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Which FS for training? (Read 1814 times)

Jul 8^th, 2009 at 1:26am

simonhazelgrove Offline
Lieutenant Colonel
Fly FS
Brisbane

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Posts: 5

Hi I'm new to this website - apologies if I create this post in the wrong area.

I'm new to FS, but not new to flight sims - was into them in the days of 16 bit computers, and I recently started playing with IL2 - the WW2 combat flight sim.

Which version of FS should I go for? I've seen many posts saying FS2004 is actually better than FSX?

What I'm mainly interested in is doing a basic pilots license within the program (the real world is too expensive for me). I've heard this is a feature of the game. Ideally I'd like something as detailed as possible - even down to correct procedure for taxiing (i.e. contacting tower for permission to enter runway etc). Is FSX better than FS2004 for this?

I'm based in Australia, so I'll be after Australian scenery, preferably Brisbane. Not sure if that impacts my choice, but I've heard there are more add ons available for FS2004.

Any help would be appreciated!

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Reply #1 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 2:20am

BFMF Offline
Colonel
Pacific Northwest

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Posts: 19820

It depends on your computer system. If you have the latest and greatest hardware, FSX may work just fine. But if you have an older beast, FS2004 may be what your system can handle ok.

As for addons, yes there are a LOT more addons out there for FS2004 compared to FSX.

But lessons included can be a good learning resource, but there is also a Sim Flight Training Series down in the flight training board that is an excellent place to learn about the basics

COMPLETED: If Anyone Cares, Here's A Map Of My Current FSX Flight Around The World

My Reality Check Bounced

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Reply #2 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 11:28am

beaky Offline
Global Moderator
Uhhhh.... yup!
Newark, NJ USA

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I don't have much experience with FSX, but I'll warn you, as a real-life PPASEL holder, that the in-game lessons in FS9 are not very realistic, and very frustrating due to the limitations of the AI (the "virtual instructor" is a bit irrational).
But you will learn about the tasks required, and if you back it up with the info in the aforementioned lessons found here in the Flight School forum, you will have a pretty realistic experience.
Another smart thing would be to get a copy of the FAA's pilot training manual, and maybe the FAR/AIM (the AIM portion has a lot of good info on airspace and airport procedures).

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Reply #3 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 12:00pm

Fozzer Offline
Colonel
An elderly FS 2004 addict!
Hereford. England. EGBS.

Posts: 24861

..if you decide on FS 2004, don't forget the VOZ Scenery and Textures, and the beautiful Koorbygen buildings for Australia, (and the rest of the world!).

http://www.vistaoz.org/downloads.html

...it may be available for FSX as well...although I haven't tried it in FSX.. Wink

Wink

...!

Paul....G-BPLF...FS 2004...FS Navigator... Cool

Cool

...!

FS 2004 is easy-going on the Hardware... Wink

Wink

...

Wink

...!

P.S. As regards "Training"; be prepared to spend many, many hours in the Default Cessna 172 Trainer, learning ALL the ropes, before going anywhere else!... Wink

Wink

...!

Dell Dimension 5000 BTX Tower. Win7 Home Edition, 32 Bit. Intel Pentium 4, dual 2.8 GHz. 2.5GB RAM, nVidia GF 9500GT 1GB. SATA 500GB + 80GB. Philips 17" LCD Monitor. Micronet ADSL Modem only. Saitek Cyborg Evo Force. FS 2004 + FSX. Briggs and Stratton Petrol Lawn Mower...Motor Bikes. Gas Cooker... and lots of musical instruments!.... ...!
Yamaha MO6,MM6,DX7,DX11,DX21,DX100,MK100,EMT10,PSR400,PSS780,Roland GW-8L v2,TR505,Casio MT-205,Korg CX3v2 dual manual,+ Leslie 760,M-Audio Prokeys88,KeyRig,Cubase,Keyfax4,Guitars,Orchestral,Baroque,Renaissance,Medieval Instruments.

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Reply #4 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 12:28pm

Brett_Henderson Offline
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EVERY OUTER MARKER SHOULD
BE AN NDB

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Quote:

P.S. As regards "Training"; be prepared to spend many, many hours in the Default Cessna 172 Trainer, learning ALL the ropes, before going anywhere else!......!

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Reply #5 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 1:18pm

olderndirt Offline
Colonel
Flying is PFM
Rochester, WA

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It's a bit more than getting rid of the parking brake banner, opening the throttle and "look Ma, I'm flying"

.

THIS IS NOT A PANAM CLIPPER

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Reply #6 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 3:02pm

Travis Offline
Colonel
Cannot find REALITY.SYS.
Universe halted.
Dripping Springs, TX

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Rotty's got it pretty much on the numbers.

If you aren't interested in absolutely flawless images of the aircraft's exterior and really want to learn how to fly, I would recommend FS9. It is much easier on system resources.

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Reply #7 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 6:36pm

simonhazelgrove Offline
Lieutenant Colonel
Fly FS
Brisbane

Gender:
Posts: 5

Thanks guys! My system is a few years old now, and yeah I'm not really bothered about the scenery so much, so FS2004 sounds good.

One question though - is the virtual instructor AI (& the whole training process) improved in FSX? Mmm, probably a separate question for the FSX forum

That is the important thing I'm looking for - and I can always upgrade my system if it is worth it.

Rotty thanks - I will look up those books. I presume there would be Aussie equivalents? But I guess FS is US based.

I had a quick glance at the lessons in the flight school board too - looks like a great source of knowledge there!

Thanks again eveyone.

And P.S. - many hours spent in a virtual cessna is exactly what I'm looking for

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Reply #8 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 7:43pm

olderndirt Offline
Colonel
Flying is PFM
Rochester, WA

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Posts: 3574

I think the Private Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge is downloadable in PDF format at www.Faa.gov. Probably lots of pages but it's a good one. The flight training part should be very similar to that in Australia but regulations and ATC procedures will differ somewhat. If you'll be training strictly for FS, the U.S. material is what you need.

THIS IS NOT A PANAM CLIPPER

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Reply #9 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 8:29pm

New Light Offline
Colonel
Mandeville, LA

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Posts: 93

This program ought to keep you "in check" for awhile:

www.fspilotshop.com/product_info.php?products_id=1861&osCsid=09e4c5a3713197917b0...

Here's an older, less expensive version:

www.fspilotshop.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=182&products_id=1350

Blue Sky Wishes,

Dave

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Reply #10 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 9:04pm

garymbuska Offline
Colonel
I would rather be flying
Jacksonville, Florida

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Posts: 2850

As for the training while FSX did get a little better than FS2004 it is still not very realistic. What I do is to make up a flight plan and then try to fly it as accurately as possible with out the use of auto pilot. You can be your own judge as to how well you do. I use plus or minus 200 feet for altitude holding and plus or minus 10 degrees for course heading. If you can maintain those then you are good to go. Oh I almost forgot that means making a good landing as well Cool

Cool

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Reply #11 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 10:29pm

Travis Offline
Colonel
Cannot find REALITY.SYS.
Universe halted.
Dripping Springs, TX

Gender:
Posts: 4515

With my flight instructor, it's +/-100 ft and +/-5 degrees. And that's just for beginners.

I wish I'd known about that flight training software when I was learning to fly in FS! It would have saved me countless hours of trying to get those dang training flights to work. Roll Eyes

Roll Eyes

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Reply #12 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 11:14pm

beaky Offline
Global Moderator
Uhhhh.... yup!
Newark, NJ USA

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simonhazelgrove wrote on Jul 8^th, 2009 at 6:36pm:

Rotty thanks - I will look up those books. I presume there would be Aussie equivalents? But I guess FS is US based.

I foolishly didn't check your location... sorry. I'm not sure how the Australian regulations vary, but the basics- maneuvering, aircraft systems, navigation, weather- are the same, obviously. But I'm sure there are equivalent publications to the FAA handbook and the FAR/AIM... and they're probably not written in "American". Grin

Grin

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Reply #13 - Jul 9^th, 2009 at 11:18am

DenisH Offline
Colonel
Fly FS
ca, usa

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Posts: 289

The comments regarding Ron, the virtual instructor on FS2004 are interesting since I have been going crazy trying to find out things he neglects to tell you (between jokes). Just yesterday I was reviewing his lesson on tower procedures hoping to discover why the tower always includes a mysterious (to me) altitude reading when assigning a runway. It's usually the same number 2909 or something like that even when the airport is at sea level. Can anyone please explain this? And forgive yet another dumb question from a relative new boy to FS.

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Reply #14 - Jul 9^th, 2009 at 11:34am

Daube Offline
Colonel
Alternative bloomer
Nice (FR)

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Posts: 5833

simonhazelgrove wrote on Jul 8^th, 2009 at 1:26am:

Hi I'm new to this website - apologies if I create this post in the wrong area.

I'm new to FS, but not new to flight sims - was into them in the days of 16 bit computers, and I recently started playing with IL2 - the WW2 combat flight sim.

Which version of FS should I go for? I've seen many posts saying FS2004 is actually better than FSX?

What I'm mainly interested in is doing a basic pilots license within the program (the real world is too expensive for me). I've heard this is a feature of the game. Ideally I'd like something as detailed as possible - even down to correct procedure for taxiing (i.e. contacting tower for permission to enter runway etc). Is FSX better than FS2004 for this?

I'm based in Australia, so I'll be after Australian scenery, preferably Brisbane. Not sure if that impacts my choice, but I've heard there are more add ons available for FS2004.

Any help would be appreciated!

As the other members already said above, if your computer is alsready a few years old, then most probably it won't be able to handle FSX. From a flight-lesson point of view, I think there are not so much improvements in FSX anyway.

For the Australian scenery enhancement, there's a very good freeware scenery mentionned above, Oz, which covers a good part of the country and make it look much more realistic.

However, when you will change your computer in the future and get able to fly FSX, you will have to take a look at the Australian sceneries from Orbx: http://fullterrain.com/features.html

Also, you have mentionned IL-2. This was considered as the most realistic simulation when it came to flight model and damage model for warbird... until a new kind of addon appeared in FSX: Accusim from a company nammed A2A. This addon transforms FSX into the most realistic simulation. You might want to take a look at the preview video of their upcoming Piper Cub with Accusim system, you will understand the differences with the stock sim:
http://www.a2asimulations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=16555

Their previous addons using this Accusim technology are the P-47 and the Boeing 377. You can see the P-47 in those videos, you'll notice the difference with IL-2.
http://www.a2asimulations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=16093

Got bloom ?
Got mountains ?
Got damage ?

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