Introduction

Have you ever wanted to fly around the world simply by booting up a video game? Stop over at some of the largest airports in the country, then zip around to the other side of the globe with a plane full of passengers?

Welcome to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, the most realistic flying simulation game on the market. You're not confined to a single map or two, or even an incomplete list of destinations. The world is your oyster, as they say. And you can go anywhere. Fly from point A to point B, wherever your heart desires, in the confines of this expansive, lovingly crafted game.

But unless you're an actual pilot, a flight simulator expert, or one of the developers, you might need a little help getting started. This isn't like your typical first-person shooter or adventure game. The aircraft you find throughout the book are real-world aircraft. People go to school for years to learn how to fly them.

So with this book, I'm taking you to flight school, so to speak. After you read the parts that are pertinent to your Flight Simulator journey, you can simply jump into the airplane of your choice, spin the globe to choose a destination, and fly there in no time.

Like the wise Joshua Michael Homme of Queens of the Stone Age once sang:

It's gonna be smooth sailing

From here on out

About This Book

When you fire up Flight Simulator, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. What do you do first? How in the heck does a plane actually work? Will you ever get off of the runway, and how will you accomplish that? What's the best place to start?

Here's the honest truth: The game won't hold your hand. That's fine. I'm here to do just that. This book is for anyone who has questions, concerns, or frustrations about Flight Simulator. Enjoying a flight simulator game should be for everyone, not just for those with the patience to watch dozens of piecemeal YouTube videos or complete a slew of practice flights.

Really, the For Dummies series is all about giving you just what you need to know to accomplish things as simply as possible. In the case of Flight Simulator, you can find out the basics (and handy shortcuts) of the game that can help you fly your favorite aircraft across the world to any destination you choose.

This book is a reference tool crafted to help you get as much out of this realistic simulator as possible. Follow the part and chapter structure to

• Get acquainted with the nuts and bolts of the game, its setup, and its controls.
• Find out about basic flight principles that apply in the real world, how to invite friends to fly with you, and even how to play in virtual reality.
• Pull off a successful start-up and takeoff, and then figure out how to navigate, as well as return to the runway. (Talk about a round-trip flight!)
• Determine how to find your way around an airport and communicate with air traffic controllers.
• Select the airplanes that you want to fly with, explore how to navigate while in the air, and embrace flight rules and radio etiquette.
• Discover the unexpected happenings that can occur when you're in the cockpit, prepare for them, and tackle that emergency landing when you need to.
• Follow the steps provided to take sample flights in aircraft that have various levels of complexity.

Sure, you could do a few Google searches to find some of the information presented in this book, but there's nothing quite like having everything you need to know gathered in one place. There's still something to be said about a physical tome that contains a wealth of knowledge about a subject.

Consult it when you have no Internet connectivity. Read it when you're on the throne. Roll it up and swat a fly with it. No matter how you slice it, there are about a zillion ways this book can help you inside and outside of Flight Simulator. In a pinch, you could probably use it as an emergency ration. Chewy, but it's still sustenance.

Buying this book is the cheapest way to consult an expert, really. For less than the price of the game itself, you're getting the expertise of someone who's played video games for nearly 30 years, written about them for almost two decades, and accumulated real-world aviation information as it relates to the aircraft you'll be flying. It's a win for everyone, in my book. This one, I mean.

Foolish Assumptions

Most level-headed people don't like to make assumptions. But if I wanted to get this book into the hands of those who might need it most, I had to do just that. And here you are, just as planned - which is great! So, let me put it to you like this: If one of these assumptions ends up being incorrect, I have a sneaking suspicion you can still find this book helpful.

I assume that

• You probably like planes. Maybe you're interested in their inner workings. Perhaps you enjoy traveling. Either way, you have some sort of rudimentary knowledge or passion about aircraft that makes you want to dive into this book. You might even be a pilot in real life, looking to take your passion into the digital world.

  Whatever the case may be, you take some sort of delight in watching, riding in, studying, or looking at planes. Or at the very least, you know what a plane is. Right? Okay, great.

• You're familiar with video games. You've either played a few of them or you've seen them in passing. You have an interest in video gaming, even if you're not an avid gamer. Whether you've killed a few Goombas here and there, or explored Magicant several times over, gaming is at least a small part of your life.
• You're curious about or enjoy simulation games. Maybe you've driven everything from farm equipment to trains in the digital world, and planes are the next frontier. (Great choice, by the way.) It seems obvious to me that you enjoy either the idea of flying an aircraft or the actual experience. The thrill of seeing the world from 40,000 feet in the air never wears off - in the real world or in the game.

So whether you're a hardcore gamer who happens to enjoy sim games or you're an aspiring pilot looking to get a little virtual practice in before you actually hop in the cockpit, you can get something out of this book. And if not, well, go ahead and buy it anyway. Collecting retro tech is getting expensive, and I'm still trying to add a Super Lady Cassette Vision from Epoch Co. and a copy of Milky Princess to my stores.

Icons Used in This Book

Need a wingman? I'm right here! Well, I'm here spiritually, in the form of icons, anyway. Throughout this book, icons in the margins highlight certain types of valuable information that call out for your attention. Here are the icons you encounter and a brief description of each.

The Tip icon marks tips and shortcuts that you can use to make it much easier to navigate your first flight, set up multiplayer sessions, understand how some of the game's aircraft differ, and more.

Remember icons mark the information that's especially important to know. Want to know the most important tidbits from each chapter? Just skim through these icons, and you'll be flying fancy free in no time.

The Technical Stuff icon marks information of a highly technical nature that you can normally skip over. Of course, much of what you can expect out of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 often veers into the nitty-gritty, so it can be helpful to stop by and read over some of this content - even if it's just because you're curious.

The Warning icon tells you to watch out! It marks important information that may save you headaches, failed first flights, or overall frustration with the sim. I've got your back - but you don't have a ton of these icons around to worry about.

Beyond the Book

In addition to the abundance of information and guidance related to Flight Simulator that I provide in this book, you get access to even more help and information online at Dummies.com. Check out this book's online Cheat Sheet by accessing www.dummies.com and searching for "Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 For Dummies Cheat Sheet."

Online, you can find a quick reference guide to common controls, taking to the skies, and more, all to read over if you don't happen to have the complete book handy. The Cheat Sheet can definitely come through for you in a pinch.

Need help beyond this book and its online information? Don't hesitate to head to YouTube and check out the many talented creators who have painstakingly recorded video tutorials that complement the written ones in this book to help you along. You can find a massive Flight Simulator community out there that wants you to spread your wings. You never have to fly alone!

Where to Go from Here

Just like the aircraft that inspired Flight Simulator, this book is built to take you anywhere you want to go. You can fly through this book however you want because it's not meant to be a linear experience. You can explore and skip around as much as you like as often as you like.

If you need help getting started, feel free to jump in and follow the beginner's tips or check out a sample flight. For those completely new to the Flight Simulator franchise,...