The Art of Simulated Long-Haul Flying

New aircraft add-ons make these journeys both realistic and reliable.

Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 02:49 PM ET

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LatinVFR's newly released A340-300 is a lot of fun—seen climbing out of the Pacific Northwest. HiFly paint is a real rendition of the private charter company that operates these to exotic locations, such as Antarctica ice runways. [Courtesy: Peter James]

Key Takeaways:

The author adheres to a strict "flight simmers code of conduct," emphasizing real-time, uninterrupted long-haul flights for maximum immersion and a sense of true global travel.
Modern Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) combined with advanced hardware reliably supports these extended, immersive journeys, overcoming previous performance slowdowns and stutters.
The article reviews several high-quality add-on aircraft, including the LatinVFR A340-300, BravoAirspace 787-8, and PMDG BBJ, praising their realistic flight dynamics, detailed visual modeling, and particularly their fully simulated passenger cabins that enhance the experience.
Key to the author's enjoyment is deep immersion fostered by accurate global scenery, local environmental details, realistic weather effects (like vapor trails and reflections), and interactive cabin features such as mood lighting.

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Ever since I was in my 20s, when flight simulation started incorporating airliners capable of flying massive distances, uninterrupted on autopilot, with little risk of disaster, I felt safe taking round-the-world trips.

I remember buying sets of highly decorated various airliners with probably just 2D cockpits. We could get everything back then in the mid 1990s, when airlines around the world were still flying everything from 727s and DC-8s to 747 Classics.