F-16 Cockpit Simulator

I've been a flight simulator fan since I first saw SubLogic's Flight Simulator running on an Apple ][. Later Microsoft picked up the product which has evolved into the now famous Microsoft Flight Simulator. Surprisingly, the old screen looks a lot like its modern cousin. While these simulators were interesting and very instructive, I found myself quickly tiring of them. I know they have a tremendous draw for some folks but I could never quite get into them. Even today I'll take Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 for a spin, barrel roll a jumbo jet, then start yawning.

Enter the world of Falcon. I first experienced Falcon on an IBM XT with a CGA adapter. The sim had 4 colors but was still wildly entertaining. I remember later putting a 286 accelerator card into the XT and suddenly Falcon ran too fast. Every little move was so over exaggerated the sim was un-flyable. Oh well. Back on the shelf it went.

Later Falcon AT then version 3.0 were released and suddenly my faster PC was flyable again. Now we had EGA graphics and player to player communication. Sure it was over a null-modem cable but it worked. I used to dogfight at lunch with the guy in the next office. Great fun!

When the Falcon 4 demo became available I downloaded it and started dogfighting again on my LAN. This was about the same time I started skydiving so I sort of lost interest in the sim for a while. That and the sim (pre 1.08) kept crashing.

So after a few years of skydiving I pulled Falcon 4 off the shelf and dusted it off. I thought I'd check on the Internet to see if anyone had heard of it or if it was still even alive. What I found was that not only was it alive but it was being expanded in huge ways by the F4 Unified Team, the FreeFalcon Team and later by Benchmark Sims. I also found Frugal's World of Simulations. I know I've missed some history but this is just where I came in.

In following threads I discovered that many sim enthusiasts took their hobby to the next level by building a cockpit in which they fly their simulation. Some folks built them out of wood, some out of salvaged cockpits but all of them were totally dedicated to their pits. This intrigued me greatly. As a child one of my favorite toys was a large box. I used to fold the flaps out like wings and a tail, cut a hole in the flap in front of me and fashion up a stick from tin foil. A little artwork and I was flying the Bell X-1 at sub orbital altitudes.

Realizing the limitations of my building skills I opted to get into the hobby by purchasing an Aimsworth Viper I cockpit. The Aimsworth gave me a jump on the game and let me start focusing on the interior details of the pit rather than its overall construction. I was also able to start flying in it immediately which was good insurance I didn't let the project languish.

Once I got the pit I was off and running. The combination of Falcon 4 plus the new add-ins and the cockpit was amazing. The realism factor jumped through the roof. As new parts are added, things keep getting better. I hope to keep you interested and informed as things progress.

For the past 2 years I've had the pleasure of flying online with some virtual squadrons. The online experience is far more immersive and rich that flying solo ever was. I try to focus on realism for these flights, joining with squads who prefer procedure rather than the "shoot-em-up" approach. Fortunately there are many pilots out there who feel the same. I've met some wonderful people from all around the world who all share the passion for flight simulation.

I'm currently flying with the 157th Virtual Fighter Squadron along with my old mates from the Fox Den. We're having a great time doing realistic flight training and mission simulations. There's nothing like flying online!

Our Current Build;

Falcon4 + Open Falcon 4.41/Hotfix + Israeli Theater + Operation Desert Storm + Balkans Theater + Afghanistan Theater + Nevada Theater

Thanks to all the developers who brought these outstanding products to life.

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