The picture shows my wife and I around 1990, a time when I didn’t know anything about computers. I’m 88 now and I use my PC a lot. As a teen in 1950, I took a few lessons on Cessna 110s or 120s at Montreal’s Cartierville Airport. No radios. The tower guys flashed red and green lights at the various aircraft. I stopped my lessons before I could solo, for some reason. Over the years, a friend who was a commercial pilot took me along a few times in the three or four private aircraft he owned and I enjoyed that greatly. This and several trips to Europe are the extent of my flying experience.
I was over 60 when I learned the existence of a flight simulator. This was around 1995 and I decided I had to have it but to do so I first had to buy a PC. Once I had one, I found learning to use it was extremely difficult. I started with Windows 3.1 as I recall, my first simulator was MFS 5.1 and I flew it with a keyboard and 14 inch screen. Meigs was the default airport and the scenery was blocky and sketchy, with solid colors only. Still, what a thrill it was!
Twenty-seven years later, I have a medium range Alienware PC, a yoke with a built-in throttle and a High Definition 70 inch screen and MSFS2020 feels very much like real life as far as I’m concerned. Programming an MCDU has almost become second nature, I enjoy starting the FBW A32NX Cold and Dark and preparing the AC with a Simbrief plan for a sixty or ninety minute flight, an eastbound flight at sunset if possible, as the changing colors then are so beautiful. I can’t believe the changes from the green conical mountains of MFS 5.1 to the scenery details, weather and aircraft systems complexity we have in the latest iteration. I’m looking forward to the improvements coming in MSFS’ announced 10-year development cycle although I don’t see how Asobo and MS can improve it all that much because, despite the glitches, it’s already excellent.