Pro Pilot 99 (PC)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Denny Atkin
• Reviewed on: 11/16/1998
• Updated on: 05/02/2000
• Released on: 10/31/1998
• Originally published on GameSpot: Pro Pilot 99 (PC) Review

Sierra's initial entry into the civilian flight simulator market, Pro Pilot '98, was far from the Microsoft Flight Simulator killer it was touted as. Released in a buggy, unfinished state, the program's problems far outweighed its technical achievements. A series of patches eventually fixed the major flight model problems and got the program into a stable state, but many sim fans were left disappointed by the program's 2D-only graphics and design quirks.

The good news is that Pro Pilot '99 is a dramatic improvement over that first release, building on the features of that initial release and filling many of the holes. Enhancements such as support for 3Dfx graphics cards, better flight models, more complete air traffic control (ATC), and more thorough documentation make Pro Pilot '99 the program that the first version should have been. There's still plenty of room for improvement, though.

Like the original version, Pro Pilot simulates a good cross-section of the general aviation aircraft market: the Cessna 172 Skyhawk and Beechcraft Bonanza V35 singles; the Beechcraft Baron and King Air twins; and the Cessna CitationJet 525 jet. Two models of the Skyhawk are included, the original 172P and the updated 172R. Each plane's instruments and controls are modeled in great detail, significantly better than the panels in Flight Simulator 98. All the switches are there, from fuel tank selection to working landing lights.

Newbie pilots will appreciate the new Pop-Up Operator's Handbook feature, which includes step-by-step checklists for procedures such as starting the aircraft, takeoff, climb, descent, and landing. In addition, there are a number of flight tutorials created in cooperation with the National Association of Flight Instruction (NAFI). If you've never flown a general aviation sim before and you want to learn how to do things properly, or if you're interested in someday getting your pilot's license, Pro Pilot '99's tutorials, its 30 AVI demonstration videos, and its thorough system simulations are an excellent introduction to how to do things properly.

Unfortunately, "properly" is the key word here. As long as you stay within the normal flight regimes of these aircraft, their handling and performance are very close to the real planes. Takeoff, climb, approach, and so on are convincing, and the landing problems of the '98 version have been fixed. However, if your plane ends up in what's referred to in aviation as "unusual attitudes," the flight modeling falls apart. Try to do a loop in a Bonanza, and your plane's nose will freeze once it's perpendicular to the ground. Pushing the plane into a spin isn't handled properly either. While these quirks won't affect pilots who are interested in using the sim to replicate normal, real-world flight plans, many pilots and gamers like to use sims to attempt maneuvers that they wouldn't dare try in real life. Also, the planes' sometimes-docile behavior can lull inexperienced pilots into a false sense of security. It would be far better if the planes could be pushed into unusual attitudes, so future pilots could see the consequences of mishandling and learn to recover from such situations. Here's hoping that future releases of Pro Pilot replace the flight model with one that acts properly in all regimes of flight.

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