Simulator training useful for Sport Pilots?

[RyanC]

Since I can't afford to fly everyday (just once a week currently ) I was thinking about investing in some flight sim equipment. Getting a nice yolk, throttle, and rudder pedal set would cost about as much as one "real" lesson but would (presumably) last for years.

Some questions:

* does anyone have any recommendations on hardware? CH / Saitek?
* recommendations on software? (X-Plane, MS Flight Sim, FlightGear)
* I've heard Sims are invaluable for Instrument training, but are they realistic/useful enough for VFR Sport flying?

Since I'm in the intensive touch-and-go phase leading up to solo (hopefully soon), I'd really like to get practice with all the various configuration changes necessary in the pattern!

[ArionAv8or]

Since I can't afford to fly everyday (just once a week currently ) I was thinking about investing in some flight sim equipment. Getting a nice yolk, throttle, and rudder pedal set would cost about as much as one "real" lesson but would (presumably) last for years.

Some questions:

* does anyone have any recommendations on hardware? CH / Saitek?
* recommendations on software? (X-Plane, MS Flight Sim, FlightGear)
* I've heard Sims are invaluable for Instrument training, but are they realistic/useful enough for VFR Sport flying?

Since I'm in the intensive touch-and-go phase leading up to solo (hopefully soon), I'd really like to get practice with all the various configuration changes necessary in the pattern!

1) I personally prefer Saitek, but I hear CH is excellent as well
2) Flight Sim X all the way! Just have a good computer to run it.
3) Flight Sims can be used for both but nothing will replace the "feel" of the aircraft. It will offer good practice for the routine and configuarations needed for takeoff and landings.

Don't forget to check out 3rd party expansion packs for Flight Sim X if you choose to go that route.

[rsteele]

Flight Sim X is no longer under development by Microsoft (not sure it matters though). I use X-plane and I'm quite happy with it. It's under active development and updates come out on a regular bases.

I was in a similar situation; flying infrequently. I think a sim' is valuable, but you must be careful in a couple of different ways. It's great for "procedures" (flaps, fuel management, carb heat, holding heading and altitude etc). It's surprisingly good at site picture on landing, but not on the flair. You can really get into trouble if you get used to the feel of flying the sim VS flying the real plane. They just don't fly the same way and it's all to easy to forget. Actually, any trainer is going to be far easier to fly than the sim version of the same plane.

Be sure to set up a good stiff crosswind in the simulator, that helps with the real thing too.

As an aside, I fly X-Plane on a regular basis and can spot land any of the simpler planes I've tried. Just for grins I tried fly it "on instruments" the other day (set environment to heavy fog). I couldn't even keep the plane right side up! What an eye opener.

Ron

[RyanC]

Thanks for the input!

I downloaded the Demo version of X-Plane and tried to fly it from the keyboard, which was almost impossible. I also downloaded a Remos aircraft file for it, which was cool, but the ASI is in kph, which is certainly not what I'm used to. I'm definitely impressed though with the amount of "tweaking" that's available.

I'll start looking at sticks and pedals for it this week and hopefully get some benefit out of my no-fly days!

[Daidalos]

Since I can't afford to fly everyday (just once a week currently ) I was thinking about investing in some flight sim equipment. Getting a nice yolk, throttle, and rudder pedal set would cost about as much as one "real" lesson but would (presumably) last for years.

Some questions:

* does anyone have any recommendations on hardware? CH / Saitek?
* recommendations on software? (X-Plane, MS Flight Sim, FlightGear)
* I've heard Sims are invaluable for Instrument training, but are they realistic/useful enough for VFR Sport flying?

Since I'm in the intensive touch-and-go phase leading up to solo (hopefully soon), I'd really like to get practice with all the various configuration changes necessary in the pattern!

1) I have both Saitek and CH products, I prefer CH however I use the Saitkey stick with the CH rudders to simulate Light Sport. I don't like the "twist" rudder controls on the stick, not realistic. Don't use auto rudder in MS FSX. I use the CH yoke for other aircraft.

2) I use FSX and although no loner in development there are many of third parties creating aircraft profiles for them. You can incorporate "Real Time" (current weather) for your flights. You can also link up with others over the internet (Click here). I often share a cockpit with my son to watch him fly and coach him. But you can also have two or more people on the same session in different planes. With a headset you can communicate wiith other.

3) For VFR training the issue is the field of view. I can only speak for MS FSX. You essential have tunnel vision straight ahead. The program does provide for different cockpit views, i.e. side or forward at a 45 on one of the stick buttons. Outside views are available as well but those are not useful for training. If you can set up multiple displays to the same PC you can have multiple windows. Multiple windows are available on a single screen the it gets too crowed to be useful, especially if you bring up a GPS or Comm window.

My son is currently training for Sport Pilot. I programmed a cross country for him, emailed it and he flew it using real world weather.

My suggestion is find someone with both and try them out. Our local FBO have MS FSX in their briefing room for everyones use.

Caveat
With any simulator processor speed, memory and graphics card are very important. On a slow pc with low performance graphics card you will be disappointed! The simulation may jitter or stop. Scenery will have to be set to low. Spend less on the game controllers and more on the PC and monitor card.

[Aerco]

From my experience every older CFI wll give you grief about using a Sim - I don't know why. Maybe they feel threatened by it in some way. I personally found it an invaluable help when getting my Private. Saved me a lot of hours and $$$. Yes, the flight characteristics aren't 100% the same as a real aircraft, but I found the real thing actually much easier in many ways; peripheral vision and stability were much better, for example.

I even cured my habit of not landing with full aft stick!

Yes, you could develop bad habits with a Sim, but treat it as a real training device and it will be a great help. Your aim should be to never do anything in the sim that you would not do in a real aircraft . Always sit down at the machine with that attitude - if you ever do crash in the sim, you can sit down and figure what went wrong and learn from it. Hard to do that in the real world. After a while crashing in the sim becomes a real nerve-wracking experience - as it should.

It's also a great way to practice basic navigation. You can do all kinds of interesting E6B problems, learn the topography in your area, get to know different airports runway layouts. Throw in some real world weather and figure out your winds aloft with your E6B - all these are of genuine benefit.

[rsteele]

Caveat
With any simulator processor speed, memory and graphics card are very important. On a slow pc with low performance graphics card you will be disappointed! The simulation may jitter or stop. Scenery will have to be set to low. Spend less on the game controllers and more on the PC and monitor card.

I'm not sure I agree with this. It would have been true a few years ago for sure. My set up for X-plane is a 3gig Core 2 Duo and an moderate graphics card and it works great. Flying with bad controllers is just impossible. I have a Saitek stick and CH pedal and both are borderline OK. But, I doubt there is any better for any reasonable amount of money. I would stay away from the CH yoke. I have one and there is way to much "sticktion" or static friction for it to by fun to fly. There is really no difference flying a stick and a yoke in a plane, it takes like 15 seconds to become comfortable with one or the other.

X-plane is fully networkable, supports multiple displays on one, or preferably, more computers. It works with VatSim, (with voice) the on-line air traffic control/flight sim world. X-plane has adjustable field(s) of view to accommodate whatever monitor set up you have. You can fly pilot/copilot, formation flight etc. I've never done it in X-plane or FSX, so I can't compare that part of it. X-plane.org is the main user sight. Probably not as much stuff as for FSX, but it's growing and there are some really stunning planes. The default scenery is no where near as good as FSX. However X-plane comes complete with a scenery builder and a plane builder. I'm not really into that so I can't speak to it's quality.

X-plane recommends a computer per display, but be aware that they require a distribution DVD in the drive while running, so to be legal it requires a separate purchase per computer. However, with a fast card, it can easily drive two monitors.

Many people find FSX easier to configure, but I find it very clumsy compared to X-plane where you can set up the flight controls in seconds. But, I'm a Mac and Linux guy (both included on the X-plane DVD btw) and don't really "get" Windows.

Ron

[Bill]

In addition to any actual "training" value you get from a sim setup - don't forget the "fun factor."

Some people who have never been in a small airplane have a blast with computer flying. Not inexpensive - but will last a long time.

[3Dreaming]

As an instructor the biggest problem I have with students who have spent a bunch of time on the sim is they don't want to look outside the aircraft. The sight picture out the windshield is where most have their problems. Tom

[rsteele]

As an instructor the biggest problem I have with students who have spent a bunch of time on the sim is they don't want to look outside the aircraft. The sight picture out the windshield is where most have their problems. Tom

How hard is this to break as compared to a student that hasn't used a sim? I know a played with sims for years before I was able to actually fly, and probably developed lots of bad habits because of it.

[Helen]

I know some CFIs will disagree with me but I strongly discourage students are not yet licensed from using a flight simulator before or during training. With students who have I end up spending extra time (and their money) trying to break them of bad habits they acquire associated with watching instruments. Do yourself a favor and hold off on the sim until you have a ticket in your hands.

Helen

[Murrell]

Played with the neighbors sim a couple of times, I had a heck of a time getting my chair and monitor screen to go into a 45 degree bank !!

Of course my ears didn't pop on desent, so that was a good thing, didn't even feel any bounce on a little too hard of landing.

Murrell

[Paul Hamilton]

Just finished a video which includes the flight simulator. Check it out:

> My sport pilot training website:
>
> http://sport-pilot-training.com/video-gallery/
>
>
>
> My YouTube page (top video on RH side):
>
> http://www.youtube.com/user/PaulDHamilton
>
>
>
> and it can be watched or imbedded directly at youtube:
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-1z3n1NHmg

[Paul Hamilton]

I had the same problem of students staring at the flight instruments with or without flight simulator experience. I found that covering up the instruments and flying by stick position and outside references solves this "head on the cockpit" problem quickly and easily.

[Paul Hamilton]

I now have most of the LSA up on Microsoft FSX and X-Plane.
http://simulatorflighttraining.com/flig ... airplanes/

Does any one know any I am missing?