As the organizers of FlightSimExpo, we regularly hear that it’s difficult to get started in flight simulation. Because there are so many fantastic free resources out there, knowing where to start isn’t always easy. Answering a basic question like “which simulator is right for me?” might be obvious to an experienced simmer, but is often overwhelming for newcomers. Even as simmers become more experienced, how do you know where to look for information on purchasing a HOTAS, adding VR to your setup, or updating aircraft navdata, especially if you don’t know what these terms mean?

Especially because not everyone is comfortable jumping onto a forum or asking questions in Discord on day one, we’re trying to centralize and link to great free content here. The idea is to help those who are just joining our community make connections with great content creators, high-quality developers, and even other nearby simmers.

We are working to build FSA into a place for flight simmers, pilots, and aviation enthusiasts to come together. Some of that already happens once a year at FlightSimExpo, our annual convention. But we can do more.

Your subscriptions have allowed us to present webinars to the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), advertise flight simulation as a hobby in aviation magazines, and exhibit flight simulation at events like SUN 'n FUN and Consumer Electronics Show. We're starting to connect simmers with local clubs and chapters that host smaller events throughout the country and across the world.

As we gather thousands of simmers together, we can begin to achieve the type of advocacy shown by the 'real-world' pilot organizations out there. What if governments started recognizing flight simulation time as valuable for real-world training? What if air traffic control organizations recruited from networks like IVAO and VATSIM? What if our community played a role in training the drone operators of the future?

We think it's possible, someday, through an independent, simmer-driven organization like this.

As two flight simmers who have grown up in the digital age, we’re very aware and conscious of privacy. The last thing we want to do is waste your time with spam or useless information. When we send emails to the community, we do so with your preferences in mind. We don’t share your contact information with third parties and don’t have access to your billing information (such as an address or full credit card number).

If you ask us to delete your account, we’ll do it without question. We’ll give you the option to have all of your data removed too.

We want to help developers understand simmers, so they can create products and services that are meaningful for you. To do so, with your consent, we hope to be able to collect and aggregate statistics and feedback from the community to help developers make decisions. However, you’re not required to create a profile and can always delete your profile information at any time.

For more information on our data practices, we welcome you to review our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Although most of the content on FSA is available for free, we do offer a subscription for those who wish to support the website and help in our mission to grow the community.

As we’ve done with FlightSimExpo, we reinvest membership fees back into the community through exhibiting flight simulation to real-world pilots at events like SUN 'n FUN and placing ads in aviation magazines and gaming publications. These are the types of things that become possible when you have an independent organization, supported by subscriptions, that works to support both flight simmers and developers.

Subscription income also allow us to make our website available without advertisements.

Simmer Search is an optional membership database available to FSA Captains (those who have subscribed). If you have an active subscription, you can opt in to Simmer Search. Once you join, you’ll see a list of other FSA subscribers who are nearby.

Simmer Search only includes FSA Captains who specifically opt in. Unless you choose to, you will not be included.

Definitely not! Each FSA Captain has the option to participate in Simmer Search. You can choose not to provide or withdraw your consent at any time.

Note that Simmer Search is only available to Captains. First Officers are not currently eligible to participate.

When you opt in to Simmer Search and create a public profile, it will display your first name, last initial, home airport, age, and the interests/experience you select. You’ll see and approve your profile before it becomes public.

When you “connect” with another simmer, you’ll receive each others’ email addresses.