Although the Navy is experimenting with MSFS. as of this point in time,
the Navy is not using MSFS in any way as a part of their flight training
program AS THAT RELATES to the instructor/student training interface for
actual flight time required in the T34 before solo. Also, there is at
this time no documentation that indicates MSFS will be integrated into
the pre solo stage of Naval flight training for any other purpose other
than it's present use, which is for procedures familiarization,
checklist familiarization, instrumentation and instrument procedures,
systems familiarization, etc. Nuggets are allowed, and indeed encouraged
to use the sim for these purposes , and it's use has been found cost
effective for the navy in that area.
There is limited use for MSFS in the naval flight training program, and
they are indeed using experimenting with it as we speak, but at this
time there is absolutely NO indication that the Navy or anyone else is
actively using MSFS to supplement actual flight time in the before solo
stage of flight training.
In other words, the sim has limited use, but at this time is not being
used to supplement actual flight experience, and this is for the exact
reasons I have given concerning inability to reproduce control pressures
which is critical in initial flight training before solo.
You will find sim enthusiasts like yourself out there who will have the
individual story about how someone aced their first flight due to their
sim experience. Although this is possible, and in fact has been
reported, the evidence still indicates that the simulator at this time
can not duplicate the control pressures found in an individual aircraft
used for training in real world flight, and for that reason, has not
been approved, nor is it likely to be approved in the future , as a
means to take the place of actual flight hours required by the navy for
solo.
To allow you some leeway in your argument, it is true that someone who
has used MSFS extensively has a definite advantage going in to dual hour
one vs someone who has not been exposed to the simulator. It's a
definite advantage to know how things work in the airplane, but there is
still the issue of varied control pressures required in actual flight,
and it's this issue that we as instructors are concerned with during the
pre solo stage. It's fine to know which way to put the controls, but
it's the "how much pressure" and the "how long the pressure must be
applied" that we're concerned with in the pre solo stage.
The sim is a fine program, and it has uses in the training program, but
that use in pre solo is limited to familiarization and procedures as of
this point in time.
Perhaps a bit down the road......... :-)
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


"Darrell Criswell" wrote in message
...
I understand your concerns, and for someone who has never flow an
aircraft I think you may have some good points.

However, much of the time learning to fly is familarity with
procedures. And a sim can be better than the airplane for that.

I have already flown in Cessna 172, verieasy, Glassair, T-37 and T-38
(one flight). So I have some experience with different handling
characteristics of different airplanes.

I was intrigued with a news report of a Navy student who scored a
perfect score on his first flight in T-34, the instructors assumed he
had been a private pilot and was asked about his flying experience,
NONE, he was a MSFS addict.

On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 00:31:05 GMT, "Dudley Henriques"
wrote:


"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.

It's during this period that the physical cues and control pressures
in
the real aircraft as far as control pressure
vs response is concerned are in direct conflict with the simulator
due
to software
and controller inconsistencies and differences between the real life
scenario and the simulator.
Much of the initial training in the real
airplane deals directly with a learning curve not only dealing with
control use and interrelationship, but required control PRESSURES,
singularly, and in combination (aileron/elevator/rudder) as this
combination
relates to the aircraft's movement though it's air environment
through a constantly changing dynamic in both speed and wind
velocity both real and relative.
It's an extremely complicated learning environment, especially before
solo, and dealing with it requires a
protracted period of exposure that can actually be prolonged and made
more difficult for the student if the student has to deal with any
outside artificial influence such as a desktop flight simulator.
I also found that once the basics are ingrained in the student and
the student reaches the PROCEDURES stage, and that includes instrument
work, the sim has some limited use as a training tool, IF used, and I
stress the word IF used, in conjunction with a competent CFI.
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Flight Instructor/Aerobatics/Retired