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Your First Sim

A simple guide to get you started gaming.

[Illustration by Clare Nicholas]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 requires a powerful gaming PC (desktop or laptop, generally $1,000-$2,000) with specific hardware like an Intel i7/i9 or AMD RYZEN 7+ processor, NVIDIA GeForce 3060+ graphics card, 1TB SSD, and 6GB+ RAM, along with a high-speed internet connection for live-streaming world data.
  • Essential hardware includes dedicated flight controls such as a sidestick, throttle quadrant, or a full flight sim starter set, which are easily configured via USB.
  • For optimal immersion and ease of use, it is crucial to customize in-cockpit camera and view controls, assigning specific keyboard commands or joystick buttons to navigate and save preferred viewpoints within the simulator.
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If you’re beginning to entertain the idea of purchasing your first airplane, you likely have dozens of aircraft reviews and buyers guides bookmarked in your browser. You’ve probably learned how important it is to match an airplane’s capabilities to the sort of flying you expect to do most often. And if your daydreaming has evolved into analysis, you might have already begun to narrow your choices down to a handful of potential candidates.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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Peter James

Peter is an experienced Part 135 business jet pilot with a passion for simulators and how they blend with the real world. Learning to fly at age 12, he supplemented his passion and career goals with the early versions of Microsoft Flight Simulator. With the growing realism of all PC simulators today, he frequently uses them for extra proficiency, and loves to show other pilots how great they are.

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