Man, this is a great game. If you can even call it that. It’s almost too real. I did the Mount Rushmore flyby today, and it was amazing.
It also has Fighter Ace II, which is really spectacular. I like the P-38 myself.
I actually find the landings and takeoffs to be fairly easy. It’s the radios and stuff that I have trouble with.
I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a game quite so much since the old Commodore 64 (which I have an emulator for).
Anybody else have any opinions?
I have it and love it. It took a while, but I finally got the hang of landing the Boeing 747.
The only irritation I’ve had with it is a problem with the scenery file in the area of Stonehenge.
Oh, and the rendering of the city of Portland, Oregon is somewhat unrealistic.
I bought it because of the interactive air traffic control element.
I have to admit though it takes a bit of getting used to, but its fun learning as you go.
You really need a fast PC to run it well, I’m struggling a little with my 550Mhz processer and 16MB graphics card 
Hey, one day you might be on a flight and you hear the stewardess shout “Is there a pilot on board?” - then you’ll be glad you played it!
I love it too. The scenery is pretty impressive considering the “whole world” is in it, albeit some areas much more detailed than others.
I love dusk/night flying the most. Turn up the traffic AI and see all the other aircraft in the sky around you going about their own lives. It’s extremely believable… and unfortunately a real hardware hog once you start turning all the options right up, too.
I love flying into Vancouver (my old town) from the East, like Calgary and seeing the Fraser river delta in the distance from 100 miles away as you are still over the Mountains. Its so cool. I can’t wait to see how MS does Flight Sim 2004.
**It took a while, but I finally got the hang of landing the Boeing 747.
**
Suurre… you did.
I’m sure your type rating is in the mail…
“living on the edge of reality…”
I don’t get the sarcasm… or is it just me?
This will probably never ever happen because of September 11th, but if Microsoft ever made a “Flight Simulator: Weapons Free” edition where you could, say, drop thermonuclear warheads anywhere in the world or shoot down the guy who got runway clearance ahead of you, it would sell millions.
What was your first take on the great
“I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV” ad?
If you want to fly a plane, turn off the damned computer, go to an airport, and find an instructor and plane.
Do not mistake what you see on your monitor for reality.
Dude, it’s just a game.
If I could afford to get a pilot’s license I would. In the meantime I enjoy the game very much. The graphics and the actual simulation are terrific. And landing the 747 in the game is very difficult.
I don’t know what the problem you’re having with this is.
As a game? Go wild! Enjoy!
Just differentiate between it and reality, 'K?
kids nowadays worry me…
and, if I wanted to get snarky - against what ‘reality’ can you compare it, to say the simulation is terrific?
Dude, the correct term is * Flight Attendant *. 
If you call an FA a stewardess, he’s likely to get pissed.
And happyheathen? Lighten up.
Did you have a bit too much caffeine lately, happyheathen? Nowhere in my post did I indicate a confusion with reality. I’m perfectly aware that figuring out how to fly a plane in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 is vastly different from doing it in real life.
The thing is…since I’m severely-to-profoundly deaf, I’ll never get a pilot’s license in real life. I wouldn’t stand a chance at hearing the air traffic control while flying a real airplane. So for me, FS2002 will have to suffice.
Atreyu,
The FAA does make provisions for cetificating deaf pilots.
http://www.faa.gov/AVR/afs/deaffaq.htm
There is also an international deaf pilots association.
<interrupting the squabbling & nitpicking>
I also own it. I’m also working on the private license. I agree that it’s a fun game, but happyheathen is right, it does very little to train you for flying an actual plane. It can be useful for instrument training, but little else, as most of the sensations just aren’t there.
Wow. I honestly didn’t know that they made such provisions.
Aren’t those simulations illegal now?
happyheathan: Don’t have a cow, man! OK it was a flippant remark I admit, and I totally accept what you say. Don’t worry I do know that reality and games are two entirely seperate things. 
Interesting stuff about the deaf pilots.
Note:
A license limiting a pilot to areas wherein no radio contact is required is of limitted use in the contiguous 48 - check your area before investing - ATC is just about everywhere.
Living under 1 Class B airspace and adjacent to 2 others, nordo (no radio) in not an option.
for giggles:
US airspace classification:
Do you mean because of 9/11?
I remember Microsoft removed their flight sim from the stores straight away, but (IIRC) that was in order to edit the World Trade Center from the game so that sick little puppies couldn’t recreate that event.
I also recall talk of banning flight sims, “Terrorists can learn how to fly in the comfort of their own homes” type stuff, but that seemed to be similar to the type of media hysteria that happens after school shootings.
C’mon, knowing how to fly FS would have to help if you were ever called upon to land a plane, wouldn’t it? Certainly not the jumbos, but just knowing about setting the flaps and what the glide slope lights are would be a great help to the guy sitting next to the recently expired pilot…