What's your way of playing FSX?

[Mistro]

I want to get an idea of how individuals in the FS community use the simulator.
Do you take the hardcore way and do not move until you have your pilot license? Or did you just jump in a jet and travel around the world etc.

For me, I have a rule that I will not just jump to a location without landing there relative to a flight I started out with. I have a saved flight and keep sort of a journal with pictures. My main jet fly to the designated region (usually Intl. airports) and as a reward for successfully landing, that airport is "unlocked" to me. Then with smaller aircraft I explore the region unlocking more airports within the region and branch off from there. But my main lead flight is the main focus (the only saved flight route). I save every approach and successful gate taxi with the respective regional and airport names. My Ultimate goal is to travel to places I always wanted to see as I travel full circle around the world, and pretend I'm visiting people I know in there respective areas along the route. I started out at JFK in NY (my local airport) and flew south. My first landing was at Miami Intl. I'm currently in the Caribbean after making a few stops.

[Mistro]

I forgot to mention...I'll reward myself with a new jet for every new continent I make it to.

[Brett_Henderson]

There are as many ways to approach simming, as there are simmers.

I have a routine similar to yours going .. a short-hop tour around the U.S. in a C172. I use real weather and go about it just like I do when I'm flying for real. Thorough flight-planning (check weather, winds aloft, fuel accordingly, pick alternates, and note all nav-aid frequencies I might need) and if weather demands, I'll fly by instruments (NO GPS), and print out any approach plates I might need. Upon arrival, I'll Google the city and airport and do some virtual sight-seeing.

To keep myself entertained by bigger-faster aircraft.. I have my own, virtual airline..

[Mistro]

Very inspiring Brett! You made me really want to get into the instruments. I find myself doing the basics and using the GPS, but not really using all the bells and whistles. I also feel compelled to use my printer instead of hitting the "M" button and the Kneeboard all the time. Maybe you can give me some lessons. I'm willing to go online. Seriously. I imagine it's a lot easier to learn from a live person than AI. If you have the time, can you please PM me.

[HarvesteR]

my way of playing is a little less constrained by self imposed limitations...
i like to help myself to any aircraft i feel like flying at the moment, however i like to keep myself on a single continous flight for as much as possible...

back in fs9 i had my previous flight saved as my default flight so that whenever i loaded the sim, the new flight screen was already at the spot where i left my plane the last session... now on FSX this is a little bit harder, since i could not yet figure out how to have my last flight automatically saved as my default flight... i have to resave everytime i leave the sim, which is a little annoying...

anyways, i like flying the big jets to get from one point of the world to another, and smaller craft for exploring the scenery, and then helicopters for when i just want to fly without actually going too far from where i took off...

the big jets i fly on IFR all the time, unless i'm test driving flying a recently downloaded plane, but full IFR flights are a somwhat rare occurence for me, because i haven't had much time lately to devote myself to these long hauls, so mostly i'm flying helis and small planes

i also like peculiar looking aircraft, and i'm always wont to download a strange looking bird.

well... that's me and FSX

Cheers

[Brett_Henderson]

Very inspiring Brett! You made me really want to get into the instruments. I find myself doing the basics and using the GPS, but not really using all the bells and whistles. I also feel compelled to use my printer instead of hitting the "M" button and the Kneeboard all the time. Maybe you can give me some lessons. I'm willing to go online. Seriously. I imagine it's a lot easier to learn from a live person than AI. If you have the time, can you please PM me.

I'm always willing to teach someone who's enthusiastic about realistic simming..  My schedule is a little tight right now..

But you can get started here  :)  

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 1208113107

[flaminghotsauce]

I am a news junkie and I often find myself flying in the area of where I heard something happening.

For example, the Russia/Chechnia invasion was interesting. There was little in the way of passes through the mountains so I picked the most likely valley and flew a small jet through it. I flew around a couple of days just to get a handle on the area. I feel like I "know" that part of the world now.

I also used FS 2002 to nail my real life instrument check ride. I practiced every approach at the airport where I tested, using a variety of weather, partial panel situations, and practiced. The actual flight check was SO easy, I felt cheated.

I often don't have enough time to do much so I'll jump into the 172 for some local touch and gos, crosswind practice, and checking how the weather gets simulated.

Occasionally, on another board, the members will do a "fling" where we all fly the same route and relate our experiences.

[jasonfriedlin]

Probably my favorite is flying the King Air around Alaska.  Its alot of fun and challenging all at the same time.  The scenery is awesome and the weather usually sucks.  I printed out a bunch of approach plates for my usual stops and some of them are pretty challenging.  I use the sim to keep on shooting local instrument approaches and also used it to get ready for my instrument checkride and probably owe alot of the credit to the sim for passing the first time.

[jieitai]

I just like defying the FAA and annoying the ATC  :D