In this guest editorial Shanya, a real world pilot gives us her take on what it is like to be a female flightsimmer. We often think of simming as an all male hobby so it's nice to see the other side of the coin so to speak.
Female Flight Simmer - By Shawn "Shanya" Anderson
Female Flightsimmer (fe'mal' flit'sim'm?r) n. In
modern mythology, a human female who owns a computer, yoke, rudder
pedals, throttle, and several flight sims, and who not only knows how
to fly but would rather sim than shop. Reportedly sighted on forums
and (more rarely) in online multiplayer sessions. See UFO.
I suppose I should start off by introducing myself. I'm Shanya. I'm
a real world pilot, I'm a flightsimmer, and yes, I am indeed female.
I can't remember a time when I didn't want to fly. Growing up gold mining
and hunting in Alaska, all the best things came from airplanes -- supplies,
friends, a ride home… pilots were my heroes. I thought there was no
greater thing than to be able to fly an airplane, although the real
deal seemed far beyond my reach.
I recall my first experience with a flight sim (darned if I know which
one, or even what kind of computer it was running on) -- all green and
black lines, which way is up? An interesting concept, but this isn't
flying, I thought. I like looking out the window, and there's not much
point to it here.
Some years later, I finally got a computer of my own and promptly started
looking for things to do with it. In the course of things I stumbled
upon Flight Unlimited. Having spent many an hour out sitting on a rock
behind my high school watching someone practice hammerheads in a Pitts
Special, this looked interesting. So I bought it, brought it home, installed
it, and took to the virtual skies…
I had a flight stick and rudder pedals within a month, and it's been
a downhill slide from there.
Flight Unlimited II came along, and although I started real life flying
lessons shortly thereafter my enthusiasm for sims was undiminished.
In fact, if anything the habit got worse as I spent hours practicing
maneuvers in the virtual 172. I discovered and joined a virtual airline,
and eventually started one of my own that currently has just over 100
active pilots. It keeps me pretty busy, but I love it because it adds
that extra level of immersion and interaction with other flightsimmers.
I have no fewer than seven different GA sims taking up hard drive space
at the moment, and I fly them all.
So although I've been into GA sims for a few years, I'd never been particularly
interested in combat sims. Until recently, that is, when a crazy bunch
of guys I met on a forum (gotta love 'em -- a real bunch of non compos
mentis types) talked me into trying European Air War. I thought I'd
humor them and give it a go.
Problem is, I think I like it.
So far, I've only made a few brief sorties into the relatively tame
world of AI opponents… and I'll admit I've gotten my butt kicked. But
give me time -- this is a whole different kind of flying from what I'm
used to, and I'm enjoying the challenge. It's one thing to practice
aerobatics, and another to do so with someone (or several someones)
nearby trying to help you perfect your terminal dive.
Yep, I can see this becoming very addictive in fairly short order…which
means I'm looking for options as to what to do with my offspring. Can't
they deep-freeze them nowadays? Or should I just invest in a good, strong,
large kennel with plenty of room to grow? And what about the significant
other? Is it grounds for justifiable homicide when he comes up behind
me and gets all "friendly" while I'm in the middle of a big furball?
How many men worry about such things, I wonder? Heck, in general, we
almost expect men to be doing irresponsible things like playing computer
games all the time. Women are supposed to be the responsible ones, taking
care of the kids, the house, cooking dinner, taking care of the… Hmmmm…
Has anyone considered that men might be smarter than they appear?
I am really looking forward to this combat business -- a new challenge,
a whole new set of rules. No hitting the "pause" key mid-flight. Can
hardly wait for the first time I'm in the middle of a multiplayer session
with things happening fast, and the kids get in a fight in the other
room… I happen to hit my "transmit" button for Roger Wilco just as I
holler in my best "mom" voice: "Hey! You kids break it up in there!"
How many in the game do you suppose would reflexively break off and
head for home?
One thing really does puzzle me, however, and that is how so many people
seem to think I'd know why it is more women don't get into this stuff.
If I knew that, I might give it up, turn in my yoke and rudder pedals,
and relegate the computer to e-mail and recipe storage … so let's just
leave well-enough alone and if anyone ever figures it out, don't tell
me, all right?
(Who, them? No, don't listen to them, they're just my family. They have
no say in this whatsoever!)
Yeah, the dust in my house is an inch thick, the dishes and laundry
are piling up, and the carpet only gets vacuumed because my seven-year
old thinks it's fun to run the vacuum cleaner. The parrot is learning
combat noises, and the significant other has taken up playing EverQuest.
But you know what? I'm having a blast (followed by smoke, flames, and
a big splash… darn it, I'll get you next time!).
