By Downloading A Microsoft Flight Simulator Add-On, That is

Even though there can only be one winner of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association's 2007 Catch-a-Cardinal Sweepstakes grand prize of a refurbished 1977 Cessna 177B Cardinal, any AOPA member can now fly it any time -- from the comfort of their own home.

A new virtual Cardinal add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator X has been created by Flight1 Software in conjunction with the AOPA and is free to AOPA members.

"Every AOPA member dreams of winning the sweepstakes airplane," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "The next best thing to owning it is flying it -- and now, thanks to our partnering with Flight1 Software, all of our members will have that opportunity."

Two Garmin GNS 430 navigators and the two-axis S-Tec System Fifty Five X autopilot are included in the software, just like in the real thing, to make the gaming experience as realistic as possible, according to the AOPA. It even boasts a Honeywell Bendix/King 525 HIS.

Future versions of the add-on will also include the real Cardinal's interior. Flight1 will use photos of the interior once it's completed to create the virtual cockpit.

Visit www.aopa.org/sweeps/fly/ to get the download. Users will need Windows XP or Windows Vista on a computer as well as, obviously, Microsoft Flight Simulator X (it's not compatible with earlier versions), with a joystick or control yoke. The AOPA recommends a high speed Internet connection be used for download as it is a rather hefty program at about 46 MB.

FMI: www.aopa.org, www.flight1.com