Simulators?

[Joshrk22]

Hey,
I've been flying for simulators for 8 years now. Falcon 4, MSFS 98, 2002, 2004(VATSIM). I'm ready to step it up a little now. I'm going to be starting real world training in a few weeks when I turn 16. I'm trying to decide whether or not to spend some money and get a Flight Simulator to help me with training or save my money for flight instruction. Also, if I were to get a flight sim, which would I get? I do realize that these aren't completely real, but I'm looking for one to help with navigation skills. Maybe spend the money on books or DVD's for Ground Instruction? Thanks.

 

[SeanD]

Spend your money on real flight training and experience real weather flying with real wind ect ect. Dont worry about buying a simulator.Utilize your current MSFS 2000 thru 2004 if you want to brush up on instruments ect. Good Luck

 

[BRIGADEAVIATOR]

If i were you I'd spend the money on real one on one flight training with an instructor. Sims like MSFS (microsoft flight sim) are good for the basic concepts, but for starting your private you'll get a better understanding once you start taking lessons. When you start your IFR, MSFS works great. I got plenty of cheap thrills at practicing local approaches to minimums.

 

[avbug]

Josh,

Those aren't simulators, those are games.

Congratulations on taking the step of learning to fly. It's expensive, but I believe you'll find it rewarding. I started when I was fifteen years old, and I'm glad I did. What I thought was something interesting (and exciting) I'd try, ended up being a lifelong career.

Learning in the airplane is expensive. It's the only way to really learn, but as you may know (but will soon find out), the hardest part of learning to fly is paying for it. This means that you don't get to spend much time in the airplane.

Something I always did with my own students is insist that they spend time in the airplane on the ramp. Close your eyes, sit in the cockpit, and run through each flight lesson in your head. Grab the controls, visualize what occured, over and over again. Even sitting in a rocking chair with props for controls in your hands will help...but running through that lesson over and over, between lessons, makes a difference. Sounds strange perhaps, but it does.

The "simulator" games out there can be fun, and if you enjoy them, by all means, keep playing them. Later you may even find it useful to see an instruent approach at an airport where you've never been, by using one of those games. For now, the learning you need to concentrate on will be what's taught by a live instructor in the actual airplane. Learning done in the airplane transfers well to a simulator or game...but not necessarily the other way around.

The exception to this is a modern day true simulator, which simulates a specific aircraft. Level C and D simulators have full cockpits with full controls, and they move, make sounds, and act so realistically that they'll even make people airsick. Many nights at cruising altitude when it's really calm, I've often reflected that it feels like sitting in a simulator; I half expect for someone to call a coffee break, for all of us to get up and go to a cafeteria for a while, before coming back to do some more.

True simulators can be increadibly realistic. So realistic, in fact, that today a pilot can get a type rating (a FAA certification to fly a specific type of airplane) without ever having seen or set foot in the actual aircraft. It's all done in the simulator. As good as they are, however, what really makes the sim realistic for the pilot is transferring his or her own piloting experience to the sim. Coming from real life, to the sim, makes the sim realistic and meaningful, whereas the reverse may not necessarily be true...especially as often simulators are designed to be more sensitive and quirky than the real airplane. Some simulators are programmed to emphasize things by giving larger than life presentations...these aspects don't represent the actual aircraft's reaction as much as emphasize things to make a point.

Take the flight lessons, and continue to practice with the various gaming. Allow your flight lessons to make your gaming more interesting, and to give you insight when gaming, rather than the other way around.

Good luck with your flying!

 

[User546]

You learn in an airplane, and you can refine with a flight simulator!

 

[Joshrk22]

Alright, thanks for your comments guys. I guess I will just save the mulah for flight time and use what I have now.

 

[User546]

I don't see anything wrong with using MS2004 during any part of your training - you'll find it invaluable during your Instrument training.

However, I wouldn't use it as much for doing steep turns, slow flight, stalls, etc. as I would more procedural stuff.

I'd use it for things like flying the traffic pattern - with emphasis of procedural elements like what to do when, and what airspeed to maintain on the various traffic pattern legs. You can also use it to kick in some wind and fly some stiff cross wind landings. Taxi around an unfamiliar airport using an airport diagram to get you use to doing that.

You can really get your moneys worth when you start the cross-country portion of your training. You can use it to track and intercept VOR's in a variety of scenarious not feasible in real training, put together a flight plan and fly it in FS2004 (it amazingly accurate!), work on doing your diversion technique in real time, teach yourself how to use the Garmin GPS if you have one in your airplane.

If you can save even a the smallest of money because you used FS2004, by all means do it! Aviation is an extremely expensive habit to have, and anywhere you can save a dollar, you need to do it. Why go up and practice intecercepting VOR's for 5 hours in an airplane, when you can get an hours instruction, go home and practice for as many hours as you want, and then go back up and try it again in the airplane. You just saved yourself a couple hundred bucks EASY right there.

 

[xshuttlefa]

I have been a user of MSFS for years and it has been a great tool, as mentioned especially during instrument.

I have a yoke, pedals and now a Multi-engine quadrant. Flying with a computer and flying the real thing are quite different, but I think flying MSFS with a yoke has helped me to be a smoother pilot. Since there is no feel to flying with MSFS, when you do fly for real, the actual feedback and feel reinforces the "smooth and gentle" you learned with the computer.

It's not perfect and not a substitute for real flying, but it really can be a valuable study aid.

 

[aucfi]

I used MSFS 2004 when doing my instrument and I know it saved me time and money.

We even used it in my instrument ground school. The instructor had it hooked up to a projector so the entire class could observe and each of us would shoot approaches.

It was a great way for everyone in the class to see common mistakes and if you shot the approach correctly, you got to ride a wheelie down the whole runway hahaha.

 

[MFRskyknight]

Hey,
I've been flying for simulators for 8 years now. Falcon 4, MSFS 98, 2002, 2004(VATSIM). I'm ready to step it up a little now. I'm going to be starting real world training in a few weeks when I turn 16. I'm trying to decide whether or not to spend some money and get a Flight Simulator to help me with training or save my money for flight instruction. Also, if I were to get a flight sim, which would I get? I do realize that these aren't completely real, but I'm looking for one to help with navigation skills. Maybe spend the money on books or DVD's for Ground Instruction? Thanks.

Make sure to get MSFS2006 (coming out later this year). I hear this new version will have little animated birds in the sky.

MFR