Does anyone (after using / playing FS) have the bug to go and learn in real life even the most basic flight certificate, here in Australia the basic course is the RA-Aus Pilot Certificate where upon successful completion of the course you can fly alone in a single aircraft around 25 nms of your aerodrome. I definitely got the bug to try a real life flight and my local airport offers “discovery flights” in a Sling 2 for a 1 hour flight which I am seriously considering having a go to see what it is like.
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It has crossed my mind to go do a discovery flight to have a real world frame of reference to my VR sim experience.
I may do that myself one day. Don’t think I can afford to take up the real flying hobby myself, but a single discovery flight I could do and may do at some point.
Oh for sure, since I started playing Ive looked into getting my own pilots license. Sadly its just not in the budget rn.
Also, should this be moved to the bug section? lol
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completely normal
I hope they don’t ever fix this one
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I did it. I’ve spent my career in aviation and flew sims on and off over the decades. I’d wanted to be a pilot when I was a teenager, but my poor eyesight was a barrier back then. Finally being able to fly believable VFR in MSFS2020 pushed me over the edge a couple of years ago. I started my PPL last year and finished it this past spring. I can’t afford to fly as much as I’d like to (flying MSFS is still the best value), but finally ticking that goal off my “bucket list” was worth it for me.
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wow congratulations! wonderful outcome thanks to a software program / game !
Bug, SQUASHED!
It took almost 30 years of simming to finally do it… but better late than never?
Got my Private Pilot’s License a couple months ago at the spry age of 49.
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I am very similar to others in this topic, started MSFS in 1988, when I was 16 took a discovery flight because of it. Several false starts over the years, Wasn’t until 2021, and age 47 I got my private cert and purchased a C152. All because of MSFS.
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I’ve been using FS since it first came out in the 80’s. Always dreamed about being able to pilot a real airplane but kept putting it off. Finally, at the age of 49, I went for it and have my PPL. Currently belong to a flying club and have access to a 172M, 177B Cardinal, PA28-180 Cherokee and a 182 Skylane. The simulator absolutely helped my training IRL. I had an understanding of all the instruments and procedures. What I had to learn was the actual feel of the controls and being up in the air with the currents and turbulence. My very first training flight my instructor let me take off and land without input from him. He said he’s never seen that before and thought I was playing a prank on him. “No way you’ve never flown a plane before.” Soloed at 5 hours, got my certificate at 44 hours. Learning every flight.
I enjoy FS even more now as it continues to assist me with planning real life flights.
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FS 3/4, amongst others gave me the bug several decades ago, then I got my certificates. MSFS2020 re-gave me the big after quite a bit of time out of the cockpit and I got current and added ground instructor certificates. It’s pretty impressive and it’s fun to see how many others it has inspired, past and present.
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Simming in general has had a big impact on my life. When I was younger, I was that guy who annoyed everyone around him because he just wouldn’t shut up about airplanes. I knew I couldn’t fly for a living because of my eyes (well, I could have flown as a bush pilot, but my dad who was a bush pilot said “not no, but hell no!”), so I went off and studied engineering at university. When I graduated, there weren’t many engineering jobs to be had in aviation, but I managed to get one of the few that there were. I’ve always attributed that to my rabid love of aircraft and in part to playing MSFS. It taught me the “language” of aviation and things about aviation that you don’t learn in school. That let me set myself apart from my classmates, and gave me the leg up I needed.
I did. But for me it was about 41 years ago.
For some time it was just a low level itch. Then, maybe as FS got better, it was something I just had to do.
A few things came together and I moved from Germany to California where the PPL was about 1/3 of the price. I added a few ratings and quite a few different aircraft types over about 2500h.
Now I am back in Germany, only flying occasionally with a colleague, and in MSFS 
If you can get a local introductory flight, do it. Who knows what comes out of it.
Yes now at age 48 I have more time and $$$ to think of doing something like this, I am semi retired and that is what the thought of this has come up, have been playing flight sim since FS98 when I got the bug, FS has help me tremendously in knowing about aviation etc, however I have a slight apprehension about flying, like I think what will happen if the engine cuts out, what happens if I turn the aircraft too far left or right and end up in a deadly spin, then there is the thought of learning stalls and incipient spins which raises the hair on my back but mainly what bothers me if the engine cuts out in the Sling 2 (which will be the aircraft I will learn in for my pilots certificate), then the motivation to hit the books and learn all that theory lol
I would say it is smart to have respect for the dangers that are always there. Then think about the things you can do to prevent them from ruining your day.
Some of them however are beyond your powers. So the only thing you can do is to be as prepared as possible.
Failures of the aircraft itself are rare. Maintenance is key. But even the best maintained aircraft can have a bad day. Our Archer did … because of a single point failure item that had not yet been replaced…but was on order. The engine died, but she was nice enough to wait until we were almost in the pattern at home base. I landed just like I had in so many practice emergencies with my CFI (some of them I thought at the time were overkill) and coasted off the active runway. I did need a smoke after that one though.
Stalls,Spins etc are really not that big of a deal…practice practice practice. Knowing what your aircraft can and can not do. Find out when you are prepared for it and then fly the airplane so you have a margin.
I have no experience with the Sling…but I am fairly sure it is no different than any other airplane. You need to learn how to fly it properly and you will be safe.
Take the MU-2 or the Bonanza. Both aircraft had terrible reputations for killing pilots. But it was not the airplanes fault. Better type-specific training, also taking into account the type of pilot flying, made both types basically disappear from the accident list.
A well maintained airplane, a good CFI and a pilot (you) who understands the limitations is all you need.
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Ok I took my “discovery flight” yesterday and I enjoyed it and now want to go get my RPC. However a few things I notice is that the turbulence got me unsettled when we went through the bumps even though the day was clear and calm up at 1000 feet it was quite bumpy. My instructor stated it is due to hot are rising and causing the turbulence. The other this is I cannot believe how totally different it is flying IRL than compared to the flight simulator. Sorry to say but playing FS is like a toy plane compared to the real thing and the MAIN reason for this is because of the actual forces / bumps / movements etc one experiences in real life. Playing at home you are just sitting there and you will never experience the forces on your body.
So this turbulence thing is something I need to overcome (anyone have any tips on how to overcome this fear?) as I was quite fearful at times. Anyways here is the video of the flight - it was a beautiful VFR day.
That sounds like a recreational pilots license in Canada.
Meanwhile it’s been my lifelong dream to get my Private Pilots license, and I am just starting it now. While flight sim wasn’t the catalyst, it certainly has invigorated my resolve. :).
Yes RPC stands for recreational pilot certificate, basically can file solo up to 25 nm from base airport - no passengers.
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I do not have a remedy for upset stomachs due to turbulence. Turbulence is part of flight…can happen any day or night and has many different causes.
But depending on the area, and your license you may be able to fly when those causes are diminished or not existent. For example evening hours vs late afternoon etc.
But on a first flight many new things contribute to the body being a little out of “normal” operating parameters. So after just one flight I would not give too much thought to that.
And of course, FS can only reproduce part of what flying is. You also don’t get the smells that come with flying ….the good and the bad 
Awesome man! My story is a lot like yours.
(Careful though… the trolls will accuse you of not landing on your first flight, either.)
But we know. 
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I’d give it another shot, preferably not on a turbulent day, and maybe cooler?
I took a Discovery Flight 4 years ago and nearly puked. It was hot & bumpy and most importantly I was not at the controls.. I SWORE I would NEVER go back up.
Wellll, as the topic goes, the bug wouldn’t stop biting me. 2 years & a bunch of simming later, I went back up, was at the controls the majority of the time and now have my Private Pilot’s Certificate!!