Retiring from flight sim

[bushpilot]

Last week I uninstalled FSX. Yesterday I sold my copy of FSX. Now I'm trying to sell my joystick and throttle console. Guys, I'm going cold turkey.

Some random personal thoughts:

In the last six months I've been thinking how strange this hobby has become to me personally. I've spent loads of money on addons I have no time to fly anymore. If I buy a new addon it will sit on my HD and collect dust. I don't remember when was the last time I completed a whole flight from start to finish. That's just crazy. I remember when I got to this hobby (FS2000) everything was cool and exciting. I remember the time of FS2002, when I first time sat on a VC. It was crappy VC by todays standards, but I've never been as excited as in the first flight in Cessna 172 VC over Hong Kong. I remember learning how to use autopilot. I remember my first succesfull ILS landing, which got me chills. Just don't get those vibes anymore, and I think it's a bit sad.

Anyways these days I get more pleasure sitting by the runway watching planes come and go.


Thanks to all the developers for making great addons, all enthusiastic virtual pilots for nice communities where I've spent countless hours. And thanks for everyone who has supported my painting hobby by making nice comments and downloading them.:salute:

I think it all was worth it, but now it's time to move on.


Cheers




(ps. the canopy, the darn canopy)

[Deano]

Dear Mr Bushpilot, am I not able to convince you to stay in FS with all our latest products for free, surely that needs consideration.

"(ps. the canopy, the darn canopy)"

You must be thinking my same dreams

[huub vink]

Hi Pekka, thanks for the company over the years and perhaps we'll meet again in the future.

Take care!
Huub

PS And you don't need to have a (combat)flightsim instaleed to visit this place once in a while.....

[skyblazer3]

Pekka,

A decade of flight sim service is nothing to scoff at. Although I'm a new-comer here at SOH, it's been great reading your posts and trying to learn from your writings. I understand your feelings about the simulator. If it wasn't for the multiplayer component and being able to fly with such fine aircraft with such fine people I don't think I would hang around either. Best of luck in your future hobbies.
:salute::salute:

Chris Eells

[hurricane3]

Although I haven't made my mind up for sure ,I have been thinking the same thing.I'am retired now and have the time but,I'am not a computer programer and don't want to be one.
I've put in hundereds of addon planes and scenery into all my flight sims but rarely fly,I
ve been flight simming since the old Commador 64 days( I know thats not spelled right),but now I'am overwhelmed by all the addon scenery and what I should use to make things more realistic and what is compatabel with what.
After putting all this work into the sims only to have an hd crash or corrupeted file mess up your whole sim or computer ,is it worth it?I'am still no better at landings that when I first started,maybe its me,maybe I wasn't cut out to be a sim Pliot ,maybe it's my joysick,I don't know.
And to back up everything to and external hd can be almost as daunting as starting from scratch.I have everything backed to CD but it would take months of work to replace every thing.
I was hopeing having the time to flight sim would help my depression but so far it hasn't.
I'am not saying for certain I'am giveing up but right now I'am very discouraged.
One thing I have found is that there are no finer people on earth than flightsimmers. People who will bend over back wards to help and give their time to help and make new planes and scenery.
I wish to thank all those who have taken their time to help me in the past. I may decide to hang in there and if I do you'll be hearing lots of questions from me again,but if not then break a leg,happy flying
:salute:

[Nick C]

Going to miss your repaints Pekka, take care and drop by know and again to let us know what you're up to. :salute:

[flyingip]

Think of us! And atleast I have a Royal Navy SkyRaider now :salute:

[Chacha]

Pekka,

How I enjoyed your work...
Sad to see you go ...
Come and visit us more often on some days just to say hello..
You and all your paints will surely be missed!

~Chacha

[ryanbatc]

Have fun!! Maybe try some real flying?

[fsafranek]

Too late to ask now but what is the story behind the ice bound ship in your signature?

Have appreciated your participation over the years. Best of luck.
:ernae:

[Lateral-G]

bushpilot,

Good luck with what ever your new hobbies may be.

I can certainly understand about the time aspect. I spend lots of time configuring the files for aircraft just the way I want, adding new skins, tweaking configs, etc. but a disproportionate amount of time actually flying the damn things.

Finding a solid block of time to sit in front of the sim and actually doing a COMPLETE flight is almost non-existent for me. There are too many other competing issues in a day for my time.

I still enjoy the flight sim, but like you the thrill seems to be gone these days.

-G-

[Henry]

Dear Mr Bushpilot, am I not able to convince you to stay in FS with all our latest products for free, surely that needs consideration.

well ive bee thinking about the same
does that apply to me also
in all seriousness i have been involved in this community
for close to 18 years
i have seen many talented people come and go in that time
all are always missed
so please come by and chat or you will be missed deeply
actually i have not fired up any flightsim myself
in the last 6 months either
but thats another story
appreciate your talent and your being:ernae:
H

[AndyE1976]

Good luck bushpilot and thanks for all you've contributed.

I completely understand the addons vs actually flying thing, I find I'm buying or downloading aircraft and then giving them very little actual flight time. I'm trying to be more discerning in my purchases and spend more time enjoying the effort that went into these products and learning how to use them properly.

This afternoon I took the FCS Lancaster for a flight from Gandar intl - default FSX scenery and all and just headed north to BGBW, I think sometimes in the pursuit of the next greatest thing we forget what we have already and how good it actually is.

[JorisVandenBerghe]

Good luck! I did the same in November last year...just like Panther, my main interest now is photography. Perhaps you could do the same and start taking pictures of airplanes ?

[Bone]

If you're going to retire, custom dictates that you'll get the Water Salute.

[Cleartheprop]

I am sad to read that. Your work will be missed.
But it is only a hobby...

[Lionheart]

We're going to miss you Pekka.

I too rarely finish a flight. I dont remember the last time I had a fun flight. It was just one, and the one before that was long ago. Mostly I just test and test, bend polys and bend polys. I cant stay away from it though. I take breaks so I dont burn out.

Please dont be a stranger. Come in once and a while at least and say hello....



Bill

[gera]

Goodby amigo, thanks for the moments you shared with us. I believe its a question of diversity..

I have many hobbies and dedicate time to each one so I will not get bored with one. just look: Astronomy (10 inch telecope) 37 years,:solid wood model aircraft construction, 51 years:electric ho trains, 45 years, traveling 55 years: reading 60 years; flying 16 years then sold my Cherokee, computers since I graduated in 1968, women since I can remember( at least watching now!!) years, my wife 45 years, my grandsons (8) since 19 years ago, collecting old model magazines 40 years, Flight siming since the Commodore 64....how can I get bored with any of them??? No way!!!!!...it´s just a question of variety, I would probably triple these if I had 66 more years on line!!!!......Bon Voyage.

Note: My two sons and one daughter are part of the baggage so they don´t count as hobbies.....they are my jewels and reason for life on the planet earth.

[Mithrin]

I know how you feel, the sim has lost it's shine for me too. Yet as suggested you could always just lurk around here. I haven't been flying for a while either but I still like to check the boards.

Stay safe!

[Sundog]

Happy trails, er airways to you!!!:salute:

[wilycoyote4]

I agree with bone, water cannons salute (USAF photo), thanks for your work

[bushpilot]

Hehe guys i gotta answer some questions:

Deano: You bet (the canopy thing), and thanks for the generous offer but it would be a crime to let those beasts collect dust.

fsafranek: Icebound ship is Icebreaker USS Atka. Just a beautiful picture. The pic is featured in the album cover of Rosenrot by German band Rammstein.

About my repaints: they will be still available, can be found here, avsim, aussiex, and all those hideous pay-per-download sites that illegally host them. Not gonna miss those sites.

About new hobbies; I have one and it's probably about as opposite as you can get from flying: diving

I'm sure I will be visiting here now and then. One of the coolest forums ever

[Rattler]

Sometimes ya just gotta take time to Stop and Smell the roses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzZqje04vLE

[roger-wilco-66]

I also did that a couple of times, but I always came back

If you do that, you're gonna have to skip FSX Solomon 1943, if I may add that. It is at about 90% and close to the second (and last) beta...


Cheers,
Mark

[stansdds]

I've given up or nearly so on flight sims, but I always come back. I do try to keep my payware to a bare minimum and fortunately, with all the wonderful freeware that is now available, flight simming has become a relatively inexpensive hobby. I'm sorry to see you go, but if you change your mind, we will be here.