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BBC owners can now take the controls of a Spitfire, courtesy of Acornsoft.

Aviator, launched this month, is the company's first flight simulator for the machine. It was decided to go for a Spitfire, as opposed to a passenger craft, as the former allows you to perform aerobatics and special movements. Lowering a 747 Jumbo to five feet and flying under a bridge is not easy.

The game is set in its own three-dimensional world, 15 miles square. Although the scene is chiefly barren desert, there's a river, complete with bridge, and also a small town called Acornsville.

At the start of the game, you have a pilot's eye view of the runway. The screen is split - the lower half behind the dashboard and the upper half the view from the cockpit.

The dashboard gives you a reading for air speed, height, rate of climb, rudder and joystick position, etc, and also a radar screen showing the plane's position relative to the rest of the world.

Initially, you are positioned at the start of the runway and are ready for take off. As the fuel tanks are automatically filled, apply full throttle and turn on the engine. At this point, the sound effects start. the engine sound is very realistic and changes in volume and pitch, depending on which manoeuvre you happen to be performing at the time.

Handling is excellent, though at low speeds, the joystick (you can also use the keyboard) feels sluggish and the craft is slow to respond.

Although you can simply fly around notching up air time, the program also awards points for special skills. There's a bridge to fly under and the town of Acornsville to negotiate.

Approaching the town, you realise the full extent of the superb graphics. At first, the entire town is just a small dot on the artificial horizon, but as you approach, it becomes a number of dots - one for each building. Then, as you get closer still, you can distinguish between the buildings. Come too close and you'll crash into the building; fly between them and you can score points.

This is one of the best flight simulators I've seen. The display uses no colour, but this is no real drawback. Handling is good and, once you get the hang of the controls, flying is not too difficult.

The game comes with a map, keyboard chart and a 28-page flying manual. This is very well written and explains all the controls. Although not written in technospeak, there are a couple of advanced sections, but you don't have to read them.

Joystick control is slightly easier than using the keyboard, but you'll have to use a joystick without self-centring.