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You can't beat an F15 Eagle jet fighter for sheer power and speed, and now you don't need to join the US Air Force to know why. All you need is a Spectrum and Fighter Pilot.

Flight simulation programs put you right in the pilot's seat. They confront you with a screen split horizontally between instrumentation and your view from the cockpit.

Instrumentation involves things like velocity, altitude, fuel etc, and Fighter Pilot's is thorough. You'll need to spend quite a while wading through the instructions, but once in control it's great fun.

Thus far, the program offers nothing unique, although with a joystick the flying is the best I've come across. Fighter Pilot offers the extra options of combat practice or combat itself. Since it's only a program, you may as well go for the actual combat. Instruments lock into the range, bearing and altitude of an enemy plane that's out to bomb four airfields, all on your map display.

From scrambling at take-off to getting the enemy in your sights is hard enough, but shooting him from the sky takes skill. The dogfight is realistic, thrilling and calls for a cool hand.

Inevitably, comparisons with Psion's Flight Simulator program will be made. Fighter Pilot has the edge over this civilian game straightaway for its spectacular combat, but it wins too on graphics and instrumentation.