opinions

[creator2003]

after reading around i read a post reguarding what do your friends and family think of your hobby ?
mine think its just a game ,and i dont even explan how its all done now to my friends as they just look blank at me and they start talking about the weather ( ha
i got all weather in my sim i say ) another blank look so i give up .
its hard sometimes to justafy all the hours that i spend on here ,
but just as it takes a month to just re install fs and addons properly it take time to do the rest
one hell of a hobby ..
mike

[Charl]

Yeah, you have to get it, to get it...
I've had people ask for a demo, and just drawn a complete blank.
Family especially fit in that category.

[ardypilot]

Most of my friends think FS is just a game- not many people understand how realistic simulation is these days.

My family tend to be the most understanding after listening to me waffle on about it all the time

[AlisterC]

Why do you think forums are so popular with simmers? Only a simmer can understand another simmer. I've pretty much given up talking to anyone about the life of a simulator pilot, they generally don't really care or understand it. To the average listener, it's just a game. I generally shy away from discussing flight sim from family members, and tell them more about things I do away from the computer desk

[Alex]

Yea, all of the above apply to me as well.

Alex

[bardos]

My wife is very happy that I do FS and not real fly (money you know )
And my friends don't understand when I told them that I was flying in Alaska with
Iron Mike from Oregon or talked with Toprob in NZ.
I suppose, they think I am ill.........

Max.

[toprob]

There's always an uncomfortable moment when I first tell people what I do for a living -- especially if I'm looking for access to an airport. Sometimes you see the light go on, but 'normal' folk just can't come to terms with it.
This makes me think that there must be a FS gene, those who have it recognise the concept immediately, even if they haven't come across it before. Those who don't have it will never understand.
I don't think it's inherited, though, because neither my siblings nor my children have it. My partner thinks I do it just to exclude her. Her thinking is that there are a millions things I could do for a living, why choose the one thing which automatically excludes women?

[Jimmy]

I was thinking the same thing toprob, not every one understands or likes this game, its like how some people have a love of flying for example and some people are scared of it lol
this isn't a game it a hobby.

Other children just think im stupid They think its boring and no fun at all.

My parants are glad im not playing a mindless playstation or something (so am i) but i am always getting told to get off my computer cause "i spend to much time on here", thats annoying. they don't understand I neeeeeed to be at my computer lol
I'm always going on about fligt sim to my family but not as much to other people.

People just think this is a kids game if not explained properly, but if you show them the realworld aproch chart you use theyl go "oooooooww " lol



James

[Zöltuger]

i find that people just immediately think that FS is boring. they just don't see any entertainment value in pretending fly planes without crashing/explosions/combat

[Codge]

There are plenty of women pilots,but you are quite right-you either get it or you don't. It is impossible to know but lets say one of us was in a flight 93 situation-both pilots killed and some dead terrorists too in this case,your family (and everyone on board) is freaking as there is no pilot so you turn to your loved ones and tell them "think I'll go play my little game now OK" They look back and say "you go for your life and all our lives"

[creator2003]

yes thats another tread there,(do you think you could if you needed too? )lol
i think i mite be able to get it to the runway but the landing would be ruff ,if not deadly ,but i would have been glad to have at lest tryed .
and the knowleage here and on the simulator would be priceless
i would love to here the story on the news it would be movie material
(man lands 747 with 300 plus on board with only simulator training at home )
wife has new understanding

[Zöltuger]

do you think you could if you needed too?

the modern heavy jet is so sophisticated that it can land itself with very little input. a smaller aircraft could be a bit different, or maybe a helicopter....

even so, i've always thought about what i would do if i was the only 'qualified' pilot on board an aircraft with no pilots. you'd need someone to talk to you down on the ground, so maybe get in control with centre to find a frequency? then you could just use the autopilot and get vectored to an appropriate runway. the ground staff could walk you through where the switches in the cockpit are for landing checklists etc.

chances are though, that there will be a more experienced pilot on board, or whatever killed the pilots would kill everyone else (like that 737 in Greece that crashed recently- the one where they all froze to death). would be an experience of a lifetime though...

[Codge]

Well yes ahh you are both quite right,modern jets have full autoland and all but my question really is who on board is the best person to kill us all? At least ATC and you would know what each other is talking about.Could I if I had to? That is a question best answered by saying if I had a clue or two and everyone else had none then I would give it my best shot.If I live-yes,if I don't-no. ATC would work out all your weights and approach speeds and you would fly around for ages to land with minimum fuel so you'd practice nailing a good decent rate and speed and all that.Time in our sims would pay off in familiarity with the cockpit and procedures, flaps and spoilers,knowing to keep airspeed.I think a novice would probably stall it trying to go slow treating it like a car.Doug who sold us the FS stuff spent 4 hours in the 737 sim at Tauranga and said to me because of his skills with the PMDG 737 it was no problem.These flight Experience sims are the real deal so yeah I rate myself,I'd rather be responsible for my own death than rely on some air hostess wouldn't you?

[Codge]

Sorry to double post but I just remembered an incident when my 60yr old mother and I were coming in to land at CHCH in a 737, P*ssing with rain very bumpy ride and obviously a decent crosswind too,good exciting stuff for us guys,but the old dear was petrified.She'd been on the 737 enough times to know that things were not happening like they always had before.Anyway we would have been about 100 feet off the ground,mum gripping her armrest and me as hard as she could,and yells out "we're going too fast",all the people around us instantly grab their seats for dear life and I tell Mum to go and tell the pilot she'll land the plane.I had just enough time to say 'its OK mum we need a faster approach speed in turbulant weather as the main gear kisses the runway and the plane is lurching left and right,finally straightens then the reverse thrusters kick in and everyone starts breathing again.

[Jimmy]

It is impossible to know but lets say one of us was in a flight 93 situation-both pilots killed and some dead terrorists too in this case,your family (and everyone on board) is freaking as there is no pilot so you turn to your loved ones and tell them "think I'll go play my little game now OK" They look back and say "you go for your life and all our lives

Haha wouldn't that be kool! Not that it would be a good thing but it would be neat.
"13 year old lands passenger airliner!" our sims are so realistic thow and we know how to work the ap and that can fly a wholeapproch hmmm what fun.
I don't think id ever be told im wasting time infront of my computer again! lol

I'd rather be responsible for my own death than rely on some air hostess wouldn't you?

HAHA a air hostess lol ud probably find theres a real pilot just passangering on the flight. Im sure many of you could easily land a if you had help from atc and things. Like its all computerized in those planes ,With things like the PMDG 744 ..knowing how the systems work thats most of the trouble, imagine a air hostess trying to use the FMC lol

[Zöltuger]

mum gripping her armrest and me as hard as she could,and yells out "we're going too fast",all the people around us instantly grab their seats for dear life

bahahahahaha!!

[Alex]

Yea, once you get to know all the procs you should be fine .

Alex

[ZK-LGD]

Howdy,

what do your friends and family think of your hobby ?

You mean I'm supposed to have friends?

Several have their PPL, so that's not an issue.

My partner loved the arcade flying in "Crimson Skies" and then had a go at Combat Flight Sim 2, but discovered it wasn't her cup o' tea. Rather, she enjoys: "Civ 3", "Age of Empires", Sid Myers "Pirates", or "Total War: Shogun".

All in all, they're all very understanding.

[Snowman]

Family wise, theyre all understanding in my house. My 2 boys fly in FS-9 and CFS-3 on their computers, and the wife has made quite a few flights on my computer. I must say, she does rather well. Getting off the ground, and the actual flying is no problem to her, even her approaches are surprisingly good, but she just doesnt seem to be able to get a handle on getting the plane on the ground without bending it !! Oh well, practice makes perfect.................. She has just been watching me take a flight from Wellington to Christchurch in my N.A.C. Viscount 800. Now shes playing Roller Coaster TYcoon 3 on her puter. She decided she doesnt want to fly the Viscount, reckons its toooo much of a handfull........

[squirrel350]

I have been reading all your posts on this subject and I have to agree with you all it is such a waste of time trying to explain flight sim and its concept to any one who doesnt enjoy aviation