antlouis63
New Member
Just a quick question, how beneficial is Flight Simulator for those in training, and those who are currently professionals?
-Anthony
-Anthony
Microsoft Flight Sim
- Thread starter antlouis63
- Start date
Had a good thread on this last month:
http://forums.jetcareers.com/showthread.php?t=32252&highlight=flight+sim
BobDDuck
Island Bus Driver
A quick search will answer your question.
The highlights
-For basic stick and rudder skills, not at all. It's detremental actually as you tend to look inside a lot more
-For basic instrument flying skills, not so much as again, you are flying a joystick and not a real plane.
-For instrument training as far as navigation goes it can help you learn the basics in a somewhat less stressful (and cheaper) environment.
The highlights
-For basic stick and rudder skills, not at all. It's detremental actually as you tend to look inside a lot more
-For basic instrument flying skills, not so much as again, you are flying a joystick and not a real plane.
-For instrument training as far as navigation goes it can help you learn the basics in a somewhat less stressful (and cheaper) environment.
mtsu_av8er
Well-Known Member
I can agree with that.
I can't agree 100% with that. Does that mean that a student that learned how to fly on instruments in a Katana won't be able to fly in a C-172?
I've seen instrument students cut their training by as much as 30%, simply by going home and practicing on MSFS! It makes a difference!!
Tristan
Well-Known Member
I think MSFS is beneficial for someone who is starting out in real world flight training. If you're really good at MSFS, and go into real flying, you already have a good understanding about where the aircraft should be relative to glideslope, plus you can practice procedures. Of course MS doesn't simulate all aspects of flying, but you sure can get some benefits out of it.
Tristan
Tristan
antlouis63
New Member
I can agree with you on this, b/c when I received my introductory flight, I had a tendency to look inside the whole time during flight, I would have to attribute such flying technique to MSFS b/c why would I have a natural tendency to keep my eyes on the inside.
wrxpilot
New Member
I am among those that have benefited by at least a 30% reduction in real hobbs time for the IR by using MSFS. Valuable time saver and a great way to take care of any trouble areas. I agree it doesn't make much sense for primary training - except maybe practicing your long x/c flying. Pretty useful for that I found...
TFaudree_ERAU
Mashin' dem buttons
I'm an avid user of MSFS and have been since '98. I waste my time flying and controlling on VATSIM. I find that if you truly use FS to its fullest potential, you can shave hours off of your instrument training. I completed my instrument rating in about 3 months at ERAU, which from what I'm told, is rather quick (for Riddle at least). Using the more complex payware add-ons with FMC and full autoflight simulations, I was able to breeze through all of my upper level advanced systems and navigation courses due to the fact that I didn't have to learn the material along with all the other students. In my Flight Technique & Analysis class, I could simply go in, fire up the 747 sim, fly the profiles and be out of class before any of the other students could get their sim off the ground.
On the down side, I agree with the lack of sensation with FS. That was my biggest downfall in the private, commercial and even CFI courses. I flew FS for about 3 years before I started my private training, and it took me well over 300 hours to break the habit of flying by the instruments. I still find myself glancing down at the gauges a little more than I know I should.
On the down side, I agree with the lack of sensation with FS. That was my biggest downfall in the private, commercial and even CFI courses. I flew FS for about 3 years before I started my private training, and it took me well over 300 hours to break the habit of flying by the instruments. I still find myself glancing down at the gauges a little more than I know I should.
killbilly
Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
[standard Killbilly reply]
Get X-plane. Better options for different types of instrument flying than MSFS. Harder to fly, configure and setup, but the weather modeling, etc. makes you work a little harder to stay ahead of the airplane.
Since I've not started flight training yet I can't speak to the comparitive realism, but I can say that X-plane works a lot more variables into the flight than MSFS.
[/standard Killbilly reply]
Get X-plane. Better options for different types of instrument flying than MSFS. Harder to fly, configure and setup, but the weather modeling, etc. makes you work a little harder to stay ahead of the airplane.
Since I've not started flight training yet I can't speak to the comparitive realism, but I can say that X-plane works a lot more variables into the flight than MSFS.
[/standard Killbilly reply]
ComplexHiAv8r
Well-Known Member
It really depends on the software and the computer. This was my first flight simulator.
Sad part is I still have it on a 5.25 single sided floppy
Sad part is I still have it on a 5.25 single sided floppy
mtsu_av8er
Well-Known Member
killbilly said:
Isn't this thread about flight training, though?
Nick
Well-Known Member
It helped me A LOT during the private and instrument training. I knew how to navigate using VORs before we even attempting to use them in the real airplane. I knew how the needles go during an ILS, the basics of shooting approaches since I'd read up on them online and tried it many times on the computer, practiced holds and hold entries, etc.
To the people that constantly enter the debate with the "it's a computer you can't learn how to fly a plane with a keyboard and joystick!!!" Of course it is not teaching stick and rudder skills. It is teaching instrument skills and if it only saves you 20 minutes in the airplane during all of your training then the software will have paid for itself. That is why I figure it saved me well over $1,000.
To the people that constantly enter the debate with the "it's a computer you can't learn how to fly a plane with a keyboard and joystick!!!" Of course it is not teaching stick and rudder skills. It is teaching instrument skills and if it only saves you 20 minutes in the airplane during all of your training then the software will have paid for itself. That is why I figure it saved me well over $1,000.
killbilly
Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
He's in the same boat I am at the moment, asking about sims. At least he's about to start flying - I'm not yet. 
I can't speak effectively about flying an aircraft but I CAN talk about sims.
It's pathetic, sad, makes me a wannabe simmer scumbag. I come here because it keeps me inspired.
that said, it's about time for me to STFU lately.
I can't speak effectively about flying an aircraft but I CAN talk about sims.
It's pathetic, sad, makes me a wannabe simmer scumbag. I come here because it keeps me inspired.
that said, it's about time for me to STFU lately.
bLizZuE
Calling for engine starts en français
It really depends on the software and the computer. This was my first flight simulator.
Sad part is I still have it on a 5.25 single sided floppy
I can beat that. I still own a mac that plays that game. The original mac with 512 K (yes K) of ram, and two floppy drives.
I played a lot of that as a kid.
ComplexHiAv8r
Well-Known Member
That was on the Apple II+ (1982 vintage). Years before the Mac! My brother has the computer, which is still operational. Two floppies, must of been nice. We had a floppy and a tape recorder.