Flight Sim for student

[LongRoadBob]

When I first started learning landings, I had trouble disconnecting my feet and hands during crosswind landings. Flying 20 or 30 landings with a 20 knot direct crosswind programmed into the sim unlocked my problem in one session. Instructor was impressed with the difference next flight.

that’s about the only thing a sim did for me for PPL

That alone is pretty cool!

 

[LongRoadBob]

Not really. Generally pilots here have the same input. Great for procedures and horrible for stick and rudder and “feeling” how the plane reacts.

ok. I stand corrected. I feel the same. Of course there is no feedback on stick and rudder, but even there salty mentioned using it to help a stick and rudder input problem. They try and make the yokes want to center, but yeah, it’s not realistic and all are pretty clear on that.
We all figure out our own ways.
To be a broken record, my main point is STILL, as far as I can tell most advice has been to use armchair flying when you have down time or between flights, and a sim is really to be seen as armchair flying with more realism. Not realistic, just MORE than an armchair alone.

 

[Caramon13]

I flew a simulator before my first flight ever. Of course that was a long time ago, but the CFI was impressed with how much I knew about the aircraft. The sim was of course, very technologically advanced:



When I was getting my instrument rating I used the sim to practice approaches and procedures more than anything else. Can't say if it helped or not because MOST sims are horrible at procedural instrument approaches. They usually give you the visual approach. Course you can blackout the screen but I found that Prepar3d is much better at procedures than Xplane or FSX.

 

[AMFlying]

I'm at about 10 hours now and found that X-plane has really helped my checklist efficiency and also my steering on the ground. After my first lesson (differential braking airplane) I realized that I needed serious help steering. A couple hours in Xplane just driving around the airport really helped. It wasn't exact by any means but close enough. I also think it helps build quick reactions to things like stalls and aborting landings. As for the actual stick and rudder- I don't think it has been much help for me.

 

[Skyrys62]

Generally pilots here have the same input. Great for procedures and horrible for stick and rudder and “feeling” how the plane reacts.

I agree..and now that I have my PPL.... IFR is mostly what I find beneficial, but not all... and, just because it's not great for stick and rudder "feeling" doesn't mean someone, especially a student, can't find a sim useful.

Some here have many years/hours of experience, own their planes, fly regularly, etc., and I can see them thinking it wouldn't be much help to them. It's just hard to see why very many would discourage a student from anything that could potentially make them a safer pilot. Especially during those early stages, and/or long breaks.

My sim saved me more money in flight time that it has ever cost me, just in PPL alone, much less IFR. It doesn't take many hours to do so at the rates we pay....and that's not including what can be recouped if selling later. So at this point I consider it a great investment.

One other thing that is funny to me, and we all do this, is how $5000 is 'nothing in the scheme of things' when we want it, but a few hundred is stupid for something else if we don't.
That's just (ification) human nature.

Now, my grand sons are learning all about the instruments, pitot systems, patterns, etc., with the sim, and when we fly I have them explain to me what's going on, what we are doing, or going to do. They are 12 and 13, and can't wait to get on the sim and learn more. They are really enjoying it. One wants to be a fighter pilot, and one wants to just fly places to go fishing.

 

[write-stuff]

I'm with the crowd that believes a sim is almost useless at the primary level. It may be fun, but you probably won't learn anything beyond spending too much time staring at the instruments.

 

[AMFlying]

My sim saved me more money in flight time that it has ever cost me, just in PPL alone, much less IFR. It doesn't take many hours to do so at the rates we pay....and that's not including what can be recouped if selling later. So at this point I consider it a great investment.

That is exactly how I look at it. My wife said 'you are spending $400 on a video game (including yoke & pedals)?'. Well.. If that saves me one single lesson over the course of my training then it has almost paid for itself.

 

[LongRoadBob]

I'm with the crowd that believes a sim is almost useless at the primary level. It may be fun, but you probably won't learn anything beyond spending too much time staring at the instruments.

Actually, just my own experience, sims did seem to easily lead to instrument fixation, but when I started flying my instructor hammered in getting the sight picture. I had to play a little with the seat height and angle on the sim, for sight picture, but also knowing it is a no no to fixate, I do use it first to get the sight picture right, and practice at a glance reading of the instruments that are most important at the moment.

Airspeed, tachometer are quick reads, but altimeter still need to make it as I Can read a watch. At a glance.

I’m kind of mixed about it, but feel like if one keeps in mind the differences and that a sim is not real life maybe can be useful. Like for engine out in takeoff. To knowingly do it wrong (raise the nose, as can be instinctual to stay away from the ground) and see clearly that it is wrong, then try to ingrain lowering the nose and seeing the results. Again not totally believing the results but you can try things in a sim you wouldn’t want to in real life?

Always aware that it isn’t necessarily completely correct. I’m kind of interested in the new 2020 Microsoft flight sim. Still wouldn’t be “real” but claims are the aerodynamics are way more realistic than ever before.

 

[Skyrys62]

Side benefit of sim...fun.

(full screen is good, actual VR headset amazing)

Hard to armchair this.

 

[Deelee]

Side benefit of sim...fun.

(full screen is good, actual VR headset amazing)

Hard to armchair this.

Taking this completely off topic now...
Is War Thunder pretty good in VR? Like if I only have the Oculus Rift controllers and no HOTAS stick or anything?

 

[Skyrys62]

I really only play it in VR for the most part. I have not tried to use the Rift controllers only because I do use the Thrustmaster joystick. ($49).

I'm also wondering if it helps with motion sensitivity in actual IMC/foggles. I only say that because I seem to get less sensitive to it after playing a little while.

Like others here, I'm hoping Microsoft's new software knocks it out of the park visually and it works well with VR. I think the clouds, terrain, etc., would really be awesome.