✈️ How a 14‑Year‑Old Kid Became the SimFlyingDutchman
My Journey Into the World of Flight Simulation
Some passions start with a spark. Mine began when I was a 14‑year‑old kid who stumbled upon Flight Simulator 2002. Our family computer was anything but powerful, yet somehow it managed to run MSFS 2002 just well enough to pull me into a world I had no idea would shape decades of my life.
Back then, we didn’t even have proper internet at home. So there I was, sitting in my room, flying offline with zero knowledge of procedures, checklists, or aviation theory. I didn’t know what I was doing — but I did know I was having the time of my life.
From Keyboard Pilot to Joystick Hero
Like many simmers, I started with the basics: keyboard and mouse. Eventually, I upgraded to a cheap Trust joystick — a brand many Dutch readers will recognize. That joystick opened up a whole new world. Suddenly I could fly helicopters, small planes, and of course… the legendary Learjet, which completely stole my heart.
I played MSFS 2002 for years before moving on to MSFS X, still using simple hardware and a tiny screen. But none of that mattered. I was hooked.
Leveling Up: My First Gaming Laptop
When my old PC finally gave up, I bought a gaming laptop. Not ideal for flight simulation, but it worked well enough. This was my first encounter with the Airbus A321, and the Beechcraft King Air which quickly became one of my favorites. Later, I bought Flight Simulator 2020, which gave me countless hours of joy.
And then… everything changed.
The Announcement That Changed Everything
Microsoft revealed Flight Simulator 2024, and I was sold instantly — especially because of the mission system. By then, I had already upgraded to a Saitek Pro Yoke and throttle.
But my laptop was struggling. Badly.
So together with a colleague, I selected all the components and built my own gaming PC. That alone was an adventure — from choosing parts to assembling everything myself. The moment the PC didn’t turn on was terrifying, but luckily it was just a RAM stick that wasn’t seated properly.
Release Day: A Rollercoaster
November 2024 arrived. I took two days off work to enjoy the release… and it turned into a huge disappointment. Server issues everywhere. In the end, I only used one day off and went back to work.
Thankfully, after a few days the problems were fixed, and I could finally dive in. I spent hours earning all the MSFS certificates — and for the first time, I truly began to understand what I was doing in the cockpit and start to know the basic procedures in aviation.
Enter the SimFly Community
This was the moment I rolled into the real sim community. I created my Instagram account, Simflyingdutchman, and started sharing my flights. Through that account, I discovered an entire world of sim pilots just like me. I wasn’t alone — far from it. And that felt amazing. One of the highlights was the FS weekend in Lelystad earlier this month where I went with Mike, an aviation enthousiast like me.
Hardware Evolution: From Saitek to Honeycomb to WinCtrl
When my Saitek yoke died, I upgraded to the Honeycomb yoke and throttle. A massive improvement, and it allowed me to fly the Cessna 172 and the Airbus more realistically. But something still felt… incomplete.
Then I discovered a Chinese company now known as WinCtrl.
It started with a simple MCDU on my desk. Then I added a portable LCD screen which I used as a MIP screen. Then the I bought the autopilot panel followed by the sidestick. Piece by piece, my setup grew — and so did my excitement.
But there was one problem: My desk was way too small. Every time I needed to work, I had to move everything aside. It drove me crazy.
The Birth of a Home Cockpit
That’s when the idea hit me: What if I build a pedestal?
I could mount part of the setup on it and simply slide it away when needed. It was a clever solution — and also the beginning of my home cockpit journey.
I’m not building a full‑scale cockpit like some simmers do, but I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve created so far. I even have the FO side of the Airbus A320 now, and I can still move everything aside when I need to work. Perfect balance.
Looking Ahead
I can’t wait to share more stories, experiences, and behind‑the‑scenes moments with you. And of course, I’ll give you a detailed tour of my setup soon.
Thanks for being part of this journey.
Vriendelijke groeten, Simflyingdutchman