We have it made, don't we?

[AviationAtWar]

Tonight as I was climbing away from Haines, AK with Orbx, in my Bonanza with the broken clouds of Active Sky current weather, I'm looking around and again asking myself how this could possibly get better. A lot of people are out there putting a hell of a lot of work into flight sim add ons, and it's very much appreciated.

[AerialShorts]

If you aren’t flying in VR, that’s the last piece since it puts you in the airplane and totally changes the experience.

All the pieces are there now. Things will only get even better. And I totally agree.

[Bazonka]

I share your thoughts... It is a good time for flightsimmers!

[Lewis - A2A]

Yup, the VR is the icing on the cake and where things will evolve for the added immersion. You could easily make someone air sick in VR, the tricks it can play on the human brain.

But I do love those WOW moments in the sim, when everything just comes together

[crippy]

Honestly, yes we really do have it made when compared to the costs of learning and flying in the real world.

I priced it out, from getting my private private license ($10K+) and then acquiring a C152($$$$$) plus the annuals, Insurance, Hangar fees, $6 per gallon for 100LL, Landing fees, FBO fees, Avionics upgrade to ADS-B........It is absolutely not financially feasible to learn to fly in my current area, and dare I say more wide spread, all just to go up and fly around town for a few hours.

I am thankful we have such in-depth simulations that allow us to get so close to the real think for well under $500 (Software side) and companies like A2A who continue to set the bar.
Some day when I get old and truly bored maybe I will even make my own hydraulic/electric platform and program it myself...That with VR and a seat shaker to replicate the engine.....You are real close to the real thing!

I'm really considering VR, however I do not think it would be ideal for me for flight sim, as I like to write things down on my knee board. Unless they make VR with a camera on the front to where you can see what you are doing. (Anyone know of this?) But I do think VR would be amazing for me in Truck sim (ETS2, ATS) and other sim games, where I am not interacting with pen and paper so much.

[Hook]

My local airport (F00 in Bonham Tx) has 100LL for $3.75 per gallon. Mena has it for $4.84. Landing fees are sometimes waived if you purchase fuel at an airport. Getting a license might be cheaper if you buy your own airplane first and learn to fly in it. You might get off cheaper by waiting to buy the aircraft until after everyone already has ADS-B installed. Do light sport aircraft require ADS-B? It is not required to buy an aircraft if you find rentals are cheaper in the long run.

I have reached an age where I can no longer fly for medical reasons. My doctor has forbidden me to even go up in a light aircraft (the radios might interfere with a pacemaker/defibrillator). My advice is, if you think you might ever want to fly, do it while you still can. You will regret the things you didn't do a lot more than the things you did.

Those of us who started computer flying in wireframe knew we had it made long ago. Aircraft going from wireframe to filled polygons to textures to a virtual cockpit to a virtual cockpit in high resolution and land going from wireframe to well textured land classes and higher resolution terrain meshes with 3D objects and it just keeps getting better. We will eventually see the day when the view on our computers will be indistinguishable from a video shot from a real aircraft. The aircraft themselves are already reaching that point.

Hook

[Bruce66]

I am particularly lucky and grateful we have such high quality simulators these days. I was born with a heart condition which will prevent me ever getting a licence to fly. Even training with an instructor is only possible if I sign all the wavers and the pilot is willing which is not all pilots (and I can understand that).

So getting to so closely simulate the experience is brilliant.

Although I echo the words of the previous poster - chase your dreams as you only live once. Or as an old friend used to say 'Life is short - death is long.'

[AerialShorts]

@Crippy - the new P3D supports viewports on the Vive where I believe you can do just that with kneeboards, keyboards, other controls, etc. also green screen effects.

I haven’t used them yet just because I haven’t had the time. But I think you can now do exactly what you are mentioning.