But FSX doesn't have the interesting variation in terrain of real world terrain to interest me enough to fly real time over expanses of desert and scrub etc. Its ok if you stick to the well detailed areas covered in the official missions, or areas covered by a good expansion, but certainly the UK and I am sure many many other areas of the world are covered really badly in the default game. I found that out just trying to fly across Africa.

Just got to look at Google map's satellite view to see just how varied the Earths terrain really is - I was fascinated looking at the sahara for example there are some weird looking settlements there! But FSX obviously cannot represent that kind of terrain variation or it would be the largest programme in the world! Maybe in 2050 we will have the whole world mapped in FSX ??!