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 article describes the author's highly realistic and immersive backcountry bush flying experience in *Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020*, virtually exploring rugged Idaho strips and comparing the scenery to real-life locations in Montana.
It highlights the exceptional realism and challenging nature of bush flying in *MSFS2020*, especially with add-on scenery, dynamic weather, and specialized STOL aircraft, often requiring multiple attempts to master difficult landings on narrow, sloped runways.
The author recommends various add-ons, including specific bush strips (like Soldier Bar and Mahoney Creek) and aircraft (such as the Kitfox STOL, "Bagalu" Cessna 172, and Savage Grravel STOL), to enhance the challenging and engaging backcountry flight simulation.

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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.