Hangsim
the Light Flight Aviation Simulator

Here's a flightsim with a difference - instead of struggling with all the technical demands of powered flight, ILS approaches and the like, strap yourself in to something simpler and take to the sky in a hang glider, a microlite, a sailplane or a paraglider and get back to basics!

Hangsim was released by Wilco Publishing in October 1999 and was the first ever light flight aviation simulator. Designed by Ilan Papini, it sets out to be as close as possible to the feeling of free flight, something obviously not found in the majority of flight sims which model fast and heavy aircraft. One way this is achieved, for example, is to use the mouse for controlling the hang glider and the paraglider, using the movement of the mouse to simulate the shifting of your body weight as the means of control, rather than the mechanical control of a joystick or yoke. This presents a bit of a challenge as the usual actions of a joystick become reversed - so that push becomes climb, pull is for descent, etc. The option for joystick control is available, although ideally you would only use your joystick for the sailplane and microlite.

Among its many features, the program provides multiple views, excellent graphic quality, 3D effects including sun, shadow and realistic lighting, true global positioning satellite system and moving map display for precision navigation, unique atmospheric modelling simulating the flow of air over mountains and valleys and even dynamic wind sounds to simulate the sound of real flight. You can set up different levels of flight for training and development of your skills and get involved in pleasure flights, challenges and competitions against other intelligent gliders in the sky and there are various other fun variations available.

The minimum PC spec is fairly low, requiring only a Pentium 166 with 3D card and 4 Mb graphics accelerator and 100 Mb of free hard disk space. 

The current recommended retail price of this simulator in the UK is £34.99, although I have seen it being offered at £19.99, so it's worth looking around before you buy. Purchase can be made direct from http://www.wilcopub.com