Soar through the sky and explore anywhere in the world in today's airplane simulators. Whether you are an avid gamer, a professional pilot or an aspiring pilot, they can provide you with real-world experience like none other. Airplane simulators will save you a substantial amount of money during your flight training. The most advanced training facilities in the world use airplane simulators for training professional pilots from both the airline and corporate worlds. An airplane simulator makes it affordable for pilots to gain the skills necessary in the “aircraft” without the outrageous expense of renting an airplane, or buying one, and paying for fuel in that airplane.
I am going to give you the knowledge necessary to build your own airplane simulator that will take you to the next level. With today's technology, there is no better time to experience the world of flight right from your living room. The following products that I will recommend later in this article are ones that I personally own and have tested myself.
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The Brains of the Airplane Simulator – Click the Images for Complete Details
To start with, you will want a gaming computer that can handle running an airplane simulator. If you don't have the money to spend on an expensive gaming computer, don't stress. Most of today's simulators can run on any relatively newer computer. However if you want to operate these simulators at their best capability, with the most detail, you will need a powerful computer with lots of memory, a fast processor, and the best video graphics card you can get.
I personally own an IBuyPower desktop gaming computer, it's sole purpose is to run my airplane simulator. IBuyPower has a range of prices for their gaming computers but overall I have seen that even their lower priced computers do a great job because they have upgraded processors, memory and video graphics cards that are designed specifically for gaming. IBuyPower does not have their own laptop brand but there are many other companies that do sell gaming specific laptops, like Alienware, so you can decide which one best fits your needs. The desktop computer will usually have more USB ports and plug in features but is less mobile. The laptop is more desirable if you plan to easily take it with you to different locations. Click the images below to see the complete details of each recommended computer.
The Top Airplane Simulators – Click the Images
My all time favorite flight simulators are Microsoft Flight Simulator and Xplane 11/12. Microsoft Flight Simulator has always paved the way with it's exceptional graphics and Xplane 11/12 has done a phenominal job creating some of the most realistic and fully functional cockpits in the gaming world. An aviation enthusiast or the professional pilot can both appreciate the extremely advanced and realistic simulators. Fly a large variety of commercial airliners, tail draggers, single engine piston airplanes, multi engine airplanes, turbo prop airplanes, military fighter jets, helicopters, and so many more. Xplane offers a free trial to get started and it is well worth your time to check it out. Both can be purchased and downloaded online. Get started and play today!
The Magnificent Visual World of a Flight Simulator! – Click the Images
Lets get real for a minute. The computer is cool, the flight controls give you the feeling of the aircraft being in your hands, but there is just nothing like a spectacular visual experience when it comes to simulators. There are a few ways to accomplish the task of immersing yourself into the world of flight. I love all the experiences! The first way is to project the flight simulator through an actual HD projector or multiple TV monitors. High definition projectors can give you a screen as large as 450″. This can be a lot of fun especially if you have friends that like to come over and watch you while you are gaming. It can bring friends and family together.
The next way to immerse yourself is with multiple TV monitors linked together through the airplane or helicopter simulator. My suggestion is to purchase 3 or more of the same type TV's so that there are no differences in color or appearance. You can set them up on a large desk or buy swivel wall mounts to make them look legit. Make sure that they are high quality and HDMI capable (The ones I have listed here are capable). Use a high quality gold plated HDMI cable between the screens and the computer. You can then set up the display mode within the flight simulator to display on however many monitors you have set up.
The final way is my absolute favorite!!! This is the Virtual Reality option. Virtual Reality (VR) places you in the actual airplane cockpit! With Xplane 11, you find yourself standing in a giant aircraft hangar in front of a display screen. You use your hands to select from your main menu. Deciding what airplane you want to fly, where in the world you want to explore and what weather conditions you want to experience. It is by far the most incredible way to fly the globe. I personally own the Oculus Rift VR and have enjoyed the many flights I have completed with it. The HTC Vive is said to be compatible as well but I have not personally tried it with my home airplane simulator. Turning my head to see 360 degrees around me and having all my controls and switches working inside my virtual world, makes for a breath-taking experience. What else is nice about purchasing the VR is it eliminates the need to buy any other controls except rudder peddles. Click the images below to see the complete details of each recommended product.
Required Flight Controls and Extras – Airplane Simulator
Flight controls in an airplane consist of a yoke for pitching the airplane forward and back and rolling from side to side. The rudder pedals control the yaw motion moving the nose both left and right. If you decide that VR is not what you are looking for then making a physical cockpit as real as possible is your way to go. Each added piece of equipment to your home simulator will give you a more realistic feel and create a better way to train or enjoy soaring around your virtual universe. Each of these Flight Controls and Extra devices are mostly just plug and play. You can also connect an Ipad with Electronic Flight Book capabilities (like Foreflight) to your simulator to give you actual GPS and flight information from the simulator. Now that you have all the information you need, get started today! If you are interested in learning how to become a pilot for free, check out my article Life-Changing Pilot Training Scholarships You Can't Afford to Miss. Or if you decide to invest your money into an actual airplane DO NOT miss this article on 10 Devastating Things to Avoid when dealing with Airplanes for Sale. Click the images below to see what they are used for and their capabilities with your airplane or helicopter flight simulator.
