Free flight simulator software downloads are on the rise. We are living in an age in which flight simulator technology has evolved to such an extent that the line between simulation and reality is quite literally being effaced every day. With faster microprocessors, graphics cards with greater processing power, and the ability to download software updates and data in real time across the Internet at high speeds, the experience of piloting an aircraft in a flight simulator is becoming every bit as real as the actual experience of sitting in a cockpit and maneuvering an aircraft in real life. It is becoming more and more like \”the real thing\” every single day.

Free Flight Simulator Software Versus Commercial Flight Simulator Software

For the general home user looking to install a flight simulator program on your personal computer, it was not too long ago that your options were limited. There were very few choices and there was, quite frankly, only one dominant choice: The Microsoft Flight Simulator. While this commercial software program has indeed evolved over the years and has captivated a substantial percentage of the overall market share over the flight simulator software industry, it is not the only game in town. Once an obscure, little-known project, FlightGear has proven to become a serious contender to Microsoft, with its open source free flight simulator program.

The Open Source Alternative

For members of the commercial software industry, the mere notion that computer software programmers out there might want to collaborate on developing a computer program for free, with absolutely no monetary incentive nor profit motive, is anathema. While these software titans may not be feeling any heat right now, the fact of the matter is that their market share is slowly beginning to erode, as open source alternatives are gaining more traction.

Serious Contenders

Yes, indeed open source free flight simulator software programs are beginning to pose a threat to their commercial counterparts, and they are finally now able to hold their own against them. When you pit today\’s commercial flight simulator programs against open source flight simulator programs such as FlightGear, it becomes clearly evident that the two are demonstrably comparable to one another in terms of features, capabilities, as well as in terms of realism.

As Real As It Gets

What contributes to the success of a flight simulator program is no doubt the level and the degree of realism that the program offers. This realism isn\’t just referring to the graphical rendering of the scenery. It is also referring to the actual flight experience: the aerodynamic characteristics of the simulator aircraft. Does it respond to controls with the same degree of effectiveness as its real world counterpart does? Is the simulator aircraft subject to the same aerodynamic forces such as lift, weight, thrust, and drag, as a real aircraft is? What about the effect of G-forces? How about the weather? Do the ambient temperature and weather conditions in the simulator universe impact the aircraft\’s aerodynamic capabilities the same way that they do in the real world?

The answer is a clear and unresounding \”yes\”. Open source free flight simulator software has demonstrated a remarkable leap forward in terms of offering a serious alternative to commercial flight simulator programs.

Download your own free flight simulator today.

Download your own free flight simulator at http://www.freeflightsimulator.org.

Author Bio: Download your own free flight simulator today.

Category: Computers and Technology
Keywords: flight simulator,free flight simulator,aviation,flight,travel,computers