Been There, Done That

Aviation gaming simulation offers familiar views that rival the real thing.

Thursday, March 02, 2023 at 05:26 PM ET

Verified

The fidelity of aviation gaming simulation allows the comparison of sim vs. real life, and the gap of realism is closer than ever. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Modern flight simulators, particularly Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, have achieved an exceptional level of realism, making virtual experiences often indistinguishable from real-world flying.
This high fidelity provides practical benefits for pilots, enabling them to learn complex aircraft systems like GPS and Flight Management Systems (FMS) which directly transfer to real-world flying skills.
An experienced pilot can effectively use flight simulators to recreate and revisit personal real-world flights, global locations, and specific aircraft, highlighting the sim's immersive and accurate portrayal of reality.
Investing in professional-grade flight simulation hardware significantly enhances the realism and training value, offering a cost-effective and engaging alternative for ongoing practice and enjoyment.

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“Been there, done that.” It’s an old adage that seems every pilot says at some time in their career, to the younger newbie just starting out. I used to hate that expression. Now, I use it much to my chagrin.

In my early 20s, I started my first real flying jobs, first as a CFII, then a fledgling “corporate pilot” flying an advanced T-Tail Piper Arrow. To me, with its big tail, the Arrow was an airliner. It looked like a McDonnell Douglas MD-80 or Boeing 727, I thought. Some 30 years later, I’ve now gone full circle having flown almost 11,000 hours with some 7,000 of those hours in business jets.