"Chris Ehlbeck" wrote in message
. ..
"Dudley Henriques" wrote in message
link.net...

"Darrell Criswell" wrote in message
...
How important is the rudder to making Flight Simulator a realistic
experience. I want to use MS FS to assist me in taking flying
lessons. I wonder if the rudder will make the training more
realistic
or does it really matter.

Thanks

If I can respectfully offer you some professional advice on the use
of
MSFS in student flight training......
I advise MS on realism and immersion for the simulator, and I'm a
professional CFI as well.
I've pasted in below part of a research paper I did on this subject
for
a general aviation interest.

Dudley Henriques wrote;

I've done considerable consulting on this issue for various interests
in
the flight instruction community and have also worked with MS on the
simulator and various software developers as a realism, immersion,
and
flight dynamics advisor.
My opinion, after doing considerable research on the issue concerning
the possible use of MSFS by new student pilots entering initial
flight
training was that the sim should be totally avoided by new students
during the initial
stages of flight training before solo.

I'll agree with Dudley on this point. For a number of years I've been
a fan
of MSFS (even had it when it was SubLogic). In February of 2004 I
finished
up my private pilot training (at 63.6 hrs). I too thought MSFS would
be a
handy tool in my training. I was wrong. VFR flying means looking out
the
window, something difficult to do with the sim. Unless you have a
very high
end computer you won't get fluid enough performance from the sim.
While
good, MSFS is not immersive enough for training.
What is it good for? It is very good for learning the instruments,
what
they do and their functions. It is very good for helping to
understand VOR
and ADF use, and to some degree GPS use.
Personally, prior to solo I would stay away from it. After solo it
can be
used to help out on your cross countries. You can actually plot the
course
you want to fly. I found it great for "flying" to a new airport
before
doing it in real life. Sure you can get a diagram of the airport from
the
AOPA directory or a current AFD, but MSFS excels in it's details of
most
airports.
It can be used as a tool but I'd recomend using it AFTER you solo.
--
Chris Ehlbeck, PP-ASEL
"It's a license to learn, have fun and buy really expensive
hamburgers."

Your comments duplicate nearly word for word our findings when we did
extensive research and consultation on this issue.
The main problem with the desktop simulators is that using current
hardware and software combinations, they are not able to duplicate
control pressures as they will exist in a specific aircraft, which of
course will vary in non boosted control surfaces as a function of
dynamic pressure in slugs on the surface (airspeed). This is considered
by most experts in the flight training field both in the military and
the civilian training communities to be detrimental during the pre solo
stage of instruction.
Various interests both in the military and civilian flight training
communities are experimenting with just how deeply the desktop
simulators can be used to augment training, and the FAA is experimenting
within the PCATD program, but sim enthusiasts pushing the simulator for
this purpose are well advised to be aware that ALL current AND projected
uses for the simulator at this time, involve procedures, systems, and
general aircraft familiarization scenarios ONLY! Flight training remains
a "hands on" situation at this point in time.
It can be noted also, although it's irrelevant to the desktop simulator
issue, that the airlines, using state of the art full motion simulators,
ARE using these simulators successfully in training programs involving
both checkout and currency requirements for type rated transition
training with very good results both in cost recovery and cutback
training time in the actual aircraft. This should in no way be
misconstrued by the desktop simulator advocates to be even remotely
related to the desktop simulator issue.
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/CFI Retired
for private email; make necessary changes between ( )
dhenriques(at)(delete all this)earthlink(dot)net