To get past the perpetual training wheels state (nice one Ice), we've got some great mission builders in our group to keep the fresh feeling. Manually overcoming the lack of a DC. It's work, but the best we can do. With many of us discovering a module we may have dismissed (for me, the Gazelle), we've gotten out of our stagnation and began adding more capabilities to our flight sessions.

Instead of an all out A-10C or Mirage mission, we're now adding a standby helo CSAR for when one of the dudes gets popped. And so on. Our imaginations are overcoming ED's imposed sterile environment.

But offline, this sim is frustrating without the DC. Online partnerships are the life blood. Along with a well built long mission.