See every version of MS Flight Simulator since 1982

[chicagorandy]

And I AM old enough to remember being simply dazzled by version 1.0. How far simming has come. It does provide some valuable perspective.

 

History of MS Flight Sims

[budreiser]

I'm with you Randy. It was either 83 or 84 when a friend installed that first version on the computer at work. Kept me awake on midnight shifts. It was so much more for wannabe aviators than building stick models and plastic kits. I remember as a kid, during the big war when everything was rationed, of receiving a cardboard airplane and hanger, and thinking how special that was. Our youth of today hasn't a clue of how far we've come.   

[chicagorandy]

Now if only I could get Flight Sim to run on my Commodore 64 -LOL

[PhrogPhlyer]

Wow, brought back so many memories, all good.

Even in the mid-80's the early MSFS was a valuable tool that we utilized for IFR proficiency in our squadron's ready room.

Flight Sim's strength as a real aviation tool is often lost with the hype and fanfare over visual accuracy and playing "a game."

When I was doing weekend flight instructor seminars I always demonstrated MSFS (2004/FSX) to show how to powerful it was as an IFR trainer.

With the newest MSFS about to be released, I hope that it's strengths as a real aviation  training tool is not forgotten.

The visual accuracy outside the cockpit would be a welcomed benefit for pre solo cross country prep, and to see what it really looks like to break out at 100 / 1/4 on an instrument approach at an airport you actually use for IFR training.

Thanks for the link!

 

[danbiosca]

On 6/25/2024 at 7:16 AM, chicagorandy said:

And I AM old enough to remember being simply dazzled by version 1.0. How far simming has come. It does provide some valuable perspective.

 

History of MS Flight Sims

 

Lovely, thank you very much

[chicagorandy]

To really appreciate the state-of-the-art technology we now casually enjoy and maybe even take for granted, it is worth noting from whence we came. 

[Rupert]

On 6/25/2024 at 1:16 AM, chicagorandy said:

And I AM old enough to remember being simply dazzled by version 1.0. How far simming has come. It does provide some valuable perspective.

 

History of MS Flight Sims

I agree!  Though I started simming with 2004,

 

As a medical failing former aviator it put me back into the "cockpit."  I am in awe of all the sims that are out there. Many of which are not Microsoft!  I am a huge fan of P3D and have fiddled with a few other sims as well.

 

Although this clip is obviously mostly an add to sell Microsoft products, thank you chicagroandy for the post.

 

[kingnorris]

My first ever PC flightsim wasn't even Microsoft. It was Flight Unlimited III. Lol

[g7rta]

My very first flight sim was Fighter Pilot on an Amstrad CPC464..   it wasn’t up to much tho

 

Fast forward a few years and  someone introduced me to FS4. Wow! I was blown away and had no idea such a thing existed. I was given it on a floppy disc and I was happy.  First version I actually bought was 5.1 and I’ve had every version since, inc combat.

Plus loads more.. including many X-Plane versions….   and Flight Unlimited 1, 2 & 3

 

Regards

Steve

[chris_eve]

My first simulator was on the Sinclair ZX-81 ... quite possibly the reason ! bought the machine!

The machine is long gone, as is the tape, but I do still have the cassette liner

I was introduced to MS Flight Simulator 1 when on a training course for PC's with "a major manufacturer" ... I came away from that with a bootleg copy on 5 1/4" floppy which I used at work during the lunch hour ... it was still a few years before I had a PC of my own at home!