PC flight simulators

Andreas Maurer wrote in message ...
Flying a PC simulation too often indeed tends to teach a couple of bad
habits that are hard to train away again (looking a the instruments
too often is one of them).

Perfect for learning to fly IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) as opposed to
VFR (Visual Flight Rules).

Anyone who flies at night, or in conditions with poor visibility, or in
clouds, needs an IFR rating. Under these conditions, your instruments
are all you have.

I agree that in conditions where VFR is possible within the sim, the
trouble is that the player has limited visibility, and "looking" around
is more cumbersome and less natural-feeling than just turning your head
around - so the player just looks forward, at his/her instruments.

I fly MSFS2002, and use the virtual cockpit view with "ActiveCamera",
which allows me to "look around" using my mouse. It includes head lag,
so that you get a better impression of movement as your "head" is
"pushed" to one side as your aircraft turns. And because MSFS features
dynamic virtual cockpits, all the instruments are still visible in full
working order within the 3D environment (independant of the 2D panel it
renders when in 2D cockpit view).

Cheers
Graeme

On Mon, 17 Nov 2003 16:43:12 +0000 (UTC), "Anonymous" wrote:


Andreas Maurer wrote in message ...
Flying a PC simulation too often indeed tends to teach a couple of bad
habits that are hard to train away again (looking a the instruments
too often is one of them).

Perfect for learning to fly IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) as opposed to
VFR (Visual Flight Rules).

Flying at night (in the US) does not require an IFR ticket.

Al Minyard

Subject: PC flight simulators
From: Alan Minyard
Date: 11/18/03 11:52 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On Mon, 17 Nov 2003 16:43:12 +0000 (UTC), "Anonymous"
wrote:


Andreas Maurer wrote in message ...
Flying a PC simulation too often indeed tends to teach a couple of bad
habits that are hard to train away again (looking a the instruments
too often is one of them).

Perfect for learning to fly IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) as opposed to
VFR (Visual Flight Rules).

Flying at night (in the US) does not require an IFR ticket.

Al Minyard



Alan, as you know, something happens when you are socked in with zero
vivsibility and on IFR that never happens on a computer in an easy chair. A
sense of mild discomfort and a bit of anxiety which if not kept under
control can lead to disaster. Pilots with long IFR hours can usually deal with
it in a routine matter. But MSFS will never give you the experience to walk
that IFR walk with ease and comfort. I think John John Kennedy spent long hours
on MSFS.. He enjoyed it a great deal.



Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

Alan, as you know, something happens when you are socked in with zero
vivsibility and on IFR that never happens on a computer in an easy chair. A
sense of mild discomfort and a bit of anxiety which if not kept under
control can lead to disaster. Pilots with long IFR hours can usually deal
with
it in a routine matter. But MSFS will never give you the experience to walk
that IFR walk with ease and comfort. I think John John Kennedy spent long
hours
on MSFS.. He enjoyed it a great deal.


Well IFR on a desktop sim, which many of them are far far better than many of
the older analog sims which are used for ifr training, is not something that is
going to build proficiency or comfort when going down to mins...

But it can be great for honing procedures and practicing approaches, which can
make you a better IFR pilot.


Ron
Pilot/Wildland Firefighter

362436 (Ron) wrote:
(ArtKramr) wrote:

Alan, as you know, something happens when you are socked in with zero
vivsibility and on IFR that never happens on a computer in an easy chair. A
sense of mild discomfort and a bit of anxiety which if not kept under
control can lead to disaster. Pilots with long IFR hours can usually deal
with it in a routine matter. But MSFS will never give you the experience to walk
that IFR walk with ease and comfort. I think John John Kennedy spent long
hours on MSFS.. He enjoyed it a great deal.

Well IFR on a desktop sim, which many of them are far far better than many of
the older analog sims which are used for ifr training, is not something that is
going to build proficiency or comfort when going down to mins...

But it can be great for honing procedures and practicing approaches, which can
make you a better IFR pilot.

Re-read what you just wrote, Ron. If desktop sims are good for
practicing approaches which can make you a "better" IFR pilot,
then it simply follows that to a limited degree desktop sims can
also help make you feel more "comfortable" when going down
to mins.

For example, when dispatched to a strange airport (esp. at night
in bad WX) from time to time me and my fellow charter jockeys
would fire up MS FlightSim 98 on our desktops, drag out the
applicable approach plates and practice a few approaches at
that strange airport before leaving for work.

But don't expect someone as insanely irrational and illogical as
Kramer to admit that he's more full of **** than a sperm whale with
NO ass! Remember that Kramer is not even a PILOT (much less
instrument rated) therefore he has no clue what it's like to routinely
shoot precision or non-precision approaches in Can't-See-****
conditions down to minimums as *PIC* (just for Kramer....PIC means
Pilot In Command).

The fact of the matter is that Kramer couldn't even successfully pass
a BASIC private pilot IFR written and/or oral exam, not to mention a
checkride in actual IMC conditions!

-Mike Marron
CFI-Instrument & former Commercial single-pilot IFR
(single & multi engine) pilot.

In message , Alan Minyard
writes
Flying at night (in the US) does not require an IFR ticket.

Nor in the UK, but it does require an extra ticket: typically ~5 hours
(as opposed to at least 10hrs plus lots of maintenance for IFR - if it
was easy, everyone would do it)

--
When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite.
W S Churchill

Paul J. Adam MainBoxatjrwlynch[dot]demon{dot}co(.)uk