• Saitek Cyborg EVO Joystick (PC)
• Cordless Rumblepad II (Refresh) PC Gamepad
• Extreme 3D Pro PC Joystick
• Logic3 Rumble Pad - USB Game Pad (PC)
• Joytech USB Neo S Controller (PC)

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight is the next milestone in the award-winning Flight Simulator franchise. Celebrating 20 years of developing and perfecting computer flight simulation A Century of Flight will allow aviation enthusiasts to
Thanks to Microsoft's Flight Simulator 2004 you can now experience the real essence of flight. Billed as a retrospective look at a century of flight, it's now possible to take to the air with accurately modelled electronic copies of some of the greatest aircraft in history--from the Wright brothers' Wright Flyer to the gleaming wide-bodied 747s and medium-sized helicopters of the present.

From the word go you know this is a serious piece of kit and while the knack to flying the older aircraft revolves around not stalling it and keeping the engine revs up, the modern planes are packed to the hilt with geeky goodness. For those wishing to engage in the experience of flight there are GPS navigation systems aplenty, dozens of cockpits switches and an air traffic control system which is as lifelike as it bewildering to understand.

Understandably, not everyone is going to get to grips with this beast immediately and full marks to Microsoft for including a wealth of training information within the program in the form of tutorials and reference material--it's essential reading if you're to get a firm grip on this truly huge simulation.

To give some idea of scale, using the various game modes available it's possible to take the controls of any of the 24 planes included then take off from one of the 24,000 mapped airports and fly anywhere around the globe. And for the true aficionado you can do it all in real-time. However, for those of us with a shorter attention span it is possible to speed up time to get through the tedious bits.

Add to this truly realistic in-game weather--updated over the Internet every 10 minutes--and what you have is one of the best flight sims ever to grace a personal computer.

Flight Simulator 2004 isn't without its faults. It's graphically intensive and requires a meaty PC to get top quality visuals onscreen, the sound can become monotonous and arriving on four CDs it takes forever to install. These minor points aside, however, this is a superb piece of software and belongs firmly on the hard drive of anyone who has ever harboured fantasies of flying as a child. --Chris Russell

Customer Rating:
Summary: Simulator or training aid?
Comment: This is a serious simulator. I've used the whole history of MS Flight Simulators and each gets better. I've used this one for over 3 years now and still don't tire of it. Limitations yes - the principal one being that you're trying to fly an aircraft through a single window. Realistic yes - though I have to say that flying a real light aircraft in good conditions is actually easier than flying this sim! Add ons available - limitless including many free options. With full scenery optional extras (third party) you can fly over and recognise your own house. Alternatively you can plan and fly around the world in real time and weather. Up to you.

If you are already a real world pilot (as I am) you can use this to brush up on your nav skills. Navaid frequencies are real world and you can use real world charts. You can practice IFR without any risk and cost - can you navigate using VORs with a 500' cloudbase?

If you're looking for a game then look elsewhere as you'll be disappointed very quickly. FS does need to be learned and that takes time. You'll also need a good quality joystick (with twist stick to accommodate rudder input) or flight controls such as those from CH. Given that understanding you will get your value out of FS thousands of times over - it will probably be the best bit of simulation software you will ever find for a home PC!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Beginner to FS2004
Comment: I have just today bought FS2004...without a joystick. So there i was playing...or should i say trying to play the game with my keypad. BIG MISTAKE PEOPLE!! i was getting fustrated and thinkin it was a waste of my money...and because i am new to theses games i wasnt sure what to do. i read some of the review for the game on Amazon where i found reviwers were suggesting to play the game using a Joystick, so tomorrow i will go buy one and find out whether its worth it. will let u know what i think once i play using the joystick. see if it makes the game easier and more enjoyable....i will let u know by writing a comment to this review :)

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Fs2004
Comment: Well, eventually I have had to upgrade (I have been an fs2002 devotee for the last few years) and it is a big improvement from the previous version. Better graphics and a wide selection of add-ons available. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because you have to use a cd to run the game, which can be an annoyance. Otherwise this is a brilliant buy.
Oh, and I recommend the Masters of the Sky add-on (avail from Amazon) & simviation.com for free add-on stuff!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: The Best Flight Simulator Out There
Comment: This is, without a doubt the best Flight Simulator game ever made. It is difficult to learn at first but after you have taken some lessons on the game, you should be able to make a short flight eg. London - Manchester in good conditions with a light aircraft like a Cessna. Eventually, you should improve and be able to fly over the Atlantic or the Pacific in bad conditions with a Boeing 737. The graphics are fabulous, you can see individual buildings well and it has lots of famous world landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Grand Canyon, the Space Needle... as well as all the airports. There are hundreds or add-ons available on the internet so you can design your own planes etc.
Overall, it is a great game and if you like Flight Simulator games, you won't fail to like this.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: FS 2004 brilliant game !!!
Comment: i brought this game 7 months ago, and i think its awesome!!
its got many planes on it, and if it hast got the plane you want you can get for absolutely free from a variety of websites. and if your computer isnt a very high performance gaming computer this works fine, you can adjust the game complexity to make it run fine on your comuter.

about the game

~ it has a fully controlable/clickable virtual cockpit/flight-deck.

~ has tutorials for beginners

~ gives very straight forward and clear flying lessons for different types of aircrafts.

~ gives flying tests.

~ has animated air traffic

~ it has so much more i dont know about.

about addons

~ there are millions of free aircraft/helicopters/space shuttles/concords/and fictional addons on the internet.

~ there are millions of free scenery and airport updates and addons.

~ there free plane repaint kits, so you can design your own planes.

~ free scenery design software.

you can get add ons from:

www.simviation.com

you can aso get addons to put moving cars and vechiles in your game ,

you can also drive different vechiles!!

i think this is probaly the best game out of microsoft FS
if you are thinking of getting fsx do not as it will only work good if you have a really really good computer as it will start to freeze when you enter places where there are alot buildings, and other things will also go wrong.

brilliant game!!

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