Re: Flight Simulator now being used by flight instructors

"Mxsmanic" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> See Wired magazine:
>
> http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,60830,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_6
>
> People have criticized me in the past for suggesting that someone could
> learn much of the skills of piloting with FS, but it seems that I'm in
> good company.
>
> --
> Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

Stories of people who have received positive results from the hobby of
flight simming towards real life flying training are either apocryphal,
wishful thinking or rare examples of the exception that proves the rule.
The "good company" you find yourself 'among,' Mark McClusky, is unknown to
me and therefore not on my list of credible authorities.  As for the flying
schools mentioned in the article, they can speak for themselves.  To the
best of my knowledge and belief, they do not speak through the mouth of Mark
McClusky, nor through yours.

Flight simming is a game that can also be used by well trained and
experienced pilots to advantage for certain elements of IFR training and
practice.  Student pilots, whether military or civilian, are required to be
well trained and experienced in contact or VFR flying prior to their
commencement of IFR training.  Properly configured and professionally
monitored flight simulators have been used for such training since the dawn
of instrument flying and have also been successfully used for ballistic
gunnery and missle training.  Flight simulators are most definitely not used
for primary contact flying, and there's the rub.  If you train yourself to
"fly" your simulation in a stationary seat while looking at a very narrow
angle display, you will acquire adverse habits that you may be unable to
overcome. After a pilot has gained primary flying skills and experience, the
kind of simulators used by the military will not produce the same adverse
effect.

Through simming, you could gain some useful IFR procedural training prior to
flight, but don't kid yourself that it would be worth the crippling effect
it will have with respect to primary flight training.

Simming can be a lot of fun and it is an engrossing hobby.  It can provide
simulated flight experience to those who cannot participate in the real
thing, but for non-flyers it can hinder or even destroy any chances they
might have at success in subsequent flying training.  If you want to learn
to fly in the real world, put the toy away.

Having said that, I expect that 99.99% of you will disagree and those with a
financial interest in the game will have tons of information and arguments
to support their trade and industry. So let me have 'em.

Kalijaa