Healthy Obsession: What Flight Sim Has Done for Me

Relationship with the virtual aviation world, particularly ‘Microsoft Flight Simulator,’ spans many years.

Peter James

Wednesday, April 03, 2024 at 09:08 AM ET

Verified

FLYING contributor Peter James became with PC flight simulators at an early age. [Courtesy: Peter James]

Key Takeaways:

Microsoft Flight Simulator profoundly influenced the author's lifelong aviation career, serving as an instrumental tool from childhood inspiration through all stages of his pilot training, from basic ratings to complex jet type certifications.
The author consistently utilized flight simulators to pre-learn procedures, master complex systems like the FMS, and familiarize himself with various aircraft cockpits, often surprising instructors with his advanced knowledge and accelerating his professional development.
Beyond formal training, home flight simulators are crucial for maintaining sharp situational awareness, practicing diverse emergency scenarios (both planned and unexpected), and gaining virtual familiarity with new airfields and complex routes before real-world flights.

See a mistake? Contact us.

In 1981 when the first Microsoft Flight Simulator was born, I was a young teenager—the spirit of adventure and realism of flight hit me like a storm. Suddenly, my intense model railroad hobby, complete with a huge basement layout, took a back seat. This technical marvel, hosted on this heavy, metal box of a newfangled PC, captured my heart and imagination forever. I wonder if my parents were grateful for this weekend “babysitter” as my dad hauled his computer home from his office for me to play with on Friday nights. It certainly kept me home and out of trouble, with no mischief or calls from the local police late at night.

I was obsessed. Once college approached, I knew I was going to become an airline pilot, and I wouldn’t stop until I was an old man flying a Boeing 747. I was originally going to go to college to become a TV meteorologist, but failing grades in math kept that dream far away. I found it much easier to get into a state college with an aviation program, so off I went to one in New England to become a pilot.