"I'M THINKING ABOUT BUYING A FLIGHT SIMULATOR

Boy, there's a wide open remark. Flight simulators are one of the most popularly purchased items for computers, and yet they are misunderstood by so many first time buyers as to what they do, or what they are- strange as that may sound. Depending upon your desires, the wrong purchase just spends your money on something that you don't like or don't enjoy.

This discussion is primarily orientated towards flight simulators.

DISCLAIMER:

I am not a guru on flight simulators. I don't have an axe to grind, nor a reason to promote one simulator over another. I have several in my collection, some better than others at simulating flight, some better than others at having fun. Having said that, there are some topics that I have come to appreciate as a user, and as a member of several lists on the subject. It is this information that I would like to pass on to those who are new to the computer flight simulator world.

JUST WHAT ARE FLIGHT SIMULATORS?

First off, they can be broken down into two broad categories. Games and Flight Simulators.

GAMES:

These are the generally the "shoot 'em up" type of thing. The emphasis is not so much on modeling how an airplane actually flies, but more on the action side. There is great entertainment value in these programs, and some of them do a pretty good job of modeling how an airplane actually flies. But, and this is a big but, they aim at fun first and accurate flight simulation second.

OK. WHAT GAMES DO YOU RECOMMEND?

None. Boy, I'm a lot of help. Here's the deal. It's your hard earned money that your spending, and I don't know what your desires are. Do some research on the net. Join some discussion groups, read reviews. That's my best, and honest, advise.

FLIGHT SIMULATORS:

These guys try to imitate what an airplane actually "feels like" to fly. Of course, looking at a computer monitor, you're in a two dimensional world so you are at a disadvantage from the get go.

OK. WHAT SIMULATORS TO YOU RECOMMEND?

See answer to the "games question" above.

JUST WHAT ARE FLIGHT SIMULATORS?

To the best of their programmer's abilities, these guys simulate how an airplane actually flies. Now, this isn't easy folks. I'm not a programmer, but I have often read that flight simulators are the most difficult of programs to write.

HOW DO THEY SIMULATE FLIGHT?

There are several ways this can be done. As an over simplification I'll break it into two categories: "Look-up tables", and "Modeling". (Modeling uses one or more combinations of "blade element theory", "vector dynamics modeling", "fluid dynamics modeling", and several others.

LOOK-UP TABLES:

Simulators that work this way take a look at the current situation and decide how the airplane should react.

Huh? Say that your airplane is at such and such an altitude, and at such and such a power setting. The simulator has built-in tables that it refers to that tell it how the airplane should react to that situation.

MODELING:

This one is a little more complex and more difficult to pull off. Under this approach the simulator knows the certain values of the airplane being used. For example, in a propeller driven aircraft, it knows the pitch of the propeller, the type of wing on the airplane, the drag of the wing, the drag of the fuselage, etc. It takes all of this engineering information into account, and then tells the airplane how it should react to the situation. Sound complex? It is. For this reason most simulators use look-up tables.

WILL I BE ABLE TO TAKE OFF AND SEE MY HOUSE FROM THE AIR?

No.

WELL, IF I CAN'T SEE MY HOUSE, WHAT WILL I SEE FROM THE AIR?

Actually, quite a bit. Know how the Earth looks from your window seat on an airliner? Kind of mottled with greens, farm land, snow, forests. That's pretty much how the view from a simulator is. As you get closer to the ground these become more blurry and less detailed.

HMM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BETTER?

I'm going to defer to the "a picture is worth a thousand words" concept. Go on the net and do some research. Every simulator home page has pictures of their in-flight graphics. Take a look and see what you like. Keep in mind that they're going to give you their "best shot". Also, keep in mind that many simulators charge extra money for "graphics packages" that cover various parts of the Earth. The "San Francisco Bay" package for example. The simulator will show the bay in a blurry fashion, but if you want to see the Golden Gate Bridge, you'll have to pay extra for the add-on. This kind of stuff can add up.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT COMPUTER POWER, GRAPHICS CARDS, MEMORY AND THAT KIND OF STUFF

Graphics, especially color moving graphics, take a big hit on your computer's "power". Some older machines can handle only the simplest of programs. You might as well resign yourself to the fact that if you want the best graphics, the motion, and all of the whistles and bells, you will need a fast machine, a graphics card with lots of memory, and the latest drivers for your card. Otherwise, the simulator will knock your computer to its knees and you will be viewing what is called a slide show- herky jerky graphics that will not be any fun.

Also, the folks that sell the game want to make as much money as anyone else in this world. When you look at the "requirements" window on the box, take the information with a jaundiced eye. There is at least one well known simulator on the market that will hardly move on your screen if your machine just meets the "minimum" requirements. When they say "minimum requirements", it means just that. And, most likely, if your machine just meets those "minimum requirements", you will most likely derive minimum pleasure from the sim.

You will need a fast machine, a graphics card that is compatible with the sim, and a fair amount of memory to allot to the application. Once again, I highly recommend that you do some research, and ask some questions on the various discussion groups before you go out and spend your hard earned money.

CAN I GO UP AND DO LOOPS, SPINS AND STALLS IN THE SIMULATOR?

Some can, some can't. Some do that kind of thing quite accurately, some just "go through the motions".

WILL I BE ABLE TO USE MY "HOME TOWN AIRPORT"?

Most likely, yes. Once again, some simulators have data bases that contain tens of thousands of airports, all over the world. Some contain just a few. Some charge you for the add-on packages that may contain the airport(s) that you are interested in.

HOW ABOUT VARIOUS TYPES OF AIRCRAFT?

Once again, it varies. Some simulators have just a few "built-in" aircraft. If you want other types you'll have to....guess what? Pay for the add-ons. Some simulators offer the ability to "design your own airplane". With them you can create anything for a Sopwith Camel to Snoopy's flying doghouse.

I'VE TAKEN A PEEK AT AN AIRLINER'S PANEL. ALL OF THOSE DIALS AND GAUGES. HOW CAN I POSSIBLY EVER FIGURE THAT OUT AND HAVE ANY FUN?

Good question. On some simulators all of that stuff is just "pasted on" and isn't functional. On others, every button and dial does something. Don't be intimidated by this. Flying airplanes has its own jargon and special displays for control and navigation. For this reason you start off just like a student pilot in "real life" would- in a small single-engine trainer. After you master flying that machine you can move up to the "big iron". There are many flight instruction tutorials on the net. Some simulators have excellent "How to fly" sections included in their manuals.

WILL I NEED A "JOYSTICK" TO FLY THE THING?

No. But you will want one. Trying to fly a flight simulator with just your mouse is an exercise in futility. You can do it, but it won't be a pleasurable experience for you. If you plan to fly helicopters, pay particular attention to devices that incorporate the particular "needs" (like collective) that flying helicopters require. There is a large variety of equipment out there, from simple joysticks to control wheels to "rock and ride" chairs. The price of admission can range from $40.00 or so to ......

OK, I'VE DONE MY RESEARCH. I'VE PICKED OUT THE SIMULATOR THAT I FEEL MEETS MY NEEDS. NOW WHAT?

Some simulators offer free downloads that allow you to try the product for a limited time. If so, go that route and see what you think. If a free demo is not available, you will just have to go with the information that you have acquired and go with what you think is your best shot.

HOW CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT A PARTICULAR SIMULATOR?

1. Read reviews of the product. Once again, these are available on the net.

2. Sign up for the discussion lists for the simulator(s) that you may be interested in. "Lurk", as they say. Just see what folks are saying.

ARE FLIGHT SIMULATOR DISCUSSION LISTS DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS?

Oh, Lord Above yes! Flight simmers are a different breed of user. Most/many, take the subject VERY seriously. Wade in and ask what they regard as a "stupid question", and be prepared to don your flame retardant underwear. My best advice is to lurk around for awhile. Read the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for the sim. Don't be intimidated, but if your question is not addressed in the FAQ and you want to know, state that you are a "newbie" and would like an answer to so and so a subject. The various lists are loaded with very knowledgeable and helpful people. But, there also a lot of very intolerant types out there, and you just might be unlucky enough to be the 10th. person to ask that question that day. That's why lurking around for awhile is a good idea.

I hope that this information has proven to be helpful to the reader.

This tutorial is available on a CD

This tutorial, along with additional content, is available on a CD. Click here for more information.

Hal Stoen

9 February, 2001

revised, 2/11/2001

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