Here’s a thesis: I think the current crisis for many consumers, especially those double-hit in the US (bad dollar AND bad economy), may be GOOD for the Flightsim Industry. After all the possibility of real flying becomes more distant again for many, having to watch their Dollars (AND Euros!) more carefully, so the next best thing is FS! I just read that Cirrus Aircraft is reducing their 4-days working week to a 3-day one, and they won’t be alone! As soon as we still make a few bucks, and continue to have affordable Internet, we’ll download great add-ons and fly on-line ! And you can meet your fellow pilots on the simFlight Forums of course!
At least gas has dropped here to $2.46 a gallon compared to $3.80
before Ike had all the scalpers going. Rebuilt a new system with a E8500, Visiontek 4070, and 4gb ram, and a Saitek switchbox, system runs great for X-Plane, FS9, and FSX. Hey as a teacher I am not worried about the economy. Money may be tight, and when they can’t spend it they will make kids that I will be teaching. And I’ll still be simming.
A lot of pilots use FS – retired or active. One of the reasons is that while a real world airline pilot may get to fly a B757 into O’Hare every day, they don’t get to fly a helicopter around Tokyo, or a DHC Beaver around Africa… But they can in the sim. I suspect, unfortunately, that the global financial problems will cost the real world GA community a lot more members as well. A few of them might keep up their skills to a certain extent, or just enjoy flying around, in the sim. Ian P. (CAA PPL/IMC –… Read more »
But ..wouldnt recreational pilots that are a bit short of cash and can no longer fly (or have reduced their hours) be interested in using flight sim? I know of a few that do – although they did that before the economic crisis hit
“I also can’t imagine professional pilots who will lose or already lost their jobs in the airliner business will instead “play” around with PC flight simulators at home” i know many retired pilots from air company that fly on fsworld now. Fly it’s a drug.
no worries – I am pragmatic about things like that – besides, it gives me more time to become a better painter…