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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 (MSFS 2020) requires a powerful gaming PC or laptop (e.g., Intel i7+, NVIDIA 3060+, 1TB SSD, 6GB+ RAM) and a high-speed internet connection for installation and live data streaming.
  • Enhance your virtual flying experience with dedicated peripherals like Thrustmaster Airbus controllers or the Honeycomb system, which are easily connected via USB.
  • Crucial setup steps for an immersive experience include setting graphics to "Ultra" on capable systems and, most importantly, customizing keyboard commands for cockpit view manipulation and saving multiple custom pilot camera views.
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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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