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In this episode of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above, Martyn Northall from Just Flight reflects on a career shaped by aviation heritage, early simulation, and a deep commitment to realism.

Growing up with a father who flew for the Royal Air Force, aviation was part of Martyn’s world from an early age. Around the age of twelve, he discovered Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000 — a moment that sparked a lasting fascination with flight simulation. As a teenager, he became a customer himself, flying and enjoying Just Flight products long before any professional connection existed.

With ambitions to follow his father...

Episode 25 continues the expanded FlightSim Adventures series with Part 5 — and adds a special dimension at the very beginning. For the first time in years, host Jürgen Reis and Airbus A320 first officer Stefan Lorenz meet in person, recording the opening minutes outdoors near the Aviation-Quest.cc studio in Dornbirn before transitioning back into their familiar remote format. The result is an episode that blends technical depth with spontaneous humor and a unique live atmosphere.

Stefan opens with an extraordinary behind-the-scenes experience: contributing to the creation of a highly detailed Palma de Mallorca Airport scenery. Combined with his real-world...

After the enthusiastic response to the first FlightSim series episodes, Episode 24 returns with a special follow-up installment. What began in Episode 17 as a nostalgic journey through the history of flight simulation has evolved into a growing collection of unforgettable flying experiences — and in FlightSim Adventures, Part 4, host Jürgen Reis and Airbus A320 first officer Stefan Lorenz once again present six remarkable flights that every simulator enthusiast should consider adding to their bucket list.

Jürgen opens with one of the most extreme destinations available in modern flight simulation: Daocheng Yading Airport in China, currently the highest civilian...

Episode 23 of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above features an exceptional guest: Captain Gerhard Gruber (born 1954) — pilot, airport manager, safety expert, and one of Austria’s most experienced voices in aviation.

In this deeply personal conversation, Captain Gruber takes listeners back to his earliest childhood memories of flight and walks through the defining chapters of his career. Beginning as a glider pilot — even having to add weight to meet center-of-gravity limits — he traces his path through private and commercial flying, flight instruction, and jet operations around the world.

Alongside his flying career, Captain Gruber joined Vienna International...

Winter operations are among the most demanding situations airline crews regularly face. While passengers may simply see snow on the runway or experience a departure delay, pilots must manage a carefully coordinated chain of procedures designed to keep the aircraft safe in freezing conditions.

In Episode 22 of Aviation-Quest.cc, host Jürgen Reis sits down with co-host Stefan Lorenz, who shares his professional experience as an Airbus A320 First Officer. Guided by Jürgen’s questions, Stefan takes listeners through a realistic winter operations day on the flight deck — from early weather briefings and aircraft inspections to de-icing procedures and winter landings....

Episode 21 completes the FlightSim Adventures trilogy and marks Part 5 of the ongoing FlightSim Series. In this final installment, host Jürgen Reis and Airbus A320 first officer Stefan Lorenz present six bucket-list experiences that capture the full spectrum of flight simulation — from endurance challenges and iconic aircraft to mountain flying and precision formation work.

Stefan opens with one of the most ambitious undertakings imaginable in a simulator: flying around the world using only short-haul legs. Departing Europe eastbound, the challenge quickly evolves into a complex logistical puzzle as geography, range limits, and route planning turn the journey into...

Episode 20 continues the ongoing FlightSim Series (Part 4) and moves deeper into the dedicated sub-series FlightSim Adventures. In Part 2, Jürgen Reis and Airbus A320 first officer Stefan Lorenz each bring three new standout experiences — blending study-level realism with creative exploration.

Stefan opens with a true Flight Team highlight: the legendary Level-D Boeing 767. Still admired years after its release, the aircraft remains a benchmark for immersive 3D cockpits and system depth. From a real-world pilot’s perspective, the 767 stands out as a masterpiece of airliner engineering — responsive, elegant, and rewarding to fly even by today’s standards....

Episode 19 continues the ongoing FlightSim Series with Part 3 — and marks the beginning of a dedicated three-part sub-series: FlightSim Adventures. In this first installment, Jürgen Reis and Airbus A320 first officer Stefan Lorenz each present three unforgettable flight simulation experiences that shaped their aviation journey.

Stefan opens with a professional F-16 simulator session from nearly a decade ago — one of the early virtual reality setups that brought immersive fighter flying to a new level. The discussion explores how modern VR can recreate that classic “fighter pilot spirit” inside your own office — and why that fascination remains...

Episode 18 continues the flight simulation journey — this time shifting from nostalgic origins to modern realism. Picking up where Episode 17 left off, host Jürgen Reis and Airbus A320 first officer Stefan Lorenz trace the evolution of flight simulation from Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000 through FS2004, FSX, X-Plane, Aerofly FS, Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) and up to today’s Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

The conversation explores what changed — and what didn’t. While graphics and performance took enormous leaps, the true value of flight simulation has always lived elsewhere: in procedures, systems thinking, and disciplined flying. Stefan shares why modern...

Episode 17 launches a new multi-part flight simulation special — and goes back to where it all began. Long before glass cockpits, streaming scenery, and powerful PCs, flight simulation meant floppy disks, one megabyte of RAM, and imagination.

Host Jürgen Reis revisits his very first flight simulation experience at a late-1980s trade show, flying an early simulator on an Atari ST — a moment that sparked a lifelong fascination with aviation. From there, the conversation moves into the Amiga 500 era, where 880-kilobyte floppy disks powered legendary titles like F-18 Interceptor and, later, the groundbreaking A320 Airbus by Thalion —...