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 follows a strict personal "code of conduct" for flight simulation, requiring real-time, long-haul flights to distant global locations for maximum immersion.
Modern Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) combined with powerful hardware now reliably supports these extended, multi-hour flights with consistent performance, overcoming past issues like slowdowns.
The article reviews several new add-on aircraft, including the LatinVFR A340-300, BravoAirspace 787-8, and PMDG 737NG BBJ, praising their detailed flight models and particularly the immersive, fully modeled passenger cabins with dynamic features.
Key to the immersive experience are realistic scenery, dynamic weather effects (like vapor trails and reflective waters), mood lighting, and the ability to explore detailed aircraft interiors and local environments.

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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.