''Flight Simulation'' is a
flight simulation
A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and the environment in which it flies, for pilot training, design, or other purposes. It includes replicating the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they rea ...
program written by
Psion and marketed by
Sinclair Research
Sinclair Research Ltd is a British consumer electronics company founded by Clive Sinclair in Cambridge. It was originally incorporated in 1973 as Westminster Mail Order Ltd, renamed Sinclair Instrument Ltd, then Science of Cambridge Ltd, the ...
for the
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer.
Referred to during development as the ''ZX81 Colou ...
and
ZX81
The ZX81 is a home computer that was produced by Sinclair Research and manufactured in Dundee, Scotland, by Timex Corporation. It was launched in the United Kingdom in March 1981 as the successor to Sinclair's ZX80 and designed to be a low-c ...
home computers.
In the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
,
Timex Sinclair marketed the ZX81 version as ''The Flight Simulator'' for the American version of the ZX81, the
Timex Sinclair 1000.
It was also marketed as ''Flug-Simulation'' in Germany
and ''Simulador De Vuelo'' in Spain.
Gameplay
The program simulated the essential aspects of "a highly-manoeuvrable light aircraft"
in flight.
Despite the limitations of the ZX81, it offered a basic graphical view of the instrumentation and view through the front window, as well as navigational aids
and a full-perspective moving view of the final runway approach.
Reception
The ZX81 version received positive reviews. ''
Popular Computing Weekly
''Popular Computing Weekly'' was a computer magazine in the UK published from 1982 to 1990. It was sometimes referred to as ''PCW'' (although that abbreviation is more commonly associated with ''Personal Computer World'' magazine).
Overview
T ...
'' said "No words can do justice to this most elegant of programs ... You will not see a better computer game till Psion produce one for the Spectrum".
[ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/games-inlays/f/FlightSimulation.jpg] ZX Computing called the program "superb", stating that it made "very good use of the power and the graphics of the ZX81".
The ZX Spectrum version also received good reviews at the time of its release in early 1983. Tony Bridge of ''Popular Computing Weekly'' said the program "the best of its type" and that the Spectrum version was even more stunning than the original.
Malcolm Jay of ''ZX Computing'' said the program was superb but complained about the limited instructions, suggesting "would-be Spectrum pilots should obtain a book on flying from their local library".
Eight years later
Your Sinclair
''Your Sinclair'', or ''YS'' as it was commonly abbreviated, was a commercially published and printed British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum. It was in circulation between 1984 and 1993.
History
Th ...
magazine considered that it had not dated well.
Both versions of ''Flight Simulation'' became the best selling program for their respective machines with the ZX81 version reaching number 1 in February 1983 and the Spectrum version reaching the top of the Spectrum charts in May. Both versions were still in their machine's top ten chart over a year later.
References
External links
* {{WoS game, id=0001797
''Flight Simulation''ZX81 Collection entry with the original inlay scan and program listing. An emulator is available on the site to play the game online.
1982 video games
General flight simulators
ZX81 games
ZX Spectrum games
Video games developed in the United Kingdom