Whenever I board a passenger jet to go somewhere, my stomach sinks and my brain says, “Well, I guess you’re gonna die now.” But the thought of flying is still magical to me. Whether it’s fighter jets in Ace Combat 7 or TIE Interceptors in Star Wars: Squadrons, the idea of a hunk of metal flying through the air (or space) is an exciting, fantastical idea. Flight is very real, of course, even if a lot of science behind it can initially seem unreal. With the return of Microsoft Flight Simulator, a game that is built to mimic reality as best as current technology will allow it, I can wield that magic for myself, operating and flying a plane with the understanding that the actions I’m performing have a strong basis in real life. It is terrifying. And it is absolutely phenomenal.