Best choice of Sim

[Jim Heffelfinger]

We are setting up a FS sim station in the chapter hangar and are looking for best recommendations for programs. Our objective is to have a youth flight station. We do not have wifi and this makes MSFS less a choice. We also have zero need for commercial or military airframes. What is the best method of updates ?
Thanks.
Jim Heffelfinger
C 52 Sacramento

[rwanttaja]

9381

:-)

Ron Wanttaja

[Jim Heffelfinger]

9381

:-)

Ron Wanttaja
Thanks but actually not really helpful.

[rwanttaja]

Thanks but actually not really helpful.

Then how about this one? :-)

9382

Going serious here, consider your market...you're looking for a "youth flight station". Most of your customers probably have their own PC flight simulators, and you need to offer them something beyond what they might have at home.

Best setup I ever saw was at Space Camp in Huntsville. They had cockpits set up with seats, stick, etc. and a monitor that showed the panel, and used a separate projector to display the outside view in front of the cockpit.

9383

I'm showing a rather primitive cockpit in the drawing, but obviously, you could really fancy the thing up.... realistic fuselage, paint, etc. Jay Honeck did something like this about ten years ago for a local museum in Iowa, and the kids loved it. I believe he later posted about building a different one using a big-screen TV instead of a projector.

His original simulator used Microsoft Flight Simulator X. SOMEbody in your chapter probably still has a copy, and all you'd need is an old PC running Windows XP (shoot, I've got two of them sitting around). That'd get you clear of the need for an internet connection.

Ron Wanttaja

[CHICAGORANDY]

Whatever software you end up using, just wanted to share my desktop PC "cockpit" as an idea for your chapter.

9384

9385

[Jim Heffelfinger]

Nicely done gives me ideas as well.
Thanks

[Jim Heffelfinger]

So, I am getting a bit of crickets here to my Inquiry. The kids we will be introducing have little engagement with aviation. They have even less chance of having a gaming system at home. We will likely go with a VR system but starting with a 47" screen. I have MSFS (2020) on my personal system but to feed it requires more $$ and connectivity than is available at the hangar or in portable form. The software needs to operate with no internet connectivity and limited update engagement .

[rwanttaja]

So, I am getting a bit of crickets here to my Inquiry. The kids we will be introducing have little engagement with aviation. They have even less chance of having a gaming system at home. We will likely go with a VR system but starting with a 47" screen. I have MSFS (2020) on my personal system but to feed it requires more $$ and connectivity than is available at the hangar or in portable form. The software needs to operate with no internet connectivity and limited update engagement .

Buy "Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002" from Amazon, they have it for $40. It's not (very) compatible for Windows 7 or newer, but you can find a computer still running XP or run it on an emulator on a later version (I had a lot of success with an XP emulator on a Windows 7 box). Don't believe it requires Internet connection to run, though it might need it for initial installation.

From that point, find a Chapter member who recently replaced a big-screen TV with a more modern version and talk him into donating (or lending) it. A table, a chair, controller set, and you're in business.

Ron Wanttaja

[lnuss]

Buy "Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002" from Amazon,
MS FS2004 will perform a lot better than FS2002, and there are folks running it on Win 10, as well as Win7. Also there are probably as many or more free downloads of aircraft and scenery for it than most of the others. In fact there are a lot of folks still helping support it on flightsim.com, probably other sites, too, and with decent mesh scenery it'll look somewhat better too. And I don't think purchase cost would be much more- in fact Amazon has it new for $69.88, might be on eBay for less.

[rwanttaja]

MS FS2004 will perform a lot better than FS2002, and there are folks running it on Win 10, as well as Win7. Also there are probably as many or more free downloads of aircraft and scenery for it than most of the others. In fact there are a lot of folks still helping support it on flightsim.com, probably other sites, too, and with decent mesh scenery it'll look somewhat better too. And I don't think purchase cost would be much more- in fact Amazon has it new for $69.88, might be on eBay for less.

Good thoughts, I should have remembered FS2004, that's the one I used to run. I've even got a Fly Baby model to download for it.

Mentioned "realistic" cockpits a few posts back. Came across this flight simulator setup.
9386

The twin .50s are probably just as popular as the pilot's seat....

Ron Wanttaja

[Russ-]

I think the better question would be what are the certified simulators using for software? AFAIK, at least one is based on Xplane11. I'm a MSFS user and I like it, but if I were wanting a simulator that allows time building and training that would be the path I would follow. As far as updates go, consider using the sneaker net (thumbdrive between computers) and validating the license using a cellular hotspot.