| When you think of a jet flight simulator, most | | | | any of the realistic landmarks found in the |
| people think of military fighter jets. This can also | | | | scenery of the game. |
| refer to civilian passenger jets as well. Either way, | | | | Another exciting possibility for jet flight simulator |
| though, the flight sim fanatic will have a great | | | | fans is the opportunity to practice landing on an |
| appreciation for getting in the cockpit and | | | | aircraft carrier. Landing on a carrier is described as |
| speeding down the runway toward unknown | | | | a "controlled crash," so you can imagine the |
| adventures. | | | | adrenaline rush! The carriers are equipped with |
| Some games are considered combat flight | | | | working catapults, arrester wires, and elevators |
| simulation because they are used to simulate | | | | to aide in the realism and excitement. |
| military aircraft and their operations. Jet flight | | | | There are five historical generations of fighter |
| simulator games that allow air-to-air battle usually | | | | jets and in a good jet flight simulator game, all |
| lack realism for the sake of the playability. They | | | | five generations should be represented. From the |
| don't focus on details of the plane or the cockpit, | | | | Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star of the first |
| but they give you the chance to shoot down | | | | generation to the Eurofighter Typhoon of the fifth |
| enemy planes. | | | | generation, there will be endless scenarios to |
| Then there are games that offer the accurate | | | | experience. |
| feel and look of the plane but no combat. With | | | | No jet flight simulator would be complete without |
| these types of games, you will be able to fly a | | | | the F-14 Tomcat, F-15 Eagle, the F-16 Fighting |
| number of different jets, taking off and landing at | | | | Falcon, and the F-18 Hornet. Other important |
| airports all over the world. You'll see the inside of | | | | choices would be the Douglas A4F Skyhawk, the |
| the cockpit with as close a resemblance to the | | | | Grumman A-6 Intruder, and the Dassault/Dornier |
| real thing as possible. | | | | Alpha Jet. All of these jets should come with |
| It is also possible to do aerial tricks and fly in | | | | accurate cockpits as well as interior and exterior |
| formations with the second type of game. You | | | | views. |
| have probably heard of the Blue Angels, a Navy | | | | If you use a joystick or yoke and throttle |
| flight demonstration squadron. They performed | | | | system with rudder pedals, a pretty accurate |
| first in 1946 and are the oldest flying aerobatic | | | | cockpit can be simulated. These accessories do |
| team. | | | | cost a little extra, but are not required, because |
| If you have jet flight simulator fanatical friends, | | | | you should be able to fly all of the aircraft using |
| you can hook up over a network and practice | | | | your computer keyboard. |
| together in formation. There's nothing more | | | | Even though there will be no G-forces felt, you |
| inspiring than when the fighter jets do a flyby at | | | | will never run out of possible scenarios to |
| an event. Maybe you could get a group of flight | | | | experiment with. With some research, you will be |
| sim junkies to come up with your own virtual | | | | able to discover which full-featured simulator |
| demonstration squadron for virtual flybys over | | | | software is perfect for you. |