After Hours – Microsoft Flight Simulator 4

Installation is simple and undemanding, needing only 384K of free memory and being able to run on all screen resolutions from CGA to VGA. The programme does not work with some terminate and stay resident programmes, but I had no trouble loading and running it with standard devices such as a mouse driver, QEMM and Smartdrive.

MFS4 takes a conventional approach to flight training. The programme comes with a comprehensive manual that describes the installation process and then proceeds with some very basic information on how the controls affect the flight of an aircraft.

When first loaded, the programme presents the operator pilot with a standard view of a Cessna 182RG instrument panel, holding at the threshold of runway 36 at Meigs Field, Chicago. This graphic has become something of an icon in the computer world and is often seen in advertisements as demonstrating the true IBM compatibility of an IBM computer clone.

One of the most challenging design factors for computer based flight simulators is the restricted field of view offered by the screen. In a real aircraft, a wide field of view, plus peripheral vision, is an important part of the control interface between the pilot and machine. As we shall see in coming reviews, flight simulator manufacturers offer different solutions to this fundamental problem.

MFS4 has a unique approach. Three “windows” are offered and these may be turned on or off, zoomed, sized and placed anywhere on the screen. The first and second windows offer different views of the aircraft which can be cycled using the S key. Options include a conventional view through the wind-screen, a view from the tower and from behind the aircraft. By customising these views using the very comprehensive menu system, I was able to obtain a “radio control model” view, although there is a slight bug in the display that causes instrument readings to break though the picture graphic as they are updated. Watching the gear come up and down from outside the aircraft was fascinating, but the picture of the Cessna stalling then crashing on downwind had a strangely disturbing effect.

The third window offers a map looking from above the aircraft, and I use this to overcome the orientation problem that is inherent with a small field of view. This map view can be placed anywhere on the screen. I place it either on the top right of the windscreen or over the section of the instrument panel used for frequencies. To select the map tap the Num Lock key once, to turn it off make two quick taps of the same key. Once any window is selected with a single tap, the + and -keys are used to zoom the view to a useful scale. Using this method, it is easy to scale the map to remain oriented throughout a right circuit over the water from Meigs.

The other method of orientation is to change the view direction. A tap on the [ key selects the windscreen view, then Scroll Lock is followed by the keypad number corresponding to the desired direction for the view. This sounds complicated and it is in practice, giving a clumsy approach to viewing. Since the process is very distracting, I prefer using the map window for orientation. A preferable method is to have pan controls- I would reserve the <>keys to pan to the left and right, just like swivelling your head.

The other controls operate very convincingly. I use the excellent CH Flightstick which has in built trims, and the simulator software will recognise the in built throttle on the joystick if you select this option from the menu. As the stick moves, telltales on the instrument panel show the control deflections, followed by a change in the attitude of the aircraft, indicated by movement of the horizon in the windscreen.

The sensitivity of each flight control can be set using the menu, and a default set saved so that it is loaded with the simulator. I could not save the position of the map screen or the throttle selection on the joystick, and after a crash, these parameters had tobe manually reset and the map repositioned. The artificial horizon and the turn indicator are sufficiently accurate to fly on instruments, if the other performance instru- ments are used. In this simulator, there is no need for maps across the windscreen to simulate instrument conditions, just a double tap on the first window control, the [ key, and the windscreen turns grey. If you do this inadvertently, it is very disorienting, and there is a scramble to turn the window back on or struggle with flight using only the instruments! Once simple circuits have been mastered, you can be more adventurous. The documentation includes general maps of the area and airfield approach and layout charts. Using these and the map window, you can practice cross country navigation. I like to show off by flying up to O’Hare and landing using the strobe guiding lights to find the duty runway. There is even an ATIS service if you wish to use it. If you turn the moving scenery option on, when you land you can taxi around the airfield and look at the airliners complete with boarding ramps, plus dodge the fuel trucks! This option is also useful for procedural training, as you taxi to the threshold and hold if there is traffic on finals.

Flying down south to Champaign Illinois, allows you to practice ILS approaches. The aircraft has the standard needle

Scoring a PC Based Flight Simulator

There are so many flight simulators on the market that most people simply cannot afford to buy them all. There is an additional factor in a purchase decision – the currently offered versions are now so complete that it takes many hours to master and fully explore just one simulation. If time and/or money is short, then it is helpful to have some measure of the worth of a particular piece of simulator software.

Over the coming issues, several leading flight simulators will be reviewed. The sequence of articles will try to find a balance between introducing people to the excitement of flight simulation on one hand and examining the latest and greatest on the other. There has been so much progress in the field over the past year that a newcomer can be dazzled and eventually discouraged by the variety and complexity of current offerings. Sometimes, it is better to work through a training programme in order to get “up to speed” with the current technology in terms of both software and hardware.

While the simulations reviewed here all run on an IBM compatible PC, flight simulators are available for most types of computer, the Amiga being a good example. The manufacturers often “port” the simulation onto several hardware platforms, keeping the game differences between the different types of computers as small as possible.

Five factors will be assessed for each simulation reviewed: training, controls, reality, complexity and excitement.

Training refers to the ability of the simulation to successfully introduce a new person to the simulation. The process starts with the installation procedure which should be able to cope with a variety of equipment configurations for an IBM compatible PC. Next, the trainee should be led through an enjoyable process of learning how to “fly” the aircraft. Simulation producers have different strategies to cope with this challenge.

Sometimes extensive paper documentation is provided. Demonstration modes are often used where the computer “flys” the aircraft though a mission. “Quickstart” procedures allow the new pilot to become airborne in an instant. Training missions are frequently used, where collisions with other objects or hits by missiles do not result in termination of the game. Many flight simulations offer several of these facilities and training measures how effective the process is.

Controls are very important, especially to aircrew used to flying real aircraft. All computer based flight simulators are a compromise, since there is only one central processing unit to handle all the computational tasks. For flight controls to be smooth, the processor must “hit” the keyboard/mouse/joystick many times per second to read the control inputs. The results must be shown as an instant change to the graphics on the screen, which is also a non trivial task.

At the same time, the simulation must keep track of the aircraft’s position, missiles in flight, other aircraft, strategic changes and so on. In some games, there is a bewildering array of events taking place. If the game is not well crafted, the controls and displays are “lumpy” and the simulation becomes difficult and frustrating to operate. A good set of controls gives a silky smooth response, just like the real world.

Reality is the ability of the simulation to give you the impression that you are really there. The best measures are physiological. If the situation is tense, does your heart rate rise and do your palms become sweaty? Do you see the simulation as a real aircraft in a real situation where you are completely unaware of the existence of the screen and keyboard? Several games have different modes, starting with “easy to fly” and ending with impressively difficult “authentic” settings. As you progress and master the complexities of the simulation, stepping up levels of difficulty increases the sense of reality.

Complexity is an essential marketing feature of the latest crop of simulations. After completing the training missions, many simulators offer a set of scenarios such as local wars in the Panama/Persian Gulf/Korea/Indonesia/Europe region etc. (The Gulf War was a godsend to simulation producers, offering a set of scenarios that individuals have seen presented live on television and in specialist media such as Australian Aviation. ) In addition to locations, systems are modelled with different degrees of complexity, including the range of weapons on offer, how they are carried, fired and flown to the target. Some simulations allow the operator to control both the strategy and the tactics. Complexity is a boon to an operator, but often comes at the expense of a steep training curve and sluggish response.

Excitement is simple – the simulation should be entertaining. However, there are different types of excitement. Some of the simulations give a tremendous rush of adrenaline and are tense, gripping and serious to play. That’s excitement. Others are best played with a friend over a couple of beers on a wet Saturday afternoon, where taking turns at operating or flying head to head produces cheers with success and howls of derision at failures. That’s also excitement. Each game tends to have a “personality” that exhibits a degree of excitement of one type or another.

Clearly, each of these factors effects others to some degree. For example, complexity is often a compromise with both training and controls, but may contribute to reality and excitement. The challenge to the companies writing the software is to craft the simulation to provide a mix that, while it may be a compromise, is also the optimum that can be squeezed from the current computing technology.

Ratings are awarded for each of the factors. The rating scale is: 1 Crippled – should never have left the shop 2 Barely acceptable- below the state of the art 3 Below average – but may be compensated by other factors 4 Acceptable score -4’s in each category is sound 5 Above average – with an edge on competitive offerings 6 Wow, Wow-this is a factor you will show your friends 7 Stupendous may buy for this factor alone.

Some of the factors have different importance. While most people will agree on the rating of each of the factors, the weighting will depend a lot on personal preference. You should decide what your weighting for each factor will be, then produce your personal simulation score by multiplying ratings by your own weighting.

The weighting scale is: 1 Ignore this factor when deciding to buy 2 Relevant to the simulation 3 Consider this factor as contributing to the simulation 4 Important to rate well in this area 5 Necessary for the simulation to work for you 6 Major consideration for the simulation 7 Overriding factor to a purchase decision Having decided on the rating and weighting, scores are calculated, firstly by multiplying the ratings by the weighting for each factor, then adding the result to get a total score. Consider the score for the following simulation:

A sound game with average weighting will produce a “five by four by four score, ie 80 points. This is just a reference point, and you should consider the effects of your personal preference weighting. For example, my personal preference weighting are shown above and with a “four” rating for each factor, a good quality simulation will produce a score of 12+24+ 16 +12+20 84. The hypothetical Ace of Aerospace simulation shown above is presented as a little weak in some areas, leading to a below average total score.

If you are purchasing flight simulations from a games shop, request assistance. Ask the staff what they like to play, and for their opinions. They can often refer you to another person who can give independent advice on the merits of one flight simulator over another. The simulation companies usually have a demonstration package that you can view in the shop, and running this, plus a peek at the manuals, often gives a good indication of the worth of a simulation package.

based VOR instrumentation, and you select the frequency and radial either from the keyboard or with the mouse. DME and ADF are both offered, with the DME giving either the distance from a selected nav station, or the relative ground speed. In short, there are sufficient navigation instruments to undertake a complete instrument training course. One disturbing feature is a flight into O’Hare, as the marker beacons bleep at you on finals, causing a rapid cockpit scan to find the cause of the sound.

Each time you master one level of settings, you can make life harder for yourself by selecting options while you are in full reality mode. Initially, the rudder and ailerons are coupled, but these can be set as separate controls. Lights, strobe, magnetos, carby heat can all be turned on and off, and the reliability of engines and instruments can be adjusted, forcing you to react to random failures.

You can choose your own environment, including the season, the time of day, clouds and wind. These settings each add another dimension to the overall reality of the simulation. For example, if you wish to practice crosswind landings, set up the wind, turbulence and clouds on the surface and at height, then fly over to Midway which offers several runway directions. A crosswind circuit with turbulence tests even the most skilled pilot.

MFS4 allows you to choose different types of aircraft- you can even design one yourself, right down to the colours. Choosing a Learjet ups the ante in pilotage stakes, and with the greater power, slower engine response, faster speeds and increased inertia, you need to watch the gauges like a hawk to avoid a stall, followed by a flick and dive into the ground.

For fun, I like to fly the Schweizer 2-32 sailplane over a ridge near the Golden Gate Bridge. Wind aloft is about and there are updrafts, downdrafts and thermals modelled. Coming in to land, you need to allow for the wind as penetration on finals is quite difficult at 50 !mots if you are mentally expecting zero wind at low levels.

Some of the more bizarre options include crop dusting and a combat scenario in which you fly a Sopwith Camel, drop bombs and fight against similar fighter aircraft. In comparison with other simulators, this mode is quite crude, but its inclusion in a flight simulator of this type is quite remarkable. Other options include a formation aerobatic ride around the buildings·ot Chicago, or landings on the aircraft carrier Nimitz. You can even fly through an empty hangar

The longevity and degree of reality provided by this finely crafted piece of software has resulted in a large after-market for additions to supplement the core capabilities. While much of the scenery of North America is covered, there are also scenery discs available for many other places in the world, including Sydney and Melbourne. These additions allow a budding aviator to take off from Bankstown, shoot a few circuits and ILS approaches at Sydney, depart and fly on instruments to Melbourne and return- all for the cost of about one flying hour! Other options include more detailed design of scenery and aircraft, and special hardware to provide more realistic flight controls though the use of a yoke and rudders. Overall, Microsoft Flight Simulator 4. 0 is an excellent piece of work Through progressive upgrades, it has kept pace with developing computer hardware and has new features demanded by an increasingly discerning clientele. While in the excitement stakes it falls a little short of some of the adrenaline-pumping war games now available, it is a first class tool for aviators who need to keep in touch with their craft while flying less hours than they might like or can afford.

Now for the scores (refer box for explanations): Microsoft Flight Simulator Version 4. 0 As you can see, the ratings show a solid performance in all areas, as you would expect from a work that has been progressively refined. There are no world beating features, nor are there any crippling weaknesses. In short, it is a workman-like effort from Microsoft, and a valuable tool every PC based aviator should own.