Show HN: I made a flight simulator, except you're just a passenger

(inflightsimulator.com)

42 points | by rkotcher 1 day ago

11 comments

  • darknavi 6 minutes ago
    Missing FCA (Glacier international airport in Kalispell, Montana, USA).

    It's small but a beautiful flight!

  • thoughtsimple 30 minutes ago
    Seems to hate not having location access on iOS. Keeps refreshing until eventually Safari just gives up.
  • lejeanvaljean 1 day ago
    You know what? I had fear of flying. I did a training with a pilot in a simulator, but it was in the cockpit. I don't have fear of flying in a simulator or in the cockpit. I have fear of flying as a passenger, I'm sit in a chair. That's what I would have liked during my training. I told that to Air France and they did not understand but this might seriously be useful.
    • aaronbrethorst 42 minutes ago
      UAL used to let you listen into the cockpit to ATC chatter: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17656352 — I understand this was really helpful for calming some passengers' nerves during flying.
    • password54321 1 day ago
      I don't think you can completely eliminate this as people naturally don't like giving up their agency which is usually going to produce at least a low level of anxiety.
      • recursivecaveat 7 minutes ago
        Agency and information in a way. I actually feel safer in a tiny 4 seater plane than a jet, even though objectively that's probably backwards. Being able to look at all the parts of the plane, how the movements derive from the pilot's actions, actually see out the front, it is more reassuring. More similar to being a passenger in someone's car. It probably doesn't hurt that it is easier for my mind to imagine a Cessna gliding gently to earth than a passenger jet.
    • rkotcher 1 day ago
      Interesting, thanks for the idea. Would be pretty cool if this app did have some real-world applications, beyond being a bit of a meme app. Thanks for the comment!
      • sublinear 5 minutes ago
        This is going to sound insane, but something like this for the backseats of various common, and maybe even exotic, cars would be cool too.

        I have similar problems being a passenger in an uber for more than 15 mins. I lose my mind on roadtrips when it's not my turn to drive.

  • flawed_crater 9 minutes ago
    Please remove the login screen. Is love to try this.
    • jameson 4 minutes ago
      Hrm. I can play it without logging in
  • lateatdesk 1 day ago
    I like how much work you've put into just being a passenger :) I'm building a little world in the browser myself, so I like finding projects like this.
  • orliesaurus 23 minutes ago
    Flying to NYC, sitting next to nobody, never happened to me before :) - see you in 4h
  • khazhoux 31 minutes ago
    Genius doesn’t always look like you expect it will. Well done!

    (Kill the login panel though —- it wouldn’t go away for me)

  • fortran77 31 minutes ago
    I'd pay $1 to upgrade to first class. $2 if I get a hot towel, a pre-departure beverage, and warm nuts.
  • tony-ay 1 day ago
    Pretty cool! I could see leaving it up on another screen to enjoy while I go about my workday.
  • d--b 1 day ago
    Nice.

    Waiting eagerly for the "crying baby" extension pack. The "get to your seat" MMO. And the "I want to pee, but the guy next to me is sleeping" campaign.

    Also, inflightsimulator: 1980, with ashtrays and lethal weapon playing on dropdown TV sets

    • EagnaIonat 15 minutes ago
      Or the passenger who is friendly and wants your window seat, but doesn't want to straight out say it. Then turns deranged when they find out they are in the middle seat for the whole flight.
    • rkotcher 1 day ago
      Thanks for playing! I'll be sure to consider so of those for the next release!
    • fortran77 29 minutes ago
      What a great idea! How about, a kid behind kicking your chair, the person in front of you abruptly putting his seat back all the way, and a person of size next to you spilling into your seat.
  • seemaze 39 minutes ago
    no