There Are No Rules in Bush Flying

Microsoft Flight Simulator excursion tackles backwoods strips in Yellowstone country.

Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at 05:33 PM ET

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The Yellowstone River Lodge, as shown accurately placed in the sim, where I was staying for a few days. [Image courtesy of Peter James]

Key Takeaways:

The author used Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS2020) to virtually explore and compare backcountry flying experiences in Montana and Idaho, highlighting the simulator's remarkable realism.
MSFS2020, especially with specialized add-on bush pilot strips and STOL aircraft, provides an exceptionally challenging and immersive simulation of rugged backcountry flying.
The article details the author's struggles and triumphs navigating difficult virtual Idaho bush strips like Soldier Bar (85U) and Mahoney Creek (0U3), demonstrating the high fidelity and demanding nature of the simulated environment.
Custom bush scenery and aircraft add-ons significantly enhance MSFS2020, transforming individual bush strips into complete, realistic mini-simulators for endless hours of challenging and fun virtual flying.

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The incredible, beautiful world brought to us in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS2020) allows for some pretty realistic backcountry experiences. I decided to test these great spots firsthand while being fairly close to them myself on a recent working trip to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (KBZN) in Montana.

I stayed at the Yellowstone Valley Lodge, which sits along the Yellowstone River. Even though I haven’t landed an airplane at the hotel property in real life, I did in the sim. In the world of bush flying, there are no rules, so any place where you can safely land a short takeoff and landing (STOL) type of aircraft becomes an airport.