Flying Through Snowy Southern California, Virtually

Microsoft Flight Simulator offers an opportunity to explore unique weather conditions—and the pucker factor—before takeoff.

Peter James

Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 07:51 PM ET

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A Carenado G1000-equipped Cessna 182 Skylane in Microsoft Flight Simulator. [Courtesy: Peter James]

Key Takeaways:

Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS2020) accurately replicates challenging real-world weather conditions, including snow, wind shear, and icing, as demonstrated by a test flight in snowy Southern California.
The simulator's detailed modeling of environmental factors like ridge lift and dynamic weather effects enhances the realism of virtual flying experiences.
Using physical flight control hardware, such as the Honeycomb throttle system, significantly boosts immersion and realism, making the simulator a more effective tool for developing pilot proficiency.
Modern flight simulators have evolved into serious and realistic training tools, offering an unprecedented level of detail and fun for both hobbyists and professional aviators.

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Earlier this month, record snowfalls and cold hit Southern California. I grew up in the Los Angeles valley and have always loved flying in the area on any flight sim. One of my favorite places to visit is Big Bear City Airport (L35), perched at over 6,000 feet msl on top of a ridge near lakes and ski resorts. I decided I’d put real weather to the test to see how good it is, compared to the most recent actual METAR.

On this particular day the winds were 250 at 8 gusting 17 kts., 4 miles in mist, scattered at 700, broken 1100, broken 1600. [Courtesy: Peter James]

Conditions were lousy—a snowy scene with snow squalls or flurries about. The radar on ForeFlight showed the snow showers in spots west and southwest of the field. Since live weather runs constantly, I wanted to take a look.