Flight Simulators?

[SMHarrell]

Hey all you JC folks!

I have been out of flying for close to 15 years now... Doesn't seem real! Had about 160 hours TT Instrument Rated Private Pilot was working on Multi/Commercial at the time I hung it up. Got married, 2 kids, career in sales, running a store now... etc.. and all of the sudden I am 37!

I am wanting to get completely back in. Bought King's refresher course back in the summer, been studying, finally decided it's time. Here in my area we have one Club available and about 4 different Flight schools available. The club seems to be the best route? $300 to join, $75 a month and the rental rate is $45 and hour dry. Piper Warrior. Most flight schools range in the $75-100 hour rental fees dry. Trying to make every spare dollar I have work to get current, work on my commercial then multi to eventually make the career change. Any thoughts or pointers would be huge!

I am thinking about purchasing the Saitek Flight sim Yoke, Rudder pedals, and Throttle Quadrants. Any opinions on this? I thought it might help me shake off some of the rust before I get back in the plane.

I have read just about every thread on Career Changers I can, but always looking for fresh opinions.

Thanks again!

 

[Bamaaviator]

Yes simulators are an excellent tool to use to regain and maintain proficiency. Just don't become overly dependent on them, as there are obvious differences between simulators and the real aircraft. Just use it as a procedures trainer, especially for instrument procedures and for practing teaching when you work on your CFI, if you decide to go that route. I'd recommend getting the CFI, as it will make you a much better pilot.

 

[Bamaaviator]

Also, simulators can be a HUGE $$$$$ saver as well, since you won't have to spend as much time on maneuvers and procedures in the plane.

 

[SMHarrell]

Thanks for the feedback! I went ahead and purchased the Saitek Yoke, Rudder, Throttle assembly and 1 of the instrument Panels. It also came with Xplane11. I have been using it like crazy. Started off at my home field here, KLOU, doing touch and goes, some VOR navigation and some ATC practice flying into controlled airspace at KSDF to help me get back into some procedures I have noticed for sure that it is definitely not like being in a plane, but pretty darn close.

The biggest thing I have been trying to do is pattern procedures: Altitude, speeds, Flaps, looking for the 45 to start my turns, etc... I have also been practicing atc comms just pretending as if ground and tower have been giving me instructions and reading them back. I have really started to notice a lot of these things coming back. So far I am pretty satisfied with the investment into the equipment.

I did go ahead and join the local flying club also. Cost $300 to join and $75 a month. Then the dry hourly rate for the warrior is $45. I am just studying my but off right now to familiarize myself before I get back in the plane with the CFI. I plan on my first flights to be sometime around the 2nd week of Feb. Hoping for some good weather!

I have also been tooling around looking for some training programs that coincide with Xplane11. Does anyone know of anything like that? I did find a Gleim course for IR, which I may do that to get my IR currency back, but didn't know if anyone else knew of anything? I kind of thought there would be some more in depth training scenarios built into Xplane.

Thanks again for the reply.

 

[Bamaaviator]

That I'm not sure. I've never used xplane, so I couldn't help you out there.

 

[killbilly]

Yes simulators are an excellent tool to use to regain and maintain proficiency. Just don't become overly dependent on them, as there are obvious differences between simulators and the real aircraft. Just use it as a procedures trainer, especially for instrument procedures and for practing teaching when you work on your CFI, if you decide to go that route. I'd recommend getting the CFI, as it will make you a much better pilot.

Just wanted to quote this for truth. We have a Redbird FMX sim. Fantastic for IR training and learning the buttonology, especially on G1000 systems.

I've also been known to put a pre-solo student in it when they were griping about the winds and wanting to go fly. So we set up the sim with the actual wind conditions so they could see what a 29028G40kt on a 17/35 runway might look like.

That was interesting.