MS Sim 2004 w/keypads vs actual aircraft. Which is harder?

[PAPA FOX!]

Wanted to know your opinion. I find it takes about the same skill level to fly an ILS using the keypads only on the far right of the keyboard (4 and 6 for ailerons, 8 and 2 for elevators, 0 and enter keys for rudder and F1-F4 for throttle.)

Any of you that have a lot of time doing both? I'd like to know in your opinion which is harder-flying the actual aircraft or using MS 2004 sim w/keypads as described above (on insturments only.)

 

[Singlecoil]

I've done lots of both, MS Flight Sim is much harder. You have to scan twice as fast to fly the computer profficiently in my opinion, and you are deprived of any kinesthetic feedback the real airplane provides.

 

[snoopy_1]

Ever thought about buying a cheap $10. stick to fly with instead of the keyboard?
$9.99 for the one below, with the stick it's as close to real flying as a computer can get you.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=4234607&type=product&productCategoryId=cat01064&id=1051384299198http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=307710&pfp=SEARCH

 

[PAPA FOX!]

Ever thought about buying a cheap $10. stick to fly with instead of the keyboard?
$9.99 for the one below, with the stick it's as close to real flying as a computer can get you.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=4234607&type=product&productCategoryId=cat01064&id=1051384299198

Actually I recieved one just like that a few yrs ago as a b-day gift. I used it for a while but ended up returning it since it only seemed realistic for aerobatic flight and not for insturment work. I always have just used the keypads as I described earlier and I have gotten used to that.

 

[Metro752]

you gotta have a yoke or stick to fly FS.

this is what you guys need......

http://precisionmanuals.com/html/73789.htm

 

[jetjock19]

Dude, get the Force Feedback joystick from Microsoft. Its around $100 but worth the money. Plus it actually works. I used to use those cheap sticks and they never worked right. So spend the extra money to have something that works when you need it to.

 

[Goose Egg]

Keypad is much, MUCH harder. Heck, the real airplane is easier to fly than FS with a stick!

-Goose

 

[johnpeace]

Man, if you think MS flight sim is hard to fly, you gotta' come try the AST Hawk sim my school has. It's completely impossible to trim and the tiniest, 1/16" deflections of teh yoke will send you careening into a death spiral.

You learn to keep the scan moving and hold the controls REAL steady while tuning radios, loading procedures, briefing approaches, etc.