Flight simulator questions.

rnodal · April 30th, 2008, 17:20

Hello all:

As of today, I can not afford flight school and that is why I'm trying to get another job (I hope working in a near airport doing anything near planes and pilots). Mean while all the little aviation knowledge that I have I have obtained from a flight simulator (X-Plane.com) and reading what I can get my hands on. For example the FAA manuals. I was wondering how relevant that experience would be in the real world? Most of my flights are under IFR(I actually seat for the whole duration of the flight

) since I really want to master instrument flighting (Instrument skill to me is like giving a new pair of eyes to a blind man). I'm also trying to master the art to SID's and STAR's and also getting familiar with the FMC. Is there anything else that I can do meanwhile I can't afford flight school to prepare myself for the future?

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. Like someone said: "Sharing knowledge is archiving immortality"

madmax · April 30th, 2008, 17:28

Check out VATSIM, it's a program that provides ATC to flightsimmers.

rnodal · April 30th, 2008, 17:29

That was fast

. Thanks for the suggestion I will sure do that.

SoCalAprch · April 30th, 2008, 17:31

Keep playing with flight simulator. But start saving money and start flying. You can play Flight Sim all you want but flying in IMC on a computer and shooting approaches in the real world are two different ball games. Yes it will help you have an understanding of how the instruments work and how to read an approach plate but its like playing a NASCAR game on your computer and asking if it will help you become a real race car driver. Just my two cents...

WacoFan · April 30th, 2008, 17:55

Good for you for doing everything you can to prepare yourself. I would try to get on somehow at an FBO - do whatever you need to do, but you will be around airplanes, will make great contacts, and perhaps get discounted flying.

charlie1017 · April 30th, 2008, 18:30

I second what SOCAL said. Use flight sim to learn how the instruments work. Now I would NOT recommend it for developing an instrument scan. I had a lot of trouble with my scan during my instrument training precisely because I tried to correct as I would in MSFS. Another thing is that FS doesn't replicate VFR flying accurately and you get into the habit of just looking at the panel and not looking outside. And if you grease the landings in the FS Skyhawk, don't expect to be able to do so in the real one.
Also, learning about FMC's from airplanes that you'll fly waaay down the road might not be that useful at this point. Instead get a copy of the FAR/AIM, Airplane Flying Handbook, Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, and get your reading started for the private certificate.

Craig_Davidson · April 30th, 2008, 19:08

The two things i can say all my hours on MSFS helped me with prior to my real flight training was my radio work and learning instrument procedures ie. reading SID/STARS and approach plates etc. I encourage you to look at VATSIM. That is where i became confident on the radio (most definitely not with the default MSFS ATC) Also, PM me if you want to talk more about the flight sim community. I can give you some good resources to check out since i was and still am when i have time, a big flight simmer.

DeltaAVL · April 30th, 2008, 19:51

Highly recommend Vatsim as well.

Taught me 90% of what I needed to know for ATC communications...

PGT · April 30th, 2008, 20:00

I played Flight simulator for a few years, just messing around and stuff, before beginning my PPL training. My instructor was extremely impressed with my flying on the discovery flight, and even during the first few hours.

I've also been playing Gran Turismo games on and off, the first day at the track (I was 16, had my license for 2 months) the instructor was very pleased with my driving.

Maybe I'm just a natural and driving and flying

but I do believe both of those helped me, now it can only do so much.

One thing with FS that you have to be careful about is that it causes it's players (simmers?) to stare at the cockpit gauges and not outside.
I have also heard to watch out for those FS types because they get in a real cockpit and think they know everything there is.

Craig_Davidson · April 30th, 2008, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGT

One thing with FS that you have to be careful about is that it causes it's players (simmers?) to stare at the cockpit gauges and not outside.

that is a very true statement. That was one of the biggest things i had to make myself do during my PPL was to look outside and be comfortable with it. However its not very hard to overcome after a while.

SoCalAprch · April 30th, 2008, 21:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGT

I played Flight simulator for a few years, just messing around and stuff, before beginning my PPL training. My instructor was extremely impressed with my flying on the discovery flight, and even during the first few hours.

I've also been playing Gran Turismo games on and off, the first day at the track (I was 16, had my license for 2 months) the instructor was very pleased with my driving.

Maybe I'm just a natural and driving and flying

but I do believe both of those helped me, now it can only do so much.

One thing with FS that you have to be careful about is that it causes it's players (simmers?) to stare at the cockpit gauges and not outside.
I have also heard to watch out for those FS types because they get in a real cockpit and think they know everything there is.

Once you start flying try to leave most of the Flight Sim stuff at home. Its a whole different ball game. When I instructed as soon as a student told me he was big into the flight sim world I knew it was going to be a "i knew that already" type of student. As said above start to read the airplane flying handbook, AIM, etc... and play flight sim for fun. It will help in certain ways... Also really try to get down to the local FBO and just talk to people. You would be surprised by how many plane owners would be happy to take you up and show you the ropes.

rnodal · April 30th, 2008, 22:38

Those are great responses and I thank you all for that. I own most(if not all) of the books mentioned. Some I have in hard copy some I have downloaded from the FAA website. I enjoy reading those books. I think they are great. Don't worry that type of behavior is not my style. I know where to draw the line. I learned to program on my own and actually sat in classes where the things that the professor was teaching were old to me yet I kept it a secret that I knew the stuff. Out respect for my professor and those students around me that were learning for the first time.Thanks a lot for your help and tips. Anything else you got, I take.

rostato · April 30th, 2008, 23:39

Yeah I found out during my PPL training that the Flight Sim completly messed me up. My flight instructor always told me I needed to look outside untill I finally got used to it. Still to this day I constantly have to keep telling myself to look outside while solo.

I just discovered VATSIM and I highly recomend it. I never realized how serious they are online untill I listened in for a while.

scooter2525 · May 1st, 2008, 04:33

I found flight sim helped with instrument stuff. Ide make up a hold, practice, evaluate. on PPL work... might not as much, but I'll add to the VATSIM suggestion. Working with the controllers there will help out in the real world.

lisboa · May 1st, 2008, 05:29

Last month a kid came in to do a demo flight, I told him I would be with him in a minute. He asked me if he could go on the ramp to look at the plane. As I was starting to tell him to be careful on the ramp he put his hand in my face and said "Its ok, I'm Instrument rated on Flight Sim". About fifteen minutes later as we were boarding the plane he asks "lets just get one thing straight, who is going to be pic this flight"? The kid also insisted that I needed to open a flight plan for our demo...

rnodal · May 1st, 2008, 09:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisboa

Last month a kid came in to do a demo flight, I told him I would be with him in a minute. He asked me if he could go on the ramp to look at the plane. As I was starting to tell him to be careful on the ramp he put his hand in my face and said "Its ok, I'm Instrument rated on Flight Sim". About fifteen minutes later as we were boarding the plane he asks "lets just get one thing straight, who is going to be pic this flight"? The kid also insisted that I needed to open a flight plan for our demo...

WOW! I'm sorry for making you guys remember those great moments

with your FS students. That was no my goal. I have to thank the flight simulator though because the more I learn, the more I want to do it in real life and for a living

. Like land at LPMA.

Thanks.

Kevin.Held · May 1st, 2008, 14:44

As others have mentioned, FS is not much help for private training, however I did gain a few things from it. I initially had a little trouble with VORs and after an hour with MSFS i understood it much better.

I also use it to practice checklists/procedures. It like interactive chair flying. To the OP, since you've educated yourself on the basics, go find a POH for the airplane you'll likely train in and practice the emergency procedures.

charlie1017 · May 1st, 2008, 16:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin.Held

As others have mentioned, FS is not much help for private training, however I did gain a few things from it. I initially had a little trouble with VORs and after an hour with MSFS i understood it much better.

I also use it to practice checklists/procedures. It like interactive chair flying. To the OP, since you've educated yourself on the basics, go find a POH for the airplane you'll likely train in and practice the emergency procedures.

I absolutely agree! FS helped me to understand VOR reverse sensing, ILS, etc. However, it's crucial that the OP understands that there's only so much that FS can help with regards to instrument training. In fact you can get bad instrument scan habits which can be hard to break... I admit that it happened in my case.

tpaRob · May 1st, 2008, 16:44

I used FSX to help practice for one of my cross country's. I helps me practice VOR stuff too. It's too easy sometimes just to hop in and fly direct with the GPS and not worry about the other instruments.

I had some difficulty loading all the VATSIM stuff and it said you should be pretty familiar with instrument stuff before trying to get on. I'm getting there slowly, so I may try again soon.

So, bottom line... I think FS has made me a better student.

gtlyon · May 2nd, 2008, 13:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCalAprch

Once you start flying try to leave most of the Flight Sim stuff at home. Its a whole different ball game. When I instructed as soon as a student told me he was big into the flight sim world I knew it was going to be a "i knew that already" type of student. As said above start to read the airplane flying handbook, AIM, etc... and play flight sim for fun. It will help in certain ways... Also really try to get down to the local FBO and just talk to people. You would be surprised by how many plane owners would be happy to take you up and show you the ropes.

Just the other day was at my local FBO.Intoduced myself to a fellow pilot about to hop into a cirrus sg20(sweet plane btw) 5 minutes later we where callin clear prop! Shortly after we found our way into a G1000 172. Great experience for me.Both planes were very new to me,although I train in a 172(1976) lol. I learned a ton just watching how the new avaioncs work in both planes! An absolute blast!