MS Flight Sim As a Training Tool

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
Okay, I know this one has been beaten up before -- but my eyes are now
wide open to the possibilities a sim can provide. Here are a few data
points for discussion:

1. IFR Flight
big snip

I've been using our hotel's night manager (a fellow we've taken flying
a couple of times, but who has no flight training experience) as a
guinea pig, and he has really progressed nicely in just a few days of
practice. Not only is he now able to land the sim reliably, but he has
learned an awful lot about basic flight procedures and conditions
during various portions of flight -- without burning a gallon of avgas.


I think you could probably shave several hours off of your Private by
practicing in the Kiwi -- and it will be invaluable to me as an
instrument procedures trainer.

Besides just being a helluva lot of fun, of course!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"


Well MSFS I'm sure can be fun. And I'm equally sure it can provide a lot of
learning lessons. And, no doubt, help you with IFR procedures. Plus when you
push on this, the airplane does that...

However, I think you would agree that sittting in front of a computer by
yourself (no instructor, no pilot in the other seat to learn from) won't
teach you how to fly.

For example. There is a person who frequents this news group who claims to
have been flying MSFS for "years" and apparently puts a great deal of
thought and effort into it, but looking at this thread alone I find:

"I collapsed the nose gear landing at KCID just last night, after an
ILS approach to runway 27."

"Only a few days earlier, in similarly gusty weather, I lost all the
gear landing in fog at Logan International."

"I've tried engine failures on a number of occasions, although mostly
in the Baron. That and attempts with failures in a single-engine
plane have taught me that engine failures need to be avoided at all
costs. Particularly with just one engine, there's a good chance that
you won't make it, period."
From other threads it is very clear that this person lacks basic pilotage
skills and has to rely on the gauges to navigate. He also doesn't seem to
understand how someone gets disoriented in the air. And, with some effort, I
could probably find other shortcomings with his skills.

Clearly "learn yourself flying" from MSFS isn't working.

NOTE: Let me be VERY clear, I'm not trying to pick on anyone - I am trying
to look at the process, not the person. I'm sure that the effort expended in
trying to learn has been sincere, but the results appear to be spotty at
best.

It seems obvious to me, that one really needs to spend some time in an
airplane with another pilot to get the basics down. Your manager has had the
benefit of watching others as well as having you standing over his shoulder
coaching him, - right? That's a far cry from "trial and error" learning on
your own - that's a tough row to hoe. (Note that no one ever calls it "trial
and succeed".) Jay, would you agree that stepping into an airplane would
still be a chalenge for your manager? And, (again with someone instructing
or coaching) would it give his skills a big boost?

I think this kind of simulator can _augment_ training in an aircraft, but
it doesn't replace it.

Geoff OUT.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
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