Got Microsoft Simulator 04 today

[Maximillian_Jenius]

So what now....? What is the best joystick or add on peripherals?
There have been numerous threads on here about MSFS.
From what I have heard on here it can get expensive to get the best planes and time consuming to download them from websites.
What are the best FREE and pay sites to get cockpits shots and planes etc:

B-727
B-737-300-900
B-757-200,300
B-767300,400
B-777 200,300
B-747-400
MD-11
MD-88/90
CRJ's

-Matthew

[Michael_F]

For controls, I highly recommend the CH Products yoke, pedals, and throttles. Very high quality and affordable equipment.

I recommend www.avsim.com and www.flightsim.com. Those are definetely the biggest databases of freeware, and have other things like forums and reviews and such. The site www.projectai.com is important if you want to get into real-world AI traffic and also www.flightsimmer.com has a great community in the forums (they run Project AI)

All are totally free, however flightsim.com has a limited number of "nodes" for free users so it can be difficult to connect at peak times.

[Derek_S]

My favorite is AVSIM. They have thousands upon thousands of downloads. As for hardware I have the CH products but don't use them nearly as much as I love to use my Microsoft Sidewinder Joystick!

[Inmate0804]

Just be prepared to be ridiculed by your friends. Most of my friends that aren't flight enthusiast play it for 2 minutes and this is usually the conversation we have.

(me) alright take off
(me) don't pull the joystick too far back, you'll stall!
(friend) alright dude calm down
(friend) when do I start shooting planes down?
(me) you don't, you just fly from point a to point b in this game
(friend) WHAT!
(friend) does the plane blow up when it crashes?
(me) it just falls apart
(friend) good enough for me
Then down she goes.

After that everytime they call me, and I say I'm on the computer they say "Wanna come out tonight nerd or are you flying to Tokio"

Does this happen to anybody else.

www.avsim.com is pretty good by the way

[Maximillian_Jenius]

Thanks everyone for the advice. Where would I purchase CH Products from....CompUSA?
What is the breakdown in prices for the yokes,pedals and throttle?
I'm running a COX cable modem. How fast is the DL time for all the data i.e. planes,cockpits etc. with broadband?
How much memory will be used. I think I have 1ghz. of harddrive space?
Can I get all my aformentioned planes plus the Airbus A320/21 at all these free sites?
Lastly I greatly enjoy human contact,occasional intercourse,social life and sunlight. So I doubt I'd get so addicted that A&E would follow me around with cameras to film my intervention...


-Matthew

[Inmate0804]

[ QUOTE ]

Lastly I greatly enjoy human contact,occasional intercourse,social life and sunlight. So I doubt I'd get so addicted that A&E would follow me around with cameras to film my intervention...

[/ QUOTE ]

That's not what I meant I was trying to say was when people see flight games they automatically assume it's a shooter. When they find out the purpose of the game is just to fly, they tend to crash the plane immediately and call you a nerd for just wanting to fly and not blow anything up.

[Maximillian_Jenius]

....hehehehe



-Matthew

[Inmate0804]

Don't mess with the cowbell baby!

[JDMcFly]

Man, flight sim's fun level peaked at FS98 for me. Fun times.

The best though was competing in lear jet landings at Meigs with friends, on the good old FS5

[Inmate0804]

After I started flying in real life a few months ago. I've barely touched the game.

[Derek_S]

Same here, however it is still fun to play every now and then. Whenever I fly, I fly with West Coast ATC. This is the only way I can play the game now. Almost every night about 40 pilots flying big airliners all start somewhere different and end up at the same airport. The traffic is handled by an average of 3 ATC men having to give you your clearances and everything just like in real life! (You talk via TeamSpeak needing a microphone to talk with). They also have virtual airlines to sign up with so you can have a callsign like Delta 2932 or whatever... Anyways, anyone who still plays MSFS check out the site, it's a blast!

[PaulRix]

www.simviation.com is a good resource for aircraft, panels scenery etc.

[applepwnz]

[ QUOTE ]

B-727
B-737-300-900
B-757-200,300
B-767300,400
B-777 200,300
B-747-400
MD-11
MD-88/90
CRJ's
-Matthew

[/ QUOTE ]

Check Project Opensky , they make nice freeware versions of a few of those aircraft. [

[Doug Taylor]

If I can't squeeze off an AIM-9M at another airplane, I don't have any interest!

[BCTAv8r]

[ QUOTE ]
If I can't squeeze off an AIM-9M at another airplane, I don't have any interest!

[/ QUOTE ]

Then LockOn would be for you.

[FlyChicaga]

I get my flying fix from Battlefield Vietnam. Nothing like taking out some enemy forces with napalm from an F-4 listening to CCR!

[aloft]

[ QUOTE ]
Then LockOn would be for you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bah....Falcon 4 SuperPak 4. "Anything else is rubbish."

[pullup]

[ QUOTE ]
I get my flying fix from Battlefield Vietnam. Nothing like taking out some enemy forces with napalm from an F-4 listening to CCR!

[/ QUOTE ]

AHHHHH!! Let's play BF:Vietnam tonight......anyone....anyone?

[Inmate0804]

[ QUOTE ]
Bah....Falcon 4 SuperPak 4. "Anything else is rubbish."

[/ QUOTE ]

That game kicks serious a**!!!

[ QUOTE ]
If I can't squeeze off an AIM-9M at another airplane, I don't have any interest!

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't blame you. If I flew for an airline, the last thing I would want to do is fly on the same type of aircraft I did at work. It wouldn't be fun, it would be like working. I'd rather be blowing stuff up to.

[BCTAv8r]

[ QUOTE ]
I wouldn't blame you. If I flew for an airline, the last thing I would want to do is fly on the same type of aircraft I did at work. It wouldn't be fun, it would be like working. I'd rather be blowing stuff up to.

[/ QUOTE ]

So you're saying MiKeD hates shooting games?

[Screaming_Emu]

MS flight sim is good for a couple things.

1) doin stuff you can't do in a real plane cause it would kill you

2) practicing approaches.

[Dazzler]

[ QUOTE ]
MS flight sim is good for a couple things.

1) doin stuff you can't do in a real plane cause it would kill you

2) practicing approaches.

[/ QUOTE ]


Plus it's useful to learn how to use the Garmin GPS.
Definately get the CHPro yoke and pedals.

You have to love the enhanced ATC since FS2K, especially the fact that you can now get pop-up IFR clearances.

[Timbuff10]

can you get a seminole with a garmin 430 or G1000 off of these sites?

[Aaron_Kearney]

I'll second the recommendation for AVSIM. You may also want to check out www.flightsim.com and www.flightsimmer.com.

I have FS9 but I'm not really in the mood for it seeing as I just got back from a real flight a few days ago. Every time I fly in reality I can't get on the sim for a while because it just looks so...computerized compared to the real deal

[GrantHubbell]

I definently suggest that all of you get the Bill Grabowski Embraer 140/145 panel. The most realistic panel I have ever flown on FS and the most complicated. For instance, you have to turn off APU before you can taxi. Not to mention but it is free and more complex than most payware panels.