I’ll add one more point. Before I got my PPL, I spent a lot of time in Falcon 4. When I started flying with an online group that changed everything. What really made it fun was when we flew like real pilots, by the book, full mil-sim ops every day. It wasn’t a computer game anymore after that; it was a simulator. So, if you are going to fly, do it like you would in real life. If you can do it in VR with a throttle, stick and rudder pedals, you are virtually there.
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I agree. I fly the basic 172 almost exclusively, with the Dakota or A2A Commanche thrown in from time to time. But I’ve had a couple lessons in the 172, which is why I gravitate to it.
But I did learn to fly the PMDG 737 just in case both pilots order the fish some day…
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This sim may as well be titled “GA Simulator” for me, it’s what I use it for 99% of the time!
I do (in theory) understand the draw of airliners too, with the procedures and the tech etc., and I guess some people like to “roleplay” as airline captains. It’s amazing that the sim allows them to do this. I have dabbled in those bigger jets, but anything more than a short takeoff-landing hop bores me senseless.
What I can’t get quite my head around is the people that take off, leave it on autpilot while they sleep or go to work or whateverm and then just do the landing. That does seem like a waste of electricity for me, but each to their own! 
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Maybe most players don’t have any desire to fly in real life, I certainly do not. My wife used to ask me why I don’t take flying lessons? It’s not appealing to me.
I fly airliners, GA, warbirds and helicopters but spend most of my time in airliners for one reason, they’re more interesting when it comes to avionics and systems. Flying is the boring part of playing this game, I enjoy more setting up the plane, programming FMS, reading charts etc. The older the plane the better, more switches to flip and buttons to press :).
From time to time, I take my favourite Comanche 250 or Spitfire, put VR on and explore the world from low level but it’s probably less than 10% of my time spent in FS2024.
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I think it’s wonderful that the sim can cater to all kinds of aviation and all levels of users. I am personally in the GA and vintage camp. I always wanted to fly in real life but the path to a PPL just wasn’t in the cards. With the latest in the LSA and ultralight categories, it still may come to pass one day.
I prefer the most basic GA aircraft, the older the better. I’ll hand fly them and don’t want or need the fancy avionics. Sometimes flying some of the more advanced models gives me an uneasy feeling because I can’t relate to ever being able to do that in real life. I guess because I grew up reading about the adventures of the pioneer aviators, I like to seek out those types of experiences.
Like @MrTommymxr, I also prefer to just make the planes I like and while this means I spend more time in the sim developing than just flying, it’s immensely more fulfilling.
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You know, I never touched airliners until 2024. They just didn’t grab me. Then I decided to master them, and now I get it. More stuff to do in the cockpit. Nice roomy workspace.
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A long time ago now (quarter of a century, wow), circa Flight Simulator 2000 (not my first flight simulator but around that time) I took 10 hours of flying lessons (Piper). I realized that without significant amounts of time and money, even if got my PPL, I probably shouldn’t ever fly them alone so I gave up on that and stuck with simming – it was fun and I don’t regret it… I highly recommend simmers go take a “discovery flight” if they can swing it (can probably get one for $200).
Like you said, a lot of the skills transfer very well – even flying, power management, navigation, instrument knowledge, etc.
In some ways, flying the real thing was easier – full sensory data available, ability to just look around but keep your spatial sense, control feedback all helped. There was some adjustment to how the real thing feels for sure, it was humbling even though I think I did very well.
I also learned how to snow ski on a rotating carpet hill and I think the experience was similar – real snow felt different and required some adjustments but I was able to ski blue slopes on my first day with no additional on-slope training (just a good bit of falling down early in the day).
The main thing we tend to (not everyone obviously) abuse in the sim are following actual flight rules and unless you are doing vatsim/batc/sayi you probably aren’t talking on the radio much, and talking on the radio was the hardest thing for me for some reason – it’s a really good skill to practice if you think you might ever want to get a PPL or beyond.
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You might enjoy ReEntry – the Apollo command module is a procedural dream (or nightmare)… took me 4 hours to get through the checklists from Cold & Dark the first time. You don’t really “fly” the SatV, you configure it and it launches… but the maneuvers require some flying skill (like docking the lunar module and the command module), executing burns requires proper alignments, configurations, attention, and timing.
I wonder if MSFS 2024 could handle rockets… probably not.
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We each have our own flight desires whether you want to fly low and slow, airliner, helicopter, military, or any other vehicle. With that in mind I have to be careful wording my comments to not offend those who use the simulator differently than me.
I learned to love flying years ago after my father earned his PPL and was able to fly many hours with him in Cessna 150 and Piper Cherokee. We would spend time planning on sectional charts and collecting the various frequencies needed for each flight. I learned to use checklists, takeoff and land, basic maneuvers, use flaps and trim, and fly and navigate at night.
In the sim I fly mostly VFR in small piston planes using steam gauges or GPS units, so most of the fleet of stock aircraft are mothballed. I have purchased a number of third-party airplanes which are significantly more complete/accurate than most default GA planes. Many of my flights include airports I flew with my father or those in areas I have lived (Eastern US).
I follow and support a few streamers who stay loyal to these real-world concepts and prefer those who use checklists, plan their flights properly, and teach safe flying. Recently I purchased a private pilot training course and intend to complete my ground school (using the sim where possible) and then decide whether to complete the instructor led training and solo to get my license.
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I agree with this. I flew 172s for 19 years, shared ownership in one for 13. Back then I couldn’t land a computer sim to save my life 
Msfs 2020 makes it easier, what with the nice scenery and a head tracker.
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I completely understand the appeal for the complex systems of modern airliners. When I was young, I was fascinated by airplane cockpits and recording studio mixing boards and wanted to learn how every control worked. There is a lot of depth to plumb around procedures and navigation and the sim can replicate a lot of it.
When you think about how much detail is available in some addons, it’s a fantastic bargain. That’s only possible because the sim has a wide appeal and why it’s important to embrace all users no matter the platform or how casual or serious they are. A larger, inclusive ecosystem allows every niche interest to also thrive.
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Judging by the amount of interest in the A2A Comanche, the Arrows etc etc, I’m not sure that your statement that ‘What I find surprising is how few people seem to be interested in flying small GA aircraft.’ is true. But the majority of complaints/discussion in the forum do tend to be people flying airliners, and other non-GA aircraft. It would be facinating to know what the split is. I decided a while back that as I couldn’t even fly the Comanche correctly I’d better stick to that until I could. I did fly the C310 twin for a while which was great, but honestly I prefer to be able to see where I’m flying rather than look at an engine! Most of all, I think the sense that in a GA plane everything is under your control - you are doing the flying and nothing else - is unbeatable.
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That pretty much nails my thoughts.
My experience is self-limited by the enjoyment I get from using SPAD.NeXT to program my peripherals. It takes a lot of work (and especially time) to get Streamdecks, joysticks, yokes, and TQ’s set up for different aircraft; much more work for some - especially airliners with their complex systems.
I respect anyone who enjoys taking to the virtual sky in a 737 or A320 using an Xbox controller, mouse and keyboard. That wouldn’t be any fun for me. But for them the fun is feeling like a PIC carrying passengers 30,000 ft. in the air over long distances. I enjoy that feeling in a business jet, but that’s as complex as I can get with the peripherals I currently own.
But who knows, in the future I might find the money (and find the space) to build something like this 
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I too love GA aircraft. I have been a flight simmer for over 20 years and still get goosebumps taking off in a 172 from my home airport. Long live Microsoft Flight sims…
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Thx for the tip. 97% of positive reviews on Steam, impressive. I will definitely buy it soon.
I mainly fly helicopters, but do some small GA aircraft and occasionally the A320 Neo.
Helicopters because they are a challenge, can go anywhere and are just so much fun.
GA, like the 172 because they are low and slow, good for sight seeing and practicing IFR. I simulate flying into my home airport’s challenging land in the King Air. Also like the TBM 930.
In the 320 Neo I did spend some time practicing the cold and dark start up and programming the mcdu ( ok, a lot of time) because I have always wanted to know what went on in the cockpit and was able to get it to follow a flight plan on AP.
Did several attempts at manually landing the Neo at Paro Bhuttan after watching many U-Tube real life landings. Helicopters are easier. Total respect for those pilots in particular, but to all pilots as well.
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I don’t have a preference; I just fly whatever the fancy takes me: choobliners, 172, Honda jet, whatever. And I enjoy all of them.
Not helicopters though. Can’t do that.
For context, I’m not a RL pilot, but I’ve had lessons in a PA28 in which (they said) I did rather well.
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I’ve been at it since the dawn of FS on Apple II GS and now in MSFS 2024. I started out learning the basics of GA aircraft, navigation and so forth and over the years morphed into nearly 100% airliner flight. Because there are no meaningful ‘consequences’ with poor flight management in the sim I started using both A Pilot’s Life and Self Loading Cargo, primarily for their per flight scoring routines which add some artificial consequences which help me keep my head in the game. As well, enjoy the scenery which is nothing short of spectacular in many places.
I just picked up possibly the most robust addon for fauna in Africa so my next foray is to fly from KDEN, Denver CO, to EDDF, Frankfurt, then on to Maun, Botswana. I’ve been learning helicopter operation so will hop in the Bell or other and do some safari sight seeing from there. I did pick up Jurassic Archipelago and so worked on helicopter operation for that.
Amazing platform with so much to do and I’m now almost 40y into it!
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I mostly fly GA also, but the lack of real ATC makes flying small planes much less realistic and reduces a major part of real flying workload. Not that I’m such a perfectionist myself, but with out ATC the realism for RL training is severely reduced.
BATC is working diligently on adding VFR to their product which should fill that gap affordably.
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