of where ATC is online as well as show maps of where other traffic and such are.

 

[Iceman07]

Iv'e been using MS FS2004 for a few months now getting ready for a long-overdue BFR, and I have to tell you, this thing is addicting! Man, I feel like I could actually pass a IFR Recurrency at this point. Nothing beats being able to fly approach after approach after approach, not worrying about hourly rates, even setting up failures.
Iv'e set it up to do partial-panel NDB approches to minimums. Cool stuff.
Lately I have been finding historic "X Planes" and flying them. My favorite is flying the X-15. I start out at Hidden Hills (near LAS) at FL45 and 500 knts, kick in the rocket, and 3 minutes and Mach 4.7 later, I am setting up for landing at Edwards. Whooo eee.... 300 knts on final, flair at 200 knts, touchdown at 135. Great stuff.

 

[O-Line]

Unless you are on a IFR approach, the AIM advises against straight ins.

Then again, there is no regulation - other than 91.13 careless/reckless operation which you will be charged with should you operate contrary to the AIM's procedures and cause an accident/incident.

Just remember straight-in's are perfectly legal, and according to 91.113 aircraft on final have the right-of-way.
http://www.ntsb.gov/alj/O_n_O/docs/aviation/4236.PDF

The best thing to do when in doubt give way, be friendly, and most importantly see and avoid.

 

[mtrv]

I've personally only tried the demo (7 min limit or something). I was impressed with the Aerodynamics engine, but i didn't like the controls of the game. I prefer the 3D cockpit from FS2004.

But they say x-plane is the best flight sim out there. If someone has it, i'd like your opinion on it please.

What "some" say----------------is all market hype! X-Plane & Microsoft's flight models arrive at their conclusions by different methods, but some excellent flight dynamic models from third parties , are always being created for MS FS2004. You can get good, bad, and in between with both sims. X-Planes FAA certification is only in conjunction with a motion based sim platform. I own both, and prefer FS2004.

As to both sims, many might be surprised by just how many private, commercial, and military pilots there are, that use these PC based simulations.

 

[KigAir]

737-800 at Meigs
http://forums.flightsim.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=10&topic_id=416387&mesg_id=416387&listing_type=search

Hey, don't let Mayor Daley see that. He might send his henchmen to your house to bust your flight sim disk into small flecks of dust.

 

[wrxpilot]

This was a great thing for my student cross countries, and I'm using it now for my inst rating. The stock C172 is a little weird, but there's a great download available (free):
http://www.realairsimulations.com/products/index.php

Just scroll down to the 172.

 

[dseagrav]

Holy thread resurrection Batman! FI needs futaba's 'sage'.

 

[MFRskyknight]

That's pretty sweet. I just flew another one tonight. Total distance about 46NM. All I did was fly the course and note some lakes and another airport along the route. In the end, all I had to do was make a very shallow right turn and I made a straight-in final approach to land. I wonder if it would have really been that easy in a real airplane???????????????

No.

It would have been easier. I have the CH yoke/pedals and I can't land my way out of a wet paper bag with the d@mn things when the weather's set on clear and calm. Flying IFR procedures/certain aerobatics with it is pretty cool though.

MFR

 

[jdlilfan]

The next MS Flight Sim is due out this next Thanksgiving-Christmas time. Check out these screen shots! They will even have birds flying around and realistic cars driving up and down roads!

Here is the Trailer of it from E3. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2477889051321701677&q=Flight+Simulator+X

Screenshots and Article: http://www.fsplanet.com/fsplanet_com_fsx.htm

 

[Lear Wanna Be]

FS2004 is pretty cool. You can also download all kinds of aircraft to have fun with at simviation.com. In addition they have additional scenery files and other add ons. Pretty cool. I downloaded an F/A-18F and aircraft carriers. Kind of fun to shoot approaches to the boat with 200 and a half mile. Although I have landed gear up a couple times (no gear horn or lights) and now I have a recurring dream that I landed gear up for real.

 

[mhcasey]

A general MS2004 question that hopefully isn't too late in the thread to receive a response...

How can I get a few that just displays the instruments? I've gotten to a few that is mostly instruments, but can still see out the windows a bit. Of course I can always just make it cloudy...

Also, I can't figure out how to display my radios! The goofy ATC box just comes up whenever I need to talk to ATC, but I can't navigate or switch to local comm. frequencies, ATIS, etc.

Thanks

 

[gkrangers]

A general MS2004 question that hopefully isn't too late in the thread to receive a response...

How can I get a few that just displays the instruments? I've gotten to a few that is mostly instruments, but can still see out the windows a bit. Of course I can always just make it cloudy...

Also, I can't figure out how to display my radios! The goofy ATC box just comes up whenever I need to talk to ATC, but I can't navigate or switch to local comm. frequencies, ATIS, etc.

Thanks

The ~ key brings up the ATC window (you can tune ATIS and CTAF through it).

Also, Shift 2 usually brings up the radio stack. Shift 3 the GPS, and so on...

 

[unreal]

Since its been brought up, would anyone say it's acceptable to make straight-in approaches at uncontolled airports if you anounce you possition on the CTAF about 10 miles out, and again as you get closer in??? Of course, if there's no unicom, you should probably overfly the field to check the wind dirrection....

Even if there is a CTAF, you shouldn't fly a straight-in to an uncontrolled field. Who's to say there isn't an airplane up there without a radio? It's perfectly legal for them to do so. Be safe, and fly the standard entry.

As far as flightsim goes, it's a great way to practice instrument procedures. I saved a ton of money on my instrument rating by spending a lot of time on flightsim and PCATDs I had available to me.

Flightsim has even kept my skills sharp. I haven't really flown much in the past year (only 4 times in the past 12 months), but I went to a pretty challenging interview at ERAU a bit over a week ago and showed them a great ILS because I'd practiced on my computer beforehand. I think that's one of the things that got me the job. Don't be too quick to brush PC simulations off as games.

 

[gkrangers]

Even if there is a CTAF, you shouldn't fly a straight-in to an uncontrolled field. Who's to say there isn't an airplane up there without a radio? It's perfectly legal for them to do so. Be safe, and fly the standard entry.

As far as flightsim goes, it's a great way to practice instrument procedures. I saved a ton of money on my instrument rating by spending a lot of time on flightsim and PCATDs I had available to me.

Flightsim has even kept my skills sharp. I haven't really flown much in the past year (only 4 times in the past 12 months), but I went to a pretty challenging interview at ERAU a bit over a week ago and showed them a great ILS because I'd practiced on my computer beforehand. I think that's one of the things that got me the job. Don't be too quick to brush PC simulations off as games.

Beach or Desert?