Attn Spam Can drivers: Need MS FlightSim reality check...

If anyone out there will admit to driving a C-172, I have a question.
In MS FlightSim 2003, Rod the VR flight instructor tells me that I
should be controlling my altitude with the throtle, and my airspeed
with the elevator? Does that make sense?

In Microsoftland, I've got to constantly play with the throtle to hold
a consistant altitude. I don't recall ever seeing a pilot do that in
any plane I've ever flown in, but I could be wrong. Opinions?

I know that PPG's fly this way, and with gliders, down=fast, and
up=slow. But what about powered aircraft?

Harry Frey

wright1902glider wrote:
If anyone out there will admit to driving a C-172, I have a question.
In MS FlightSim 2003, Rod the VR flight instructor tells me that I
should be controlling my altitude with the throtle, and my airspeed
with the elevator? Does that make sense?

That's the quick answer. A better one is to
learn something about the theory of flight.

In Microsoftland, I've got to constantly play with the throtle to hold
a consistant altitude. I don't recall ever seeing a pilot do that in
any plane I've ever flown in, but I could be wrong. Opinions?

I know that PPG's fly this way, and with gliders, down=fast, and
up=slow. But what about powered aircraft?

If you can't take lessons in an actual aircraft,
and indeed, even if you can, you should read the
book "Stick and Rudder" by Wolfgang Langewiesche.
An excellent book that will answer all your questions
and a lot more.

wright1902glider wrote:
If anyone out there will admit to driving a C-172, I have a question.
In MS FlightSim 2003, Rod the VR flight instructor tells me that I
should be controlling my altitude with the throtle, and my airspeed
with the elevator? Does that make sense?

In Microsoftland, I've got to constantly play with the throtle to hold
a consistant altitude. I don't recall ever seeing a pilot do that in
any plane I've ever flown in, but I could be wrong. Opinions?

I know that PPG's fly this way, and with gliders, down=fast, and
up=slow. But what about powered aircraft?

Harry Frey

If you don't bieleve it try to climb without power sometime. CFI is correct

"wright1902glider" wrote in message
ups.com...
If anyone out there will admit to driving a C-172, I have a question.
In MS FlightSim 2003, Rod the VR flight instructor tells me that I
should be controlling my altitude with the throtle, and my airspeed
with the elevator? Does that make sense?

It is certainly what I get taught on a Rans Coyote.
But then the idea is to fly it - driving might be different.

In Microsoftland, I've got to constantly play with the throtle to hold
a consistant altitude. I don't recall ever seeing a pilot do that in
any plane I've ever flown in, but I could be wrong. Opinions?

Some planes have elevator trim, too. A handy feature!

I know that PPG's fly this way, and with gliders, down=fast, and
up=slow. But what about powered aircraft?

What d'you think? Up=fast & down=slow?

BTW what's a PPG? Piston Powered Glider? Premium Pollution Gas?

"wright1902glider" wrote in message
ups.com...
If anyone out there will admit to driving a C-172, I have a question.

C-120, Beech Sport, C-150 -- close enough?

In MS FlightSim 2003, Rod the VR flight instructor tells me that I
should be controlling my altitude with the throtle, and my airspeed
with the elevator? Does that make sense?

"Rod" is dispensing the conventional line. And that way of thinking works
well on final approch.

But, it's not like the two are independant. If you push on the wheel, you go
faster AND down, right? More power gives you speed AND climb.


In Microsoftland, I've got to constantly play with the throtle to hold
a consistant altitude. I don't recall ever seeing a pilot do that in
any plane I've ever flown in, but I could be wrong. Opinions?

That's because once altitude is reached, every spam can driver I've ever
flown with mysteriously forgets the claim that altitude is controlled by
throttle, and airspeed by pitch. They all just set the throttle to get the
desired "cruise power" and adjust the elevator trim to hold altitude. Speed
ends up being whatever speed ends up being. Watch one of them on a bumpy
day - when they hit an updraft, they will push forward on the wheel to
maintain altitude (ignoring the increase in speed) and pull back in sink. Of
course, this is exactly wrong if you want to fly efficiently (max distance
for given fuel), but that's another topic...


I know that PPG's fly this way, and with gliders, down=fast, and
up=slow. But what about powered aircraft?

Harry Frey


I take it that the air show season is over?

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

karel wrote:

BTW what's a PPG? Piston Powered Glider? Premium Pollution Gas?

Powered ParaGlider, which fly at one speed.

Lamellae wrote:
karel wrote:

BTW what's a PPG? Piston Powered Glider? Premium Pollution Gas?

Powered ParaGlider, which fly at one speed.




Correct. Powered ParaGlider, same as the older term "powered
parachute".

Its funny how things look when you aren't the one actually doing them.
I hadn't anticipated using as much throtle control as the FlightSim
seems to require. Of course, it is just a sim. And I'm sure having my
backside as a sensor, as well as the ability to look sideways without
having to wait for my comp. to change screen modes will make piloting a
powered machine a little easier.

In hang gliders, speed is controled mainly with pitch b/c power is
basicly fixed. Even in a thermal, you're still sinking through rising
air.

FYI, Wright Brothers Enterprises has been off the airshow circut since
December 2004. Early in 2005, while ferrying the plane to my new home
in Colorado, the trailer was rolled over by severe crosswinds. And
since severe crosswinds are a daily occurance on I-70 & I-25, the
problem is going to require a complete redesign and rebuild of the
trailer. I was unable to do this in 2005 due to my residence in a
townhouse. Earlier this year, we moved to a new home, but since then,
I've lost my father to complications from agent orange exposure, and my
cousin to a car accident. My Mother had cancer surgery a few weeks ago,
and my paternal Grandmother may not make it through the week. Its been
a rough year.

I may be back out next season depending on the schedule and the
progress on the trailer. For now, the glider and all of my equipment
remain stored.

Thanks for the advice.
Harry

"wright1902glider" wrote

Earlier this year, we moved to a new home, but since then,
I've lost my father to complications from agent orange exposure, and my
cousin to a car accident. My Mother had cancer surgery a few weeks ago,
and my paternal Grandmother may not make it through the week. Its been
a rough year.

I may be back out next season depending on the schedule and the
progress on the trailer. For now, the glider and all of my equipment
remain stored.

Man, you just can't catch a break! Sorry to hear of all of the problems with
your family. I hope things are resolved in the best ways, as smoothly as
possible.

It might be possible to fix your trailer problems, without a total re-design.

Big tractor trailers get a large amount of their stability because of the weight
they carry. A lightly loaded trailer is much more likely to be blown over.

You could add a false floor, with a inch or two of concrete. Get that center of
gravity way down.

Also, a suspension trick could help out. A torsion bar, or sway bar added to
each axle would cause the whole trailer to "squat," and pull the high side down,
when it started to get light on one side, from the wind trying to lift that
upwind side up.
--
Jim in NC

I was taught to fly with "control altitude with the throtle, and
airspeed with the elevator." It made sense to me as my instructor
showed me how to do slow flight. We would get to a slow speed by
pulling back on the yoke until we got our desired speed and then would
set the throttle to whatever RPM was necessary to maintain our given
altitude. Setting up for a landing is basically the same
thing...throttle back (and if trim setting is not changed, altitude
decreases at some rate), back on the yoke (or stick) to get desired
airspeed and then adjust throttle for desired rate of descent (500 FPM
seems pretty standard)...

Scott
Corben Junior Ace

wright1902glider wrote:

If anyone out there will admit to driving a C-172, I have a question.
In MS FlightSim 2003, Rod the VR flight instructor tells me that I
should be controlling my altitude with the throtle, and my airspeed
with the elevator? Does that make sense?

In Microsoftland, I've got to constantly play with the throtle to hold
a consistant altitude. I don't recall ever seeing a pilot do that in
any plane I've ever flown in, but I could be wrong. Opinions?

I know that PPG's fly this way, and with gliders, down=fast, and
up=slow. But what about powered aircraft?

Harry Frey

Gliders do it all the time!

Scott



rocky wrote:



If you don't bieleve it try to climb without power sometime. CFI is correct