Practicing my scan

When I don't fly IFR for a period of time, I don't seem to have any
problem with approaches or procedures or the usual stuff, but my scan goes
to hell. After looking over at the GPS or down at the chart and finding
myself in a 40 degree bank, I tend to turn on the autopilot and leave it
on until it's time to do the approach. (I don't seem to have problems
with the scan in the approach because I'm totally focused on that one
thing and trying to write a new route clearance, look it up on the chart,
program it into the GPS, tune the VORs, talk to my wife, etc.)

Is there a good way to practice scan? I imagine a full blown sim would be
overkill, and I'm not sure my anaemic Windows computer could keep up with
all the fancy bells and whistles in MSFS anyway. Is there a cheap way
that doesn't require a huge outlay in new hardware?

--
Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/
It isn't the volts that kill, it's the missing brain waves.
-- Matt Roberds

On Mon, 17 Sep 2007 14:55:57 +0000 (UTC),
(Paul Tomblin) wrote:

When I don't fly IFR for a period of time, I don't seem to have any
problem with approaches or procedures or the usual stuff, but my scan goes
to hell. After looking over at the GPS or down at the chart and finding
myself in a 40 degree bank, I tend to turn on the autopilot and leave it
on until it's time to do the approach. (I don't seem to have problems
with the scan in the approach because I'm totally focused on that one
thing and trying to write a new route clearance, look it up on the chart,
program it into the GPS, tune the VORs, talk to my wife, etc.)

Is there a good way to practice scan? I imagine a full blown sim would be
overkill, and I'm not sure my anaemic Windows computer could keep up with
all the fancy bells and whistles in MSFS anyway. Is there a cheap way
that doesn't require a huge outlay in new hardware?

You don't need many bells and whistles when using MSFS. There's
virtually no scenery but you do need enough computing power to give
readable dials. I use FS 2004 in the main PC (1.8GHz) but it's not
much good on the laptop (1.3GHz) due to an inadequate video card &
memory. The laptop will however run FS98 which has less bells &
whistles.

MSFS is very good for IFR practice and is possibly more demanding than
real IFR as it is less stable. Blink for a second or two and you're
drifting!

I only have an IMC rating but use it for practice. Set poor visibility
and 8/8 cloud with base around 200ft and 1 mile visibility and follow
the ILS?

On Sep 17, 7:55 am, (Paul Tomblin) wrote:
When I don't fly IFR for a period of time, I don't seem to have any
problem with approaches or procedures or the usual stuff, but my scan goes
to hell. After looking over at the GPS or down at the chart and finding
myself in a 40 degree bank, I tend to turn on the autopilot and leave it
on until it's time to do the approach. (I don't seem to have problems
with the scan in the approach because I'm totally focused on that one
thing and trying to write a new route clearance, look it up on the chart,
program it into the GPS, tune the VORs, talk to my wife, etc.)

You need to mulittask more. While you are tuning a VOR you should be
glacing back to your 6 pack as you spin the knob. You should never
just focus on one thing (charts, GPS, etc) you should always be
glacing back.

-Robert, CFII

On 9/17/2007 10:55:55 AM, wrote:

Is there a good way to practice scan? I imagine a full blown sim would be
overkill, and I'm not sure my anaemic Windows computer could keep up with
all the fancy bells and whistles in MSFS anyway. Is there a cheap way that
doesn't require a huge outlay in new hardware?

Why not consider purchasing a copy of MSFS 2004 from eBay or other software
site and then dialing down all the "bells and whistles" aka display settings.
That and setting weather to 250 feet overcast in a 5,000 foot deep layer
should result in the sim easily running on your PC to give you what you need,
which is a cheap instrument scan practice tool.

--
Peter

In a previous article, "Peter R." said:
Why not consider purchasing a copy of MSFS 2004 from eBay or other software
site and then dialing down all the "bells and whistles" aka display settings.
That and setting weather to 250 feet overcast in a 5,000 foot deep layer
should result in the sim easily running on your PC to give you what you need,
which is a cheap instrument scan practice tool.

Would using it with a mouse provide reasonable scan practice, or do I need
to buy a yoke or joystick?


--
Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/
"Many of the places I've worked had RAID 666. If a disk crashed,
everything went to Hell." - Stephan Zielinski

Paul Tomblin wrote:
In a previous article, "Peter R." said:
Why not consider purchasing a copy of MSFS 2004 from eBay or other software
site and then dialing down all the "bells and whistles" aka display settings.
That and setting weather to 250 feet overcast in a 5,000 foot deep layer
should result in the sim easily running on your PC to give you what you need,
which is a cheap instrument scan practice tool.

Would using it with a mouse provide reasonable scan practice, or do I need
to buy a yoke or joystick?

Get yourself a yoke. I like the CH which also includes throttle, gear and flap
switches, along with several programable other switches. I am a firm believer
in MSFS set up just like Peter R. said.... low ceiling, thick layer. It's
excellent practice to get your scan back up to speed.

Most people will also tell you it's easier to fly a real airplane than the sim.
That's true enough so if you can handle the sim IFR, you should have no
difficulty with fixation in the real thing. You have to keep the eyeballs
moving!



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

On 9/17/2007 7:25:32 PM, wrote:

Would using it with a mouse provide reasonable scan practice, or do I need
to buy a yoke or joystick?

IMO, if you can find a cheap yoke (CH Yoke on eBay or via comparison web
shopping), consider purchasing it as it will take away the majority of the
difficulty in controlling the sim aircraft while you are practicing your
scan. Second would be a joystick and third would be the mouse. The keyboard
completes the list of easiest-to-most difficult control of the sim aircraft
while practicing your scan.

--
Peter

In a previous article, "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com said:
Paul Tomblin wrote:
Would using it with a mouse provide reasonable scan practice, or do I need
to buy a yoke or joystick?

Get yourself a yoke. I like the CH which also includes throttle, gear and flap
switches, along with several programable other switches. I am a firm believer

Many years ago I bought a CH yoke and a copy of Elite, but I never used it
because I just hated the feel of the CH yoke. The springs just don't act
anything like a real plane, especialy in pitch. I ended up not using it
for pitch at all, just flying the trim. Are the new ones better?

--
Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/
To iterate is human; to recurse, is divine.

Paul Tomblin wrote:
Get yourself a yoke. I like the CH which also includes throttle, gear and
flap switches, along with several programable other switches. I am a firm
believer

Many years ago I bought a CH yoke and a copy of Elite, but I never used it
because I just hated the feel of the CH yoke. The springs just don't act
anything like a real plane, especialy in pitch. I ended up not using it
for pitch at all, just flying the trim. Are the new ones better?


I don't know. The one thing I did which improved mine no end on controlling
pitch was I lubricated the shaft with silicon grease. Before each session I run
it back and forth while turning it to its stops, which breaks up any friction
points. It operates MUCH more smoothly at that point.

Hey, this isn't going to convince anybody it's an acceptable substitute for an
airplane. But it will get your scan back up to speed... which is all you really
care about, right? It's also very good for remembering procedure.

As little as I fly these days, I typically will fly the approaches I am most
likely to get on the cross country on the sim a day or so before the real trip
in the airplane. Then everything just seems to slow down to a manageable level
if I get into some weather.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:

I don't know. The one thing I did which improved mine no end on controlling
pitch was I lubricated the shaft with silicon grease. Before each session I run
it back and forth while turning it to its stops, which breaks up any friction
points. It operates MUCH more smoothly at that point.

I have that same yoke, which I hate. Your suggestion sounds like it's
got a lot of potential.

By silicone grease, do you mean the clear stuff, like "bulb grease?"

Thanks!