What do I need to know?

What do I need to know?

If you’ve ever dreamt of flying but find the cost of lessons and training out of reach, don’t worry – flight simulation offers an exciting alternative. In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to get your flight simulator up and running. But first, let’s take a brief look at the fascinating history of flight simulation.

The ability to experience flight virtually has captivated enthusiasts for over a century. The first commercial flight simulator, the Antoinette Trainer, was developed by the French in 1909. It was initially used by the French army to support their military aircraft trials, marking the birth of flight simulation.

In the 1930s and 1940s, Ed Link revolutionized the field with the creation of the “Link Trainer,” an instrument flight simulator that used pumps and valves to simulate the responses of real aircraft instruments to pilot inputs. This innovation became the first widely adopted flight simulator, training over 500,000 U.S. pilots. The Link Trainer was also purchased by numerous other countries to prepare their pilots without the need for real flight time. Link’s groundbreaking work eventually led to the formation of CAE, a global leader in aerospace training and defense, which continues to develop advanced flight simulators today.

Fast-forward several decades, and with the rise of personal computers, flight simulation software became accessible to the public. In November 1982, Microsoft released its first version of Microsoft Flight Simulator, designed by Bruce Artwick. This software, controlled by a keyboard, allowed users to simulate flying a Cessna 182 and explore basic visual environments, such as Meigs Field in Chicago. It provided aviation enthusiasts with the ability to experience the mechanics of flight from the comfort of their own homes.

Today, flight simulation has advanced dramatically, offering state-of-the-art hardware and software that deliver breathtaking visuals and highly accurate physics models. The modern flight simulation experience is closer than ever to real-world flying, and there is an abundance of options for enthusiasts to explore. I encourage you to continue reading and delve deeper into this incredible hobby to discover how you can get started.