Editorial

Given the early access releases of Aerofly FS 2, it might be tempting to dismiss the program and move on to other more established flight sim programs. However, the fact is, once you do give it a try you will very likely find yourself begrudgingly liking what is unfolding before you. And while there are still ways to go in terms of high-resolution add-ons and scenery (which will surely come with time) the initial feeling is one of positivity, even if there is a longing for more quantity of such scenery and airports.

Microsoft Flight was a flight simulator package released in 2012 and developed by Microsoft as an attempt at a new PC based simulation package to continue their Flight Simulator series. It wasn't based on old FSX code; it was a completely new engine built for modern 64-bit machines.

Flight Sim World or FSW as it became know as was the latest flight simulator package released by Dovetail Games. Flight Sim World's core was based on existing FSX code but it had been brought up to date with heavy modification and rewriting (and of course many new features and functions).

When we consider the above statement, it is tempting to imagine that someone has literally sawn off the front of a plane and dropped it into someone’s spare room complete with a comfy (and interactive) chair. The thing is, while perhaps a lot less dramatic, should your ambition be such, that first description isn’t far wrong.

When we examine some of the most up to date programs, software, and add-ons available to the world of flight simulation, it is easy to believe, if only momentarily, that we have reached our zenith and that more realism and authenticity could only be achieved by participating in the “real thing” and taking to the actual skies as opposed to the virtual ones.

It wasn’t too long ago that flight simulation joysticks were simple: Right, Left. Forward, Backward. But just like the advances in flight simulation software, joysticks have come a long way.

Braniff International Airways was an innovative, forward-thinking, iconic American airline that started many trends in the airline industry, several of which are still being utilized today.

Under Steve Jobs leadership, Apple reversed its slide into mediocrity and now is one of the most profitable companies on the planet. Many PC owners have made the switch to the Mac platform. But what about all the great Windows-based programs like Microsoft Flight Simulator X? You love FSX, and you are a Mac owner. What do you do now? Don’t worry, captain! The good news is there are several ways to run FSX on Mac OS X.

As computer and gaming console technology improved dramatically over the last decade, simulation games took full advantage. Games that debuted with limited graphics, sound and performance grew by leaps and bounds with every new release. Now many of the biggest simulation games are enjoyed by enthusiastic players all over the globe at the same time.

Two of the man’s most wonderful inventions, movies and aviation, came of age around the same time. After the turn of the 19th century, and before World War I, a new age was dawning. The Industrial Revolution gave way to the Technological Revolution. New and exciting inventions, and new ways to manufacture them, were springing up everywhere.

Infinite Flight is a mobile flight simulator. Originally released in April of 2011, it was the very first flight simulator for Windows Phone 7. It is used by thousands of Windows Phone 7 users around the world and is currently ranked in the top 50 paid game apps for the platform.

Let’s be honest. Flight simulation can be an expensive hobby. Once you acquired a quality program, it's not long before you purchased several others. Not to mention the tens, maybe hundreds of aircraft that are beginning to fill up your hard drive. Over time, all those acquisitions add up to a serious investment.

Now that you’ve flown your Cessna from Cape Cod all the way down to Fort Lauderdale 150 times on Microsoft FSX, will those long hours help prepare you to fly a real aircraft? After all, there are flightsim pilots who have used the same software for a decade or more and know a few of the aircraft models like the back of their hand.

The waves crash in a loud cacophony of sound, spray and mist. Children laugh with glee as they run from the surf as it spills out, chasing them up the beach. Their parents gather under brightly lit beach umbrellas, sipping Caribs, the popular local blend of watermelon and raspberry rum with a touch of bitters, enjoying another lazy sun-splashed day on Maho Beach.

There is a new flight simulation packages that I'm sure thousands of you may have heard. It goes by the name of Pro Flight Simulator. Pro Flight Simulator isn't really that new at all, in fact, it's a re-brand of a flight sim package you may have been using for years.

Boom! BOOM! That was the incredible double sonic boom of the majestic Concorde supersonic aircraft breaking the sound barrier. If it came in low as you watched in awe, the noise would make your bones rattle. The Concorde was perhaps the sexiest, most exciting airplane in the history of aviation. It was a joint venture between British Airways and Air France that had its maiden voyage in 1969 but began commercial service in 1976. After a crash in 2000 in Paris, traveler interest in the plane began to diminish and in April of 2003, both airlines announced they would discontinue service.

Virtual airlines are just like their real-world counterparts, except they are online and use pilots who use flight simulators! They usually reflect the same routes, flights, aircraft and other attributes of their real-life counterpart. Flying for one of these could really bring your flight simulation experience to life and add another dimension of fun or realism to your flights. You're not just flying for fun; your flying hours and experience will be added to your roster. You can also be given specific routes and flights to complete and build up your earnings for your VA.