Finding a Great Download for a Flight Simulator

A flight simulator, in many regards, gave us our first real taste of virtual reality. From its inception, it was the first substantial answer to a dream we all had since the inception of desktop computing; the experience of some form of "other world". Boys (and girls) of all ages suddenly had the opportunity to take to the skies and fly - and do so relatively safely and without any kind of exorbitant financial outlay.

Suddenly, you could streak across the sky in a Spitfire over the channel during the Battle of Britain, or simply just wrestle a huge Boeing 747 off the ground en route to any destination around the world. We have become spoiled for choice when deciding on a flight simulator. Or so it would seem.

The landscape is littered with flight sims products that promise the world. And yes, some even deliver a portion of it! But what is it that really separates an adequate simulator from a great one? What is that single differentiator that topples the odds in favor of one flight flight sim over another?

As hardware improves and technology races ahead, so does the potential for creating incredibly realistic scenarios. We've seen that in all kinds of games. A good simulator can now also do stuff and feel more real than ever before. Of course, it has become more involved and intricate. After all, flying an aircraft is no simple matter. What started out as young boys' arcade game a few years ago, has grown into a crazy realm of possibility with software mirroring real experience with breathtaking authenticity to offer gamers an experience they may never otherwise be able to afford.

Realistic Aircraft

Any reputable sim should offer a variety of aircraft. The one I use offers 120, including helicopters. Mine makes sure I have an aircraft for any conceivable occasion and mood! And from any period in history that might tickle my fancy on any given day. If I want to fly with the Wright Brothers, no problem - I have just the plane. If I want to participate in the Battle of Britain, I can do so in a Spitfire, a Hurricane or a Messerschmidt. And more. That's the kind of variety I'm talking about. If I'm simply in the mood to cruise around, I take my 747 and fly to the Far East to make a low swoop (yes, it works with Google Earth) over my brother's house in Taiwan. I can even, on adventurous days, try our specialty aircraft such as a Zeppelin or Microlight. What's more - (this I made sure of when I bought it) everything is so realistic that I would instantly recognize any plane cockpit in real life if I had flown it on my own flight simulator.

Realistic Scenery

Outside scenery really tests a simulator's mettle. Again, it is all about mimicking the experience of flight as accurately as possible. What use is it if the inside is perfect, but the outside stinks like a pot of cold onion gravy! The flight simulator I eventually purchased, offers me the most fantastic scenery ever. The data engine on this software is run off actual high definition military data. Now, you can imagine - the realism boggles the mind! And it's not only the rendered detail on the screen that takes your breath away in this flight simulator - the sky, with all the stars and planets - is exactly right according to your virtual time! Talk about attention to detail. You can pick the weather, or, with this flight simulator, you can fly in the weather, as it is at the moment in any destination around the world.The simulator I got after about two months worth of research also lets me choose from more than 20,000 airports around the world, copying in great detail the real airports you would fly into with a real plane.

Realistic Controls

On some of the sims I flew before buying, everything felt sluggish. It was as if the data engine and the graphics machine were stretched to the limit and aircraft performance suffered accordingly. One of the strongest reasons for buying the product I bought, is the spectacular control realism and accuracy. When I pull a lever or press a pedal, my virtual planes behave just like the real thing, from the lag time to the slight bounce and roll caused by the weather and air currents. All those things in real life that make it a challenge to stay in the air and on course are realistically duplicated in the desktop cockpit I finally chose. In short - I wanted a flight sim that makes my flying experiences completely lifelike.

Which Flight Simulator To Choose?

The landscape is littered with simulators that do an adequate or mediocre job. My quest was to find a product that blows my mind - a simulator I could fly and fly and fly without EVER getting bored or having to repeat myself. Realism was the key. And accuracy. As was variety, both in aircraft and scenery. Graphics therefore needed to be the best available and flight data (exterior scenery, airports, weather patterns and global positioning) simply couldn't be compromised. When I finally bought a simulator, I got one that didn't merely meet my expectations - it exceeded them. It supports flight controllers such as pedals and yokes and runs on both Windows and Mac. (This was important to me as I use both platforms). Something I was also finicky about was the upgradability. Without regular updates, a flight sim would be outdated quicker than a high school sweetheart. The simulator I bought gives me a lifetime of free upgrades. Needless to say - this really works for me.

Why don't you take a peek at what I fly - I have NO doubt it will blow your socks off.

Free flight simulator information you simply must have. I researched downloads for flight simulators intensively before I bought mine and I'd like to share the pitfalls and successes I had with you. This information will have you taking to the skies in no time flat! Also, I included some fun articles and information for those who just want to have a great read.

This information and more will help you make an informed decision about your downloads for flight simulator and also show you what makes a good flight simulator download.