Thread: Interested Pilots, Flight Simmers, and Aviation enthusiasts

When I'm not playing BF2142, AoC, or CoD 4, I participate in an online flying community called FS-MP.com. As an active pilot training for my commercial license I find this resource invaluable. If you're a pilot, a wannbe pilot, or just want to a part of an Flight Simulator/aviation community I highly recommend FS-MP.

Here is an paraphrased excerpt from IFR magazine that one of our other members wrote:

"I just wanted to let others know about a great pilot training tool I have found that has no added cost above that of Microsoft Flight Simulator and a microphone/headset. With Flight Simulator's multiplayer function, many online flying communities have begun cropping up. With the introduction of Flight Simulator X, and its ability to have live ATC, one community in particular has developed into an as-close-as-you-can-get experience. FS-MP (http://fs-mp.com/) was created in 2006 with one major goal: 'Profession Pilots, Professional ATC.' During the last year it has come to realize the goal that continues to strive for more.

FS-MP resides on its own server, and has excellent connection speeds for added realism. A virtual flight school has been established for both those who have never flown, and those who need to hone their simulator skills. An ATC school has also been set up with training requirements for anyone who wishes to act as ATC. The ATC program is overseen by real world active and retired controllers who have brought the simulated ATC to a real world level.

Various special events are frequent and include 'IFR nights' at various airports utilizing real-world pilot-ATC communications. Except during the special events, the weather is always set to actual conditions. And all of this is free to registered members. Registration is also free.

All-in-all, FS-MP is the closest thing I have ever seen to reality. When you add in the ability to try procedures that you cannot safely do in real-world situations, I could say sometimes it is better."

If you are interested in joining simply go to the site and read the information then register on the forums and submit an application for membership just as the forums tell you to. Let them know "mattag08" or "Texas Team Players" was your reference.

*EDIT* Feel free to post or PM me any questions you may have about flying, flight-simming, or FS-MP.

Safe flying,

-Wurzzzz

Wurzzz,

I'm behind you 100% in this.

As you know, "mic fright" is one of the first fears that flight instructors have to purge from student pilots. That aspect makes flight sim and TTP teamplayers.

In TTP Spirit,
ebaconjr

So in a nutshell this is basically a massive multiplayer online flight sim?

Originally Posted by Axeager

So in a nutshell this is basically a massive multiplayer online flight sim?

In a bombshell this is exactly like flying in controlled airspace. You should know that, Blech-hawk.

Admit you lied and move on with honor.

Originally Posted by Axeager

So in a nutshell this is basically a massive multiplayer online flight sim?

Nope. That would be VATSIM (www.vatsim.net). I personally do not enjoy VATSIM and in reality they don't have any higher "traffic density" than FS-MP, but I provide you the link to check out because I honestly believe that if you try both you'll choose FS-MP because we have a community like TTP and we care about the people on our servers. If you're on VATSIM you're just a number and more than likely if you're not a high ranking official no one knows who you are. That's been my experience with it anyway.

The difference between the two communities is this: VATSIM encompasses the whole world and has about 300 pilots and 100 controllers online on your average day with no event. FS-MP typically has 5-15 pilots online and 3-4 ATC on a typical day but it is all compacted into a small airspace in the North Eastern U.S. The analogy is a bit like buying 10 fish and putting them in the swimming pool and then buying 3 fish and putting them into a soup bowl. The fish in the soup bowl are going to be closer together on a regular basis than the 10 fish in the pool.

Before you say that it doesn't sound like a lot of aircraft we do have regular events (typically weekly) where over 15-25 pilots will be flying in close proximity. I've seen up to 40 and before I joined at the peak we had 100 pilots on at once during an event. That's when it really gets fun for the air traffic controllers. I'm personally trained to do ATC for Clearance, Ground, Tower, and Approach control. For the pilots out there I highly recommend getting into the ATC side of things, the active and retired controllers can really teach you a lot about how our airspace system works that they don't tell you in flight training.

That definitely sounds like something I'd love to get involved with. Obviously a lot more realistic then I had imagined, also sounds very similar to the real deal. So is this based off Flight Sim X or are they using their own mod to run this whole show?

All you need is FSX and get the SP1 and SP2 patches from fsinsider.com (which is microsoft's flight sim blog-type website). Once you're a certified member you can peruse the FS-MP forums to find tips on optimizing your FSX patch installation. There's a specific sequence involved to get it working optimally.

As a side note, if you wanna do ATC you're going to need the Deluxe version because that's the only one that comes with the built-in ATC radar.

Alright, thanks man. I'll see if I can't get this set up in a day or so.

Can't wait to see you there. Don't be shy people, feel free to ask questions!

Interesting, this could help me with real world radio transmissions? I have FSX but could I use X-Plane with this?