Kudos to the Webmaster

Guest Discussion
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I don’t think it has been said in a while but kudos to the webmaster of this forum. The forum and associated website are doing an excellent job of keeping us interested and informed.

Also, the forum becomes more valuable and useful as more folks chime in. Keep up the great discussions!

Thanks folks!

Mark

Ps - I did my recurrent IFR training work today with my 70 +/- year old instructor (he’s been flying since 1943). I do this every 4 to 6 months to keep the old gears (mine, and I’m not even half his age) greased so to speak. As you can imagine, the use of the autopilot is prohibited. Didn’t realize how dependent I had become on this device and I had a couple of 300 foot plus altitude diversions (typically above where I was supposed to be, somewhat safer but not what I look for in my flying)

Anyhow, I realized my scan had gotten very sloppy in a short period of time. Anyone got any ideas on how to maintain a good scan when away from the weather for a month or two?

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Mark, thanks for the nice words. You realize, of course, that I only do this to keep me interested - the rest of you are incidental :slight_smile:

Anyone got any ideas on how to maintain a good scan when away from the weather for a month or two?

I’m about to go down this track myself, and what I hear suggests that very useful practice can be had with a PC flight simulator. Although you still can’t log time on your home PC, I have seen several reports that support the view that for IFR practice they are just as good as a regular simulator (though nothing is as good as flight time).

The question then is which one to get, and what hardware. I’ve looked at several, and read lots of recommendations. There are a few that are aimed at IFR training, like Jeppesen’s, but it’s a little pricey, and I want to have some fun too.

Don’t bother with MS FlightSim 2000 - even with top-of-the line hardware its frame rate sucks big time, leading to major control lag. FS98 is better, though how good it is for IFR I don’t know.

One I keep hearing about, and have just ordered is X-plane (http://www.x-plane.com/www.x-plane.com). It’s almost an “underground” product, but the demo (a 23 MB download!) looks very impressive, and it actually has its roots in aerodynamic modelling software, so it is supposed to be the most accurate flight model of any of the sims. The frame rate is excellent (on a Viper 770 with a 450MHz PIII) - I was really impressed by the sight of the AI bouncing around on startup, just like a real one! The price has just been reduced to $99 (was $199). It’s available for PC (Win9x) or Mac.

I plan on getting a good joystick, but will pass on the rudder pedals for now - though they could be handy for ILS approaches.

I’ll let you know how it works out for me. If anyone else has any experiences in this line, I’d be keen to hear about it.

Cheers, Clyde

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Anyhow, I realized my scan had gotten very sloppy in a short period of time. Anyone got any ideas on how to maintain a good scan when away from the weather for a month or two?

My solution is the elite sim with basic console, yoke and rudders. I do an approach once a week, usually as a treat after word processing.

It paid for itself long ago by reducing the time spent “re-learning” in the aircraft. You also get to fly with more variables in terms of weather, aircraft, equipment and can program random failures as well.

It clearly does not replace the “real thing” but definately makes the time you do spend in the aircraft more efficient.

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Anyhow, I realized my scan had gotten very sloppy in a short period of time. Anyone got any ideas on how to maintain a good scan when away from the weather for a month or two?

I too own an Elite simulator and control hardware. My inst. rating had gotten stale the last 4 years and rather than just start with dual on the road back to proficiency I decided to buy a sim. Demo’d the “big 3” PC sims (Jeppesen, On-Top, and Elite), and found Elite to have by far the best flight dynamics and realism of the 3.

After about 40 hours with it I’m starting back in the plane and I am way ahead of where I was even when I was current. It is a great way to hone your scan, fly lots of procedures in little time, and try out upgrades in equipment and performance. For example, I have been flying a Cutlass, so after getting comfortable with the 172 in the Elite I started flying the A36. Got “experience” using an HSI and a competent autopilot, as well as a faster plane.

While not the “real thing”, it is really quite amazing how much it helps. The main limitations are a lack of motion queues, including turbulence. You can dial in turbulence but it is fairly predictable and not at all the same. However, the ability to program random failures and varying weather more than makes up for this.

As a side note, I have Elite installed on a dual monitor system, so I can have the instrument panel on one screen and the map display on the second. While performing the training procedures I don’t look at the map, but when flying “trips” or making up my own training lessons I do use it, and it is incredible how much it aids situational awareness. This experience has really whetted my appetite for a large moving map.

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I will also chime in as an enthusiastic user of ELITE. Pricey, but it has long since paid for itself in terms of less plane or Frasca time with instructors just for practice. I just use a joystick, no console or rudder pedals.

In addition, I take an IPC every six months. I find that even if I have flown little or no actual in the preceding six months–not uncommon here in CA–it takes less than an hour under the hood to feel and be competent again. It also makes my insurance carrier happy.

My thanks also to Clyde for maintaining this site so well!

I don’t think it has been said in a while but kudos to the webmaster of this forum. The forum and associated website are doing an excellent job of keeping us interested and informed.

Also, the forum becomes more valuable and useful as more folks chime in. Keep up the great discussions!

Thanks folks!

Mark

Ps - I did my recurrent IFR training work today with my 70 +/- year old instructor (he’s been flying since 1943). I do this every 4 to 6 months to keep the old gears (mine, and I’m not even half his age) greased so to speak. As you can imagine, the use of the autopilot is prohibited. Didn’t realize how dependent I had become on this device and I had a couple of 300 foot plus altitude diversions (typically above where I was supposed to be, somewhat safer but not what I look for in my flying)

Anyhow, I realized my scan had gotten very sloppy in a short period of time. Anyone got any ideas on how to maintain a good scan when away from the weather for a month or two?

7

How juch is the Elite sim? Does it compare to Microsoft Sim at all? Is Microsoft sim any good?

Thanks

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How juch is the Elite sim? Does it compare to Microsoft Sim at all? Is Microsoft sim any good?

Thanks

I have both the elite and every version of Flight Sim that Mr. Gates has ever made. Micosoft is getting better but it is not even close to the real thing. (It is fine for practicing or learing the concepts.) Elite or the Jeppersen Sims are (as I understand it) considered loggable time by the FAA if you add all the hardware. (expensive!)

I have not checked recently but the basic software and hardware to give you a realistic simulator experience as good or as better as I trained on would be around a 1000 dollars and up. Expensive at first glance. Three years later I am “ahead” in terms of cost vrs. benefits.