Amazingly, Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight has taken that dream and built it into a simulator that can only be outdone by the real thing. The basic gameplay falls into the category of actually flying, but this flight sim offers so much more that you’d better get out your wallets now and start figuring out where to get the best price. This game is soaring through the clouds, and it will take you right along with it.

FS2004 contains a virtual hangar full of features for gamers interested in both the historical aspects of flight and modern flight training. In addition to the customary King Schools flight instructors and the introductory flights, there are a number of new additions, from multiple runways to pop-up IFR clearance to fully interactive cockpits. There’s even in-flight access to detailed materials related to the aircraft you are flying. Thinking I knew all there was to know already, I naturally hopped right into the cockpit and took off from Honolulu.

As a simulator, the default cockpit view has the traditional gauge display on the bottom with the top half a view through the glass. For the true simulation experience, though, I recommend the virtual cockpit view, which is by far my favorite feature in the game and truly kicks this game over the "simulation" edge. Before you get overwhelmed thinking you’ll need an actual license to play the game, though, rest assured that you can easily adjust the simulation settings to suit your experience. After several missed approaches over Honolulu, I landed on the runway in one piece, but the settings I used would have let me fly into the ground and still survive.

For a more complicated affair, FS2004 also includes helicopters. There’s only one thing I’ve wanted to fly more than a plane, and that’s a helicopter. Once again, you start with the traditional view sitting in the cockpit, but the fully interactive cockpit is also available. If you get bored with the slower pace of Cessnas and helicopters, you can also jump into a Lear jet or cargo jet and try your luck there. Regardless of the craft you choose, though, the handling is impeccable; you will actually feel like you’re piloting them. At least, I think that’s what it feels like to pilot a helicopter; I don’t speak from first-hand experience.

Nor do I speak from first-hand experience about piloting the game’s historic planes, but the inclusion of these aircraft is a nice homage to the anniversary of the Wright brothers’ flight, Be forewarned about the re-creation of flights though; you’re re-creating the flight path, not the era. When taking off on the barnstormer run, you actually leave from the modern day TARMAC with a city skyline in the distance. It would have been nice to actually fly over the city of the ‘20’s, but it’s still a blast to "fly" the older aircraft and compare their handling and operation to modern planes.

The real gameplay "winner" for FS2004, though, is the ingenious interactive cockpit. Previous versions of the game used the hat to look left and right, which would change your screen to view out the respective window. This year’s version actually uses the hat as a way to "virtually" move your head, with the virtual cockpit entirely clickable. The benefit of this is being able to look at the gauges as you would in an actual aircraft, then being able to use the mouse to activate buttons and manipulate the controls. It was particularly fun with the Wright flyer, allowing you to watch the gears move individual parts and keeping the flight itself much more entertaining

The virtual cockpit is especially handy in the helicopter, where you’ll need to "look down" to watch your foot pedals as you figure out which way your joystick is sending them. The down side is that you cannot stick your head out the window when flying the Spirit of St. Louis, which is notorious for its "nose-in-the-sky-can’t-see-where-you’re-going" flight characteristics. The upside, of course, is that you can look down through the nose when landing a helicopter, a virtual requisite ability to land. The view is of course limited by your monitor’s size, and a mouse pointer doesn’t function quite as easily as a finger, but this feature is an excellent enhancement to the series.

FS2004 has also greatly improved upon the graphics of its predecessors. Planes and helicopters still have the same external visuals, but the game has made great strides in its landscape and weather presentation. While the focus was obviously not in this area, FS2004 does a fabulous job with realistic housing and landscapes. Houses are still somewhat boxy, but they represent very well when flying over them. The landscape is particularly well done, with ocean waves crashing on the beaches, sailboats in the harbor and trees all around. Mountains are also rendered well, with good snow effects and somewhat lesser grass effects. The grass on mountains in Oahu was a little too computer generated, but it doesn’t take away from the overall effect.

The game also includes a dynamic weather system by which clouds, lighting, rain and other external factors all continually change during your flight. You can also download current weather patterns, the clouds in which actually appear as though you were looking outside, not in the old-fashioned computational sequence. If you are a meteorology buff, you’ll appreciate the multiple cloud types, as well. Just don’t ask me to name any.

Like the realistic clouds, the sunrises and sunsets offer up brilliant colors like those you experience in real life. If you haven’t seen dawn or dusk in a while, I can honestly recommend either taking some time away from the computer or creating a flight on FS2004. The resemblance to reality is truly that good. My only complaint about the graphics, in fact, is that the glare you experience in flight cannot be fixed by wearing sunglasses, but the game is just a simulator.

Graphics aside, we all know that a real cockpit is nothing without the roar of the engine, and Microsoft certainly delivered. The engines sound just like the real thing, and if you don’t have anyone else in the house, you can turn up the volume and feel the roar of the prop or jets. The Wright flyer also has creaking gears as you adjust the stick, as well as the sound of the wheels while on the ground. Interaction with the towers when piloting modern craft is also rather authentic, and it sounds at times as though the "Channel 9" air-traffic controllers from commercial flights actually recorded the dialogue.

With everything coming up roses for FS2004, I must give a brief warning: the minimum requirements on the box actually translate to "don’t expect to have any fun with these specs alone." The game comes on four CDs, and each of them is used in the install process. If you have the disk space, I recommend installing everything on your machine, which will save you a few minutes during the load time for each flight. My machine is an Athlon 700, which is almost double Microsoft’s minimum requirement, and while flight in general stayed smooth, there were times I experienced delays in the flight reaction when running the game off the CD.

I also highly recommend a flight stick or, if you have the privilege, a flight yoke. I used a CH Products Flight Sim Yoke USB, which provides every needed throttle, switch and button you will ever need. It also easily attaches to any surface with a lip. Quite frankly, there is no better addition to a flight simulator than the feel of an actual yoke. Although helicopters use sticks, this yoke also provides the necessary throttles including pedals. If you buy FS2004, be certain to also purchase (or borrow) the flight stick or yoke that is right for you. It can only help the simulation experience.

The in-flight learning manuals, historical training, flight design, pre-designed flights, lessons and dynamic weather patterns all provide hours of gameplay for the repeat gamer. The only possible downside to the game’s replayability is if you already own Flight Simulator 2002, which shares some of the Kiosk quick game features and default flights. The historical planes, though, provide a number of new adventures, and if nothing else, airplane history buffs will be intrigued with all the details provided on these historic aircraft.

Microsoft has provided an aeronautical history lesson for any airplane enthusiast and even for those who are simply intrigued with flight in general. Overall, Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight is a great buy. The hours of fun provided are certainly worth the money. If you have a child interested in flight, I would highly recommend this to pique that interest. The lessons and the learning center structure create a tremendous tool for learning some of the basics of flight, but they will of course not replace actual flight lessons. Whether you hop in a puddle jumper, a Cessna or a barnstormer, get to the store and purchase this flight simulator /history lesson. If you’ve never played a flight sim, this is the one to try out. You will not be disappointed.

See more screens on the Flight Simulator 2004 media page