Is Microsoft Flight Simulator a good learning tool?

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I was having a really hard time w/ NDB holds and what not, so rather than spending the $$$ in the simulator, I would spend hours MSFS praciticing.

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NDBs are dying anyway!! Wait a little while longer, and it'll be out of the PTS completely!! Worthless skill set. Well, not worthless, as some purists will say otherwise.

Good riddens!!!!

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I did more NDB approaches and holds than I can count on my fingers in the sim. Plus, I've already done 3 actual NDB approaches (in IMC) on the line. All into MDW. Thank goodness we have ADF overlay on the EHSI. Just push the head, pull the tail...

NDBs still have use. I guess when the localizer goes down in SBN, it's NDB approaches into the lake effect snow.
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Haven't done that yet.
 
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SWA is slowly removing the ADFs from the flight deck. I was talking to a capt the other day, and he was lamenting on the fact that they took away his AM radio.
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That's a bit disappointing. I guess with FMS there isn't a change in your situational awareness without one. I know for us though, in a /A airplane, the ADF helps increase situational awareness when doing ILSs with a LOM on either side of the airport.
 
[quoteI did more NDB approaches and holds than I can count on my fingers in the sim. Plus, I've already done 3 actual NDB approaches (in IMC) on the line. All into MDW. Thank goodness we have ADF overlay on the EHSI. Just push the head, pull the tail...

NDBs still have use. I guess when the localizer goes down in SBN, it's NDB approaches into the lake effect snow.
shocked.gif
Haven't done that yet.

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I agree that they can definately improve situational awareness, but then again, so could lighted airways and four-range radio systems if they were still installed. Realistically, there's nothing that an ADF can do that any basic GPS can't. And there are no ADF systems as accurate as GPS.

Of course, some would say that GPS can fail at any given moment, but I've had controllers tell me that I was 45 degrees off course when navigating to an NDB for an approach.

I think that once all of the NDBs (or at least most) are decommisioned, they will be missed by few....
 
I seriously doubt they'll phase out all VORs within the next 30 years. The plan that the DOD has is to move from today's number of VORs, then begin to phase them down (not out) starting in 2010.

After 2010, an "interim network" will be put in effect, which the DOD expects to reduce VORs and ILS systems by 30%.

By 2014, the plan is to have only about 50% of VOR and ILS systems operational, and NDBs will be on very very numbered days.

The goal (though not specifically planned) is to have only 25% of today's system operational by 2016, with only ~200 VORs in service, some CAT I, and a few CAT II/III approaches at the bigger airports.

GPS may be becoming more advanced, but expect to be doing VOR, ILS, and the dreaded NDB approaches for a while to come!
 
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never had a student that was an ace from Flight Sim. Usually its more of a hinderance, especially with private pilot training (STOP LOOKING AT THE #$@#$ INSTRUMENTS!!!!!)...

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Yeah I agree at first I also had that problem somewhat but I also had good basic flying skills just from being able to interpret what the instruments were telling me from what I had learned from flightsim. I think where FS really will help out is when it comes to instrument training, I already know the basics of flying an ILS, holding patterns and reading instrument approach plates even though I'd had no offical training in that area yet. Plus they even use FS here at Flightsafety as an introduction to proceedures and checklists and makes early actual flying lessons more about how to fly the plane than trying to learn checklists and proccedures as well. Plus best part it doesn't come with an hourly rate!
 
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