Here is an article about the early history of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Many thanks to the author, Preston Lerner for his accurate research and fascinating story about its original creation and evolution to its present state!
12 Likes
That was interesting! Thanks for the link!
1 Like
SubLogic’s FS was the first piece of software I ever owned, ever (outside of Intellivision cartridges…)
In August of 1982, after a quick dalliance with a Sinclair ZX81 (which was actually a nice little machine; it was the tape interface that was a mess and extremely difficult to use), my dad caved in and agreed to buy an Apple II+. (Not an insubstantial expense at that point! I think it probably cost in the neighborhood of $2500 when you added in the monitor and printer.) So we went off to the computer store, and negotiations ensued. I wandered over to one of the demo machines to get a feel for the Apple, and the demo was running Flight Simulator. I had never – ever – used a flight simulator, but I sat down and figured out the controls, and started flying the Camel. After several minutes, I noticed that a couple of the other salesman had stopped what they were doing and had come over to watch me. “How… are you doing that?” they asked me. None of them had been able to figure out how to get the plane to fly in the simulator! And the rest, as they say, is history. I owe the last 40 years of virtual flying to Bruce, and every now and then in MSFS I do a flight from Chicago to Champaign-Urbana, just for old time’s sake…
P.S. I still have my copy of Flight Simulator, complete with its plastic bag and Xeroxed manual that was almost certainly hand-stapled, possibly by Bruce himself…
4 Likes
Great story, DaveR44!
Bought my Apple II in '79 in Toms River, N.J. I also recall having purchased that early Sub-logic FS on cassette with Artwick’s name on the crude packaging somewhere. Unlike you, I never figured it out!
Finally gave up in 2010 and sold the whole shebang on Ebay to a gentleman in London!
It was 5-6 years later and FSX that my love of Flight Simulator was re-kindled. Hopefully it will help me to stave off Alzheimer’s! 
@DaveR44
Very, very cool story! Nice to relate to guys with the same experiences! Looks like you got in on the action earlier than me. Mine started with a copy of FS5.1 on a 3.5” floppy! Memories still vivid! Does anybody know of the whereabouts of Bruce? Definitely laying low … but would be curious to know if he has MSFS 2020.