"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
Gene Seibel writes:

But it's not flying. It's making pictures on a computer screen.

Sitting in an aircraft isn't flying, either. The aircraft flies; you
sit and watch. Only birds actually fly.

--
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From the American Heritage Dictionary...

Fly n. flew, flown, flying, flies -intr. 1. To engage in flight,
especially: a. to move through the air by means of wings or winglike parts.
b. To travel by air: "We flew to Dallas." c. To operate an aircraft or
spacecraft. (all other definitions don't relate to the thread)

Flight n. 1.a. The motion of an object in or through a medium, especially
through the earth's atmosphere or through space. b. an instance of such
motion. c. the distance covered in such motion. 2.a. The act or process of
flying through the air by means of wings. b. The ability to fly. (rest of
the definitions don't relate)

Aircraft n., A machine of device such as an airplane, a helicopter, a
glider, or a dirigible, that is capable of atmospheric flight.

I don't see any mention of computer simulations in these definitions So, it
would appear that according the American Heritage Dictionary, actual real
life flying of an airplane is considered "flying" and operation of a
computer simulation is NOT. I know this is not the FAA's definition, but
considering the FARs around the logging of simulator time, and even the fact
that there is a "simulator" column in my logbook, don't think the FAA
considers using a simulator "flying" either. i.e. I can't use a simulator
to maintain VFR currency or pass a flight review. And the last time I
checked a personal computer is not "capable of atomospheric flight", unless
you do something like throw it out a window, and then which isn't even
"controllable flight" and you can really ride it and the computer is then
"flying" and not you.