We all have them, we all make them, throughout our lives, throughout our careers and I am no different. For me two are essential, one out of my control, one less so. So as I have written 3,650 articles I have adjusted myself a few times. I do not hold ‘evidence’ in possession. Like you I am largely depending on the media giving us the truth, preferably presenting the news without referring to it as ‘entertainment’, I reckon they do this to make themselves less liable and hide behind their own (can I call this) stupidity. Over the decades (and 3650 articles) I have grown a certain healthy dislike to Microsoft. They largely did this to themselves, they lack innovation, they employ whatever spin engine they can get a hold of and that is merely the beginning. I had a few encounters with them (largely professionally) and from that a certain view was grown. But I too have to adjust myself. In gaming my first encounter with Microsoft was 1985 (or there about). I had just bought my Commodore 64 (with 1541 disk drive) and it set me back $1,500 which was a lot of money in 1985. One of the first things I bought was the Flight Simulator 2 for $149. It came with a massive manual and 4 maps and one 360KB floppy.
This is what I saw in the first instance (I had no screenshot of Chicago) and it was amazing. A almost setting of high tech fly by wire on a CBM64 and Microsoft made it possible for only $149. Now, of course my view is adjusted (a lot) and it does not have the pull and appeal it had in 1985. But the ‘magic’ was there. And Microsoft didn’t stop there. Almost a week ago I saw (at https://youtube.com/shorts/Aw22TS573Jo?si=NrKuT1pzmLrQm3OQ), I actually saw another landing but the gist of it is clear. They came a long way from 1985 and at present (as I see it) the difference between real life and the FS2024 is close to zero. Yes you can see certain ‘irregularities’ when getting over the houses around LAX, but I was just amazed how close to real it was.
Now, I get that the opinion of a real pilot and a real fan of flight simulators might have an opinion that is different from me, but I am not a pilot and I reckon that my opinion does not carry any weight (it really does not), but when you consider that this program is now $129 you get 40 years of evolution and pay $20 less. And I say that this is almost as good as it gets (flying for real might be better).
This is one Microsoft actually got right and that needs to be said too. OK, I get that some will say that the Microsoft tally system (Excel) is a good product as well, I do not deny this, I merely think that too many think it is the bees knees and that is a slight exaggeration.
But there is no denying that the FS2024 is for a lack of better terms the Apex predator of Flight simulators. There is no requirement to adjust my views here. They got that right and it shows from the very first moment that this product is shown. So whilst the actual Microsoft haters will call this a rubbish version. I am not one of them. I saw several YouTube videos and the setting is clear. There is no competition against the FS2024. I reckon that the pentagon will not be able to throw any simulator our way (optionally merely with military vehicles, know as jets) to show that they are better then whatever Microsoft has to offer, they will fail.
I am not a simulator fan, as far as I know I never was any good at it, but that doesn’t matter. The options we see now outstrips whatever they had in 1985 and as far as I could tell, it is mere millimeters from the actual experience of flying, some reporter dude named Clark Kent says I am making over the top statements, but this is where I stand and in light of what is about to come I had the cleanse the pallet. So have a great day as I am now crossing into Thursday, 3 hours behind Wellington.
Lawrence van Rijn - Law Lord to be 