Introduction

We are sim-flying aboard the series of the Flight Simulator of Microsoft since 1998. The idea came to us at that time whether we couldn't maintain our proficiency in some sense for the French Private Pilot Licence (PPL) we had obtained in 1981 as unluckily, switfly after that, we had not been able to keep flying. Albeit the Microsoft Flight Simulators were not -and still don't are- homologated like a real-life trainer by the FAA -the US federal aviation agency- nor -at our knowledge- by any civil aviation agency worldwide, it seemed us however -further with the more advanced versions of FS until the last FSX franchise - that, with some method and protocols, one could, privately, maintain some proficiency into flying through the use of the FS series. The vastness of the world in Flight Simulator, on another hand, allows to access to locations we'll never be able to reach in the real life, as the FSs allow too to fine aesthetic experiences

As that had been interesting to us, we decided that we could put this experience to the service of the community of the flightsimmers. If, like we are, you are a former pilot who consider continuing his interest on serious basis, or if you are a flightsimmer who, not willing to eventually get into the real life and pass a PPL, however wants to practice seriously and with some realism, and, eventually, if, in any other case, you're flightsimming, you will find in those tutorials a wealth of advices as far as the practice of flight is concerned and which will help you to a better practice of your flightsimming activities and a immersive experience. You will note on the other hand, that that site must not be considered a professional flightsim one, in that sense that I share only my own use with the FS franchise with a immersive experience in sight. I do not make a exhaustive approach of flightsimming with the FS series like more professional flightsim sites may do about the FS or about flightsim generally

We personally did not get further in the aviation than with a sole PPL, meaning that we have a real practice of the VFR flight only. Thus, the tutorials of this site we have written about the IFR, night VFR flight, or -still more- about flying aboard airliners or helicopters, are mostly extrapolations from our own VFR practice, added with data and tips we found on the Internet, or with a practice of commercial softwares. Those tutorials however, albeit based like described, are of interest to our own practice of such flights and don't seem to us like being too much distant from the real thing

Despite our enthusiasm, a important caveat however is needed. Albeit they can be used on the fly, the varied versions of the Flight Simulator franchise are often the realm to mandatory tweaking, even for a basic use. And all the more as far as flying in a realistic way is concerned! Users in both cases -more in the second one- will be obliged to turn toward resource provided by freeware creators and other tweakers of the FS world, for either the basic work of a FS version, or more realism. Best practice in either occurence is to use search engine on the Internet and to type in what causes problem. At last, anyway, you will always have to bargain between your demands of realism and the wants of the FS franchise. The very last word: once some basic hurdles fixed in such or such Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise, just, most importantly, fly!

A first version of that site was focused upon the FS2002 version and we therefore set our tutorials both to flight lessons, and to considerations related to how to put them at work into FS2002. As we moved to FSX Deluxe Edition (with the Extension Acceleration Pack), we decided to turn our site into a one dedicated to simulated flight with the varied FS versions, generally. On a other hand, we think that, by adapting what needed -and, CAUTION! with taking the appropriate precautions to avoid any damage to your computer and your softwares installation- that most of our lessons -and, thus, not the advices strictly related to the Flight Simulator franchise- can largely be used with other amateur flight simulation softwares

Enjoy your flights!

of Note! Of course, the site's webmaster has successfully obtained his PPL in two Flight Simulator versions, FS2002 or with FSX! (diploma text in French)