Flight Simulator Software - Any Help or Just a Game?

Bob Moore wrote
When I encounter a new student who has "learned to fly" using
a Flight Sim program, I usually find it necessary to cover the
instrument panel for the first 2-3 flights in order to teach
him to fly a real airplane. The US Navy (where I learned to fly)
by far preferred future Naval Aviators who had never set foot in
an airplane before.....no bad habits to deal with.

An inferior instructor always prefers students with no prior
experience or identical prior experience. That way, everyone can be
treated the same - the ultimate in cookie-cutter training. Even when
everyone comes in with the same (or no) experience, students vary in
the way they learn and would really benefit from individualized
training - but it's not really as obvious as when each student has a
different background.

A superior instructor always prefers students with as much experience
as possible. That experience can always be leveraged to make the
training faster and more indepth - provided, of course, the instructor
understands this prior experience and can effectively leverage it. If
he can't, he will complain about negative transfer and bad habits.

Playing flight sim is relevant experience, and can and should be
leveraged. Yes, it does tend to foster an overdependence on the
instruments in some cases, but this is easily addressed, and what
little increased time is spent in that area is more than offset by the
reduction in time required to teach instrument flight and navigation.
Of course if your training program is rigid and you can't take
advantage of those time savings, then it's all downside.

MSFS, while it has certain drawbacks, is really not a bad product.
The flight model is more realistic than what I've seen in the
FAA-approved trainers I've been exposed to. No, it doesn't do
anything at all for teaching the feel of the aircraft, but (and I know
I'm going to **** off some hardcore aerobatic types) that's a
relatively minor component in training a safe and proficient pilot.

The US Navy (and actually all branches of the US military) turn out
some really excellent pilots. Some people think that this must mean
the military really knows something about flight training. However,
it's important to remember that when you start with a bunch of
students who are all young, bright, and very motivated and focused,
and still wash a bunch of them out when they don't make the grade, you
will wind up with very proficient graduates even if the instructors
and instructional methods are worthless.

Nevertheless, I do not believe the instructional methods and
instructors employed by the military are worthless. At least they're
capable of improving once a student shows them the way. Downthread,
there is post referencing articles about the military use of MSFS for
student training.

Michael