Flight Sim as Real as it Gets?

[GreG]

I just had my first real flight in a Cessna 172, cause I'm getting my PPL in the next month hopefully.  And I feel that it was quite different to the FS2002 cessna 172.  What do you guys who have flown in real life feel?

Greg

[Craig.]

i felt the same way after my first lesson.
its good upto a point, but you just dont get same feeling of control with 2002 that you do in the real deal. and no force feedback will be able to compensate for it.
but thats just my personal opinion

[GreG]

I mean the different weather conditions when flying in real life are just unbelievable, whereas in the flightsim it's totally different.  For instance, today I trained for 2 hours, 1 in the morning and 1 at lunch time, you will not believe the difference heat makes on a light aircraft, this morning, there wasn't any turbulence, could cruise at 7000 feet easily, hands off, trimmed to perfection, the at lunch time, it gets so hot here in Zimbabwe, it's almost like flying in a storm, if you shut your eyes you'd think you are, could bearly keep the bloody thing level, with all that turbulence, especially since I am only allowed to use one hand, gotta use on for the throttle and navigations purposes, in the flight sim, not a single bump, any temp. you like in the flightsim, not a difference in bumps or anything, speed only, that's what they should at least consider in this next sim, the hotter it gets, the worse it is for light planes.  Well, that's just my opinion.  I still like simming though, even though it's got a bit to go before it's like the real thing.

Greg

[Mr. Bones]

[quote]I just had my first real flight in a Cessna 172, cause I'm getting my PPL in the next month hopefully.

[Craig.]

i believe i will be completing my training in mississippi this summer where the temps get to around 90*F so at least now i have an idea of what to expect. but the other thing i found was in flight sim going through clouds and all that isnt a problem the first time i went up in bad weather i almost crapped myself going through a cloud i sorta expected to fly right through and come out in a second or two. when we didnt i kept think oh crap what if a planes comming the opposite direction and allsorts of things, the only time i have been really nervous up there.
so is it expensive where you live to learn to fly? other good thing is at least you shouldnt be washed out to many times:) good luck with the training

[pete]

The big barrier is that this is a PC - not a gravity & wind fighting machine with all round vision of a real world..  8)

Considering this .... & I too fly for real  .. I think they've done (& are still doing) a fantastic job. Some are better than others .... but bear in mind this is a $60 simulation... I say Hats off to the many developers who - over the years - have & are making this more & more realistic

Take the FSD Piper Cub as one small example. This aircraft feels light, will bump around realistically in mildly turbulent air  & will land about as near to the real thing as you can get on a PC!!

[MattNW]

Reality in a flight sim is a relative thing. Yes, it's as real as you can get for a flight sim. That doesn't mean it's perfectly real. I guess we'll have to wait for Holo Deck technology like in Star Trek for that to happen. What FS2002 does is provide the closest approximation you can get on a computer. There are a load of differences from the real thing.

Sure, Microsoft could do some tweaking in the flight dynamics. Like someone mentioned above, if you set the weather for a certain condition then later in the day it doesn't change as it would in real life. A solution (not a perfect one but it would work) is to adjust that as you fly using your weather settings.

I just recently got a Force Feedback stick. It took some adjustment but it provides a great feel, at least the tactile feel of the controls. I can tell the difference between high speed or near stall. Some forces seem exaggerated but overall it definately has improved the feel of flying FS2002.

Other facets of realism is harder to simulate. There isn't any, "seat of the pants" feeling (of course). That's what I miss most but adding that is an expensive proposition and out of the question for anything but a commercial simulator.

Overall I have to give a, "Yes" to the poll but only as a qualified answer. Yes, it's as real as I've seen but not perfectly real.

[FSTipster]

Let's not forget that the phrase is "As real as it gets", not "It's real".

I believe that bearing in mind FS2002 is trying to provide realistic scenery, ATC, Aircracft, Sounds and so on and so on, it does extremely well.

Personally I haven't found anything else that comes as close to achieving all this so I agree with the statement.

[Fozzer]

I never cease to be amazed at how well Microsoft have designed thier flight simulators.. ...!
Without having an electronic force-feedback gravity simulator seat, and wrap-around monitors, I think we, and they, are doing very well so far.... ....!
The accuracy of the mapped scenery covering the whole world is mind-numbing.... ....!
I would love to see a CD or VHS video of "The Making of FS 2002/2004" showing the designers at work, and explaining how the program was produced.... ...!

I have a great admiration for designers of computer games programs.

Cheers all.
Paul. (voted yes).... ...!
(England).

[Craig.]

i'm not saying it isnt amazing, because it is, like others have said it gives people as much realism as possible which is enough, but i just dont feel the same flying it now i have tasted the real thing. am i spoilt, perhaps am i going to give up on flight sim no:)

[fisharno]

MS has recreated the "technique" of aviation very well. In my opinion, it's a great and useful learning tool.
I've been lucky enough to have an opprotunity to go up in allot of different aircraft.

But when MS comes up with a way to simulate that feeling you get when you hit some "light air" and drop 600 feet in just over a second, you know, something that literally takes your breath away and puckers the old sphincter, that's when I hang up my joystick.  ;)

[GreG]

I'm getting taken up in a C182 tomorrow to see if I like it better than the C172, if I do, I'll do my PPL in it, I heard from my instructor that the torque is absolutely amazingly difficult to control, especially on the takeoff roll when you have to have full rudder!  I had no idea it was that powerful!  The pedal are definately one of the things that are quite difficult to get used to.  Flying here isn't cheap at all, I just got inheritance from my gran who passed away last year, in England, so I'm paying for it in pounds.  In Zim$ it's, $150 000 an hour in the C172, in the C182 it's about $210 000, it's 55 pounds an hour in the cessna.  Well, I'm off to bed, got a lot of flying in the morning.  The worst part about the flying for me, was having to get used to flying with my left hand!  Have to keep a hand on the throttle during landing and takeoff, and had to use my right hand for navigation.

Greg

[Craig.]

hope you have a great time tommorow.

[Craig.]

one thing i do have to give immense credit to microsoft for doing is this.
it gives you the chance to fly aircraft that most of us here will never get to touch in our lifetime, and even if ithalf as accurate as the real thing you can at least say you have an idea of what its like to pilot for instance a B52 or F-14
or in my case the DC10 which as much as i would love to fly for real i am not going to get to, but at least with flight sim i have had the chance to get a feel for it, and with the new sim comes a new level of accuracy and realism

[phil509]

Ill say this;Flight simulator may not be as real as it gets,but for me its as close as Ill get.Im blind in one eye,so passing a flight physical is impossible(unless I could"buy" a crooked flight surgeon)so for someone who has loved aviation practicaly since birth,this is the greatest thing since sliced bread! Fs2k2 has its shortcomings,and can be a real pain in the ass sometimes,but its worth it to me anyway Mabey in future versions,as technology marches on,it might get more real THAN real. Look how fast fs2k became obsolete! Hell,I cant find a copy anywhere!You real pilots are a BLESSED lot,I wish I could join you in"The Wild Blue Yodner",but its not possible for me,so this is the next best thing.I vote YES                                       P.S.I did build an ultra light once.I was an old style"rag & tube" airplane-made it under the weight limit by mere ounces! Infact,the prototype won grand champion at oshkosh`92 .The RACEAIR SKYLIGHT.Bummer was I lost my eye before I could fly it.Mabey one of you design wizards could make one for flight sim?