"Le Chaud Lapin" wrote in message
...
On Jun 9, 10:48 pm, "Robert M. Gary" wrote:
On Jun 9, 8:18 pm, Le Chaud Lapin wrote:

Both these explanations are true, but one of them eliminates the need
for $30 product (or $30,000 aircraft) to know what is going on.

I find that its pretty difficult to teach students to fly without the
aircraft.

That brings us full-circle to a theme that was mildly explored in
another post - what utility, if any, is there in using a simulator to
learn things that do not require actual flying.

So here the question would be whether it is possible to understand how
a trim tab works without ever having flown an aircraft.

I have flown in DA-20 and Tomahawk, but I do not think actual flight
would have been necessary to understand how trim tab works.

-Le Chaud Lapin-

Well, it's been a long time since I flew a Tomahawk and I never flew the
DA-20, and my Tomahawk manual has gone AWOL; but I don't recall the Tomahawk
having a tab--IIRC, it had a spring system. That gives a different "feel"
and a different contribution to the feel of the primary controls; but there
should have been little motivation for MS to attempt to model those
subtleties--especially since the purchaser has choices in the physical
controls (yokes, etc.) attached to his computer.

Knowing how the systems work can be intellectually interesting for the
technically oriented; essential for designers, builders and mechanics; and
can easily save your life in the event of a systems failure in a real
aircraft. Therefore, most members of this group need to know the systems on
the aircraft they actually fly; but have no need for all of the possible
combinations and permutations.

The bottom line is that you are apparently part of the primary market for
MSFS and it gives you enjoyment. OTOH, most members of this group (who use
it at all) use it as a tool for procedure training, such as practicing
intercepts and approaches, and do so for efficiency rather than
entertainment.

Peter