flight simulator

[Shadowmeph]

ok I thionk I a may have asked this years back I am wondering which flight sim game is the best and what gear should one get to use the PC flight sim.
the reason I am asking is I have always wanted to learn to fly but unless i somehow come into that kind of money I cant afford it but I can afford to get a decent flight sim and gear for my PC any suggestions ?

 

[Izerous]

I actually know someone who works at a flight school and due to Covid they looked at ordering a "Recognized" flight sim not just microsoft flight sim some controllers and and VR headset. The price tag I recall for the cheapest option I think he said was closer to 100-150k.

Edit: I know thats not what your after but "learning to fly" as in something that is government recognized you would be starting at that price for a virtual setup

 

[moocow]

That depends, X Plane has a commercial version (just more money) that could be used against FAA, I believe. But for Transport Canada, I'm not sure. I looked at MSFS 2021 but it seem to be a bit dumb down and X Plane 12 isn't out yet.

 

[Lysrin]

The two biggest PC options for flight sims are the latest MS Flight Simulator and DCS World. @moocow mentioned X-Plane another option. I know less about that one.

If you are talking about playing around with general flying basics in accessible aircraft I would say go with MS Flight Sim. DCS World is focused on learning combat aircraft and related stuff; not something you are going to get to do in real life.

For gear, flight stick, throttles, etc. are very pricey these days, but you don't need really good ones for learning the basics. If you think you'd like to say learn on a Cessna 172 in MS Flight Sim for example, I'd recommend a setup that more closely matches that, a yoke I mean, rather than a fighter style stick and throttle set up. What you pick really depends on your budget and availability.

Just as an example, Logitech makes stuff like this: Logitech Pro Flight Yoke System
Pedals would be a good investment too if you want it to feel more real.

 

[Dwayne]

I have been "playing" with MS Flight Simulator on and off since it was released. There are other simulators that do a good job, X-Plane is good too, but the newest MSFS product really pushed the envelope on scenery and control. Two things that really made the experience more "real" was using rudder pedals and getting Track IR for head motion sensing. I would highly recommend looking at some kind of head motion sensing set up as it makes the game more immersive.

I personally have a flight stick and throttle set up that I use with DCS too, but if I was just focused on civil aviation I would go with a simple yoke set up, with a built in throttle or with a separate throttle. You want all those bits, yoke, throttle, and pedals, to get the feel for what it is like to work them all at the same time. A high end rig that can handle the graphics is highly recommended too. The sim is a hardware hog, but it looks so pretty it is hard to believe.

You can also find a lot of info online at various Aviation simulation sites. Tons of good info on hardware and controls.

TrackIR

TrackIR adds depth to the PC gaming experience by enabling players to take control of the in-game view.

www.trackir.com

 

[moocow]

An alternative to TrackIR I found is Aim XYZ. I would also recommend getting a set of rudders with toed brakes. I don't have my own setup yet because my room is too messy and I have a regular office chair. I need desk mounts for the joystick set as well (CH F16 Figherstick gameport converted to USB).

https://www.reddit.com/r/hoggit/comments/uvrrzw

 

[Lysrin]

I have a pedals set up, just CH ones, so not expensive or the best, but they do the job. I also have TrackIR that I use with a DELANClip. Going to an active clip is much better than the TrackIR reflective hat clip I was using. Accuracy is greatly improved.

You definitely don't "need" head tracking to play sims... but it sure is a nice addition and once you have it you won't want to fly without it!

 

[On2wheels]

I've also tried MSFS on game pass (can't beat those deals) and I thought it could be setup both ways: as a serious sim for those who had the hardware or rather forgiving for casuals where your plane doesn't use fuel or take damage. As a casual myself I can't speak how serious simmers would rate it but for the $1 deals of game pass you can't pass the chance to try it. Worst part of it all is the updates if you are not on unlimited bandwidth.