My Experience

[boogs82]

Thanks Mike. I think the hardest part is going to be figuring out how to calculate my ground school hours. I guess I'll just make an excel file and track it on there.
Shaun

[jump154]

Obviously any "g" forces are missing, but for "general" VFR flyiing. (<= ~45 deg bank etc), it's still useful.

I'm open for correction, but typically I find those pilots who criticize / dismiss the sim, have often tried it for "5 minutes", and never tried it again.

Ok, my 2c based on my own recent personal experience:

Was a long time SIM junkie, (still am) then had the funds to do it for real. At first, the sim was useful to help practice procedures and basic familiarisation (downwind checkes etc. once I got a realistic 152 model etc..) but just didn't cut it for the flying. My head moves far too much real world, and I just cannot judge angles changing views in the sim. Also (in both MSFS and x plane) the numbers were not quite right -- had to keep far more power on on approach than in the real world. X-Plane flies better, but not perfect. Neither FS9 or X plane will spin porperly -- x-plane is closer.

Controls - even with a commercial yoke and pedals feel is nothing like real world. Doing a forward slip for real requires a lot of rudder pedal force, not in the sim. No force feedback in the yoke either - trimming is a challenge. Also no inertia/ "seat of the pants" feelings - when you are uncorordinated, or fly into an updraft and you feel the a/c rise before any of the gauges tell you...

Also habits and discipling. Too easy to get into the "im'm in the sim i'll just miss that step out" which can be fatal in the real world.

So, all in all I stopped Simming in light aircraft. Still fly the big tin that i'll never see in real life - but that is totally different flying due to automation.
The best thing was I have been a member of the VATSIM network for a few years, and so radio work and ATC were no big deal to me. In fact, real world (warts and all) sound scarily like the online world! A nervous first time student is a nervous first time student. That fact alone makes simming worthwhile - but only with the online network - built in ATC is crap. (Maybe that is something to carry over into the radio work thread - student practice on VATSIM!)

[Hedley]

have to disagree ... for "general" VFR flyiing ... it's still useful

I dunno.

Non-pilots who log a lot of sim time and think they know how to fly a real airplane, remind me of virgins who watch a lot of porn and think they know a lot about how to have sex with a woman.

Both of them are in for really big surprises when they encounter the real world

[boogs82]

Went solo today! What a great time. The instructor told me how much different the plane would react without him there. I couldn't believe how different it actually was! What a ton of fun though. I made it through the circuit alone, landed the plane and managed to keep air in the tires. Of course when I touched down I ballooned, but I managed to recover without putting the plane on its side or roof Hopefully the rest of the training goes by smoothly Oh...and RFC stood by with the great tradition of soaking me after the landing

[robertsailor1]

congratulations, no one forgets that moment.

[boogs82]

Well I think I'm nearing the end of my training and getting ready for the tests. The on-line ground school through pilot training was very good. The material was fairly straight forward and easy to understand. I have several practice exams that need to be done before they'll send me the letter to write the real-world exam.

Aside from that the actual flight training is just about done as well. I've completed all of the exercises and just have x-country and a bit of hood work left. I think we're going to be doing some hood work while on the x-country to get the best bang for my buck. The plan is for this coming Monday to do dual x-country and Tuesday to do solo x-country. Looking forward to it but I'm keeping an eye on the weather as well. It's not looking too great but things change in a heartbeat.

This forum has been a great resource and I've recommended it to other people who are interested in flying. The people here are fantastic and always willing to help out, which is nice. It speaks volumes about the professionalism in the industry whether GA or career. Thanks guys/gals.

[boogs82]

Well here's an update and it truly is an experience. The post just above this one.....yeah disregard the whole thing!

Money, work and life all got in the way (so to speak). Definitely in that order as well. I still have the above to meet the requirements and go through the flight testing. Almost two and a half years later. I didn't really lose any spark or any motivation. But my baby-girl, who's now three, took up a lot of my time when I wasn't at work. Far more important to me than dropping $160/hr solo, $220/hr dual and finishing up my PPL.

BUT....... Now that she's older and seems to share a passion for flying and I have some money put aside, I'm getting back up off the ground on Tuesday (March 18th) to finish this off. If the weather is cooperative I'm hoping to do two weeks of flying every day off I have (Work a four on four off schedule) and have this in the bag by mid-April. I think it's doable. I've been keeping up on the reading, procedures as well as learning a lot from this forum. So to go through the motions won't be an issue. It'll just be an issue of building back up the aircraft handling skills after two years. Hopefully I haven't lost too much and I don't spend another 25 hours just trying to catch up and get flight test ready. I have what I think are some realistic goals in mind. Now it's just to put in the effort to achieve them.

[Pop n Fresh]

Nice to read you're going to go flying again. I hope you have fun getting ready to flight test again.

[boogs82]

Well I was back at it today after two and a half years away and it was great. Another 1.3 hours logged in the logbook and it was nice to hear that other than a little bit of rust it's like I wasn't away from it for as long as that. The important part is I didn't scare the instructor into grabbing control

[Pop n Fresh]

The important part is I didn't scare the instructor into grabbing control

Waiting until he gets comfortable enough to look out the side widow on final to do that?

[boogs82]

The important part is I didn't scare the instructor into grabbing control

Waiting until he gets comfortable enough to look out the side widow on final to do that?

LOL. Nope! No plans to scare him.

[Pop n Fresh]

I was kidding. Sounds like you're doing well. Keep it up.

[boogs82]

I was kidding. Sounds like you're doing well. Keep it up.

All good. I figured you were. Thanks. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be writing that I've passed my flight test.

[boogs82]

Added some more hours today. I'm pretty happy about that and I'm finally over the 40 hour hump. Unreal when I look back at what I've learned so far in realistically so few hours. Fear not though as I realize I haven't learned an eighth of what there is to learn.

In any event. Cross country, some hood time and building some more solo time are what's on deck for me. I won't be the next 45 hour master of the stick and rudder but I don't think I'll reach 60 (I hope!).

[Pop n Fresh]

I wouldn't worry about how many hours it takes.

Having to take a break makes it tough to keep the hours down. I know, I kept running out of money when I was trying to get licenses.

I took extra time for PPL, then never finished my CPL. No regrets, I enjoyed the flying and would do it again even if it took 100 hours to PPL. Just keep flying and it will happen. It's like getting 100% on a test, you usually don't get anything more than satisfaction. Everyone who barely passed still gets full credit. There are people out there who take well over 100 to PPL.

Just keep doing your best and you will get it done in a reasonable amount of time.

[boogs82]

Well here's an update for those who care to follow still . I'm down to dual/solo cross and flight test review. The weather has certainly provided some challenges with the timelines I wanted to finish in but after much of the same advice I've decided to say "who cares?" It'll get done when it's done.

Side note....had the two best landings ever last week. Didn't even realize I was on the ground! That certainly felt nice

[white_knuckle_flyer]

Congrats on sticking with it, Boogs, and for still aiming to keep it under 60 hours. You must be having a good experience, cuz I was around 80 hours and that was within 13 months.

It's a great feeling when the wind, the plane, and YOU all come together for a nice landing. Doesn't happen that often though.

And whatever you do, don't "fish for greaser" or even suggest that you did....they hate that around here.

[Pop n Fresh]

I just bought a fishing license. True story.

Last five times I tried to book a plane. Weather suckage.

[boogs82]

Personally I work to get the plane on the ground safely with minimum bouncing or hard landing. The greasers were nice but I realize they won't happen every time.

Looks like some nice weather for Central Ontario for most of the week. Hopefully it holds!

[boogs82]

Short dual cross-country trip the other day to Muskoka and Collingwood. It was a good time. Great to do something other than practice area or circuits Next is a solo one then the another cross country to Goderich and Kincardine (dual and solo). After that will be flight test review and flight test As much as I'm anxious to be finished I still realize how little I know about flying lol.

[boogs82]

Got to see Muskoka and Collingwood again today. Leaving home base was nice. The weather held off for me which was great. Flying into CYQA the winds picked up. 150@10G15. Nothing too extraordinary. Of course I had the gusts as I was coming in so I had fun dealing with a 5 to 7.5 knot crosswind. Still managed the centerline and first third of the runway! I was quite proud of myself for that.

Flying into Collingwood was fun. Quite busy there today but managed to squeeze in with some decent separation. The landing was a little bit long and I trimmed out of whack a bit so the touch and go ended up a backtrack. Sorry to the guy that had to overshoot if you're on here but I'd rather backtrack than go into the bushes at the end of the runway.

Coming home was great. Nice simple landing and a great feeling of success. Next week for a longer cross country to Goderich and Kincardine. Can't wait

[boogs82]

Well I finally got some nice weather and go to do my dual and solo cross country to Goderich and Kincardine. So that's the end of it. Next up is flight test review and flight test Now I'm nervous lol.

[Rookie50]

Great Boogs! You'll do fine. Relax. On your test, be sure to ace the ground portion, totally smoke it.

That wil relax and give confidence for both you and the examiner for the air portion.

Has worked for me.

[boogs82]

We'll after shift work and bad weather finally got out of my hair, I had my flight test today. I'm happy to say after all this time I've finally passed! Some pointers and some stuff to work on, but not a huge deal because I passed. I'm always learning anyway

[jump154]

Congrats! Now enjoy the license