A common question I often receive has to do with maintaining solid FPS and overall performance within Microsoft Flight Simulator as time goes by. It’s true, even my beast of a PC tends to slow down over a period of time. I built my current gaming machine about a year ago and it performed well…
Flight Sim Tutorials
How to update Prepar3D–v4.5
Just less than a year ago, I wrote a similar tutorial when version 4.3 was released. I began that article with the words “There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding how to update Prepar3D”. While ten months may have passed, the confusion hasn’t. So as I stated before, I’m going to do my…
The Basics of VATSIM
I would like to dedicate this blog post to the memory of my dear mother who passed away suddenly a few weeks ago. As a young person, she always encouraged me to write and while she really had no clue what I blogged about here (most of the time), she still read my work. I…
Your First Study Level Aircraft
As a follow up to last weeks article on “Learning a Study Level Aircraft”, I thought I would follow it up with my recommendations for your first payware, study level aircraft purchase. Because not all virtual pilots are interested in jet tubeliners, I’m going to throw out two recommendations with the first being a GA…
Learning a Study Level Aircraft
This will serve as the introduction and first of a multi-part blog tutorial series for how I learn and fly sim aircraft that might be classified as the more complex, study-level, payware aircraft types. While some will argue that products developed by QualityWings, CaptainSim, Carenado, Aerosoft (just to name off a few) aren’t in the…
To Build or Buy your next Computer
As my readers will know, a few months ago I experienced a total PC meltdown/failure of my gaming PC. I went through my normal process of designing, acquiring parts and building my new gaming rig. I won’t deny that the timing of this build was not good, but it was necessary as I had no…
How to update Prepar3D
There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding the process of how to update Prepar3D. While the geniuses at Lockheed Martin have created a super easy to follow instruction manual, the confusion regarding this process seems to run rampant on social media. I’m not sure why really. Perhaps it’s the reluctance of reading the…
IFR versus VFR
Just for clarification, my blog articles are geared towards the new flight sim enthusiast. 2017 is “The Year of Flight Simulation”. With new and updated flight sim platforms from Lockheed Martin (Prepar3d v4), Laminar Research (X-Plane 11) and the new kid on the block Dovetail Games (Flight Sim World)…a lot of hype (very good hype)…
Flying the Heavies
Much of these early “How To” blog articles are dedicated to understanding some of the basic knowledge required, as we progress I’ll include some additional and more advanced “How To” information. At this time I’m assuming you are still very much new to the hobby of flight simulation. If you have been following my “How…
Your First Flight
A few weeks ago I shared with you all the choices you have available in the form of flight simulation software. While you certainly have many options, the majority of my experience and what I will discuss throughout these tutorials will be how it all relates back to Microsoft Flight Simulator/Prepar3D. Regardless of your choice,…