There is no denying that flying airplanes is one expensive past time. And there is also no doubt that in an economic downturn, flying can be out of the question for many people, unless you already happen to fly airplanes as a career.
So what is the next best thing to actually piloting a real aircraft, such as the Cessna 172?
Flying a Cessna simulator!
The Cessna simulator computer software programs that are widely available today are so realistic and so authentic, that it can truly be said that piloting a simulator aircraft is absolutely no different than piloting the real deal, in almost every respect.
As a matter of fact, there are 5 reasons why flight simulators are highly regarded as the next best thing to actually piloting a real aircraft:
- The controls of the simulator are identical to those in a real aircraft.
- The responsiveness of the simulator is identical to the responsiveness of the aircraft.
- The way the aircraft reacts to external forces, like wind, temperature, and precipitation is replicated precisely in a simulation.
- The way the aircraft responds to internal forces, such as weight, center of gravity, and G-forces is identical between the simulator and real life.
- The virtual flight simulator “world” that you can fly in, with all its airports and landmarks, is based off of actual cartographic data.
It can truly be said that flying a simulator aircraft is quite literally the very next best thing to flying the real life version of that aircraft.