After some disappointing experience with the first Frasca and ATC-610 sims, I viewed the arrival of these new "helicopter simulators" with something less than enthusiasm.
But there was something that nagged at me. As a fixed-wing pilot and member of the Experimental Aircraft Association in the U.S., I had given over 100 rides to kids as part of the "Young Eagles" program. I always put them in the "pilot's" seat and I always offered them the controls (they did not always accept).
Of the ones who did try their hand, I could always tell which ones played video games. Their hand/eye coordination was incredible and they picked up the basic relationship of control movement/airplane response very quickly. To repeat, without fail I could always tell which kids played video games and which did not. And I began to think that the next generation of pilots will have it a lot easier than I did back in the 1970's as I manhandled a Cessna 150 around the sky in my early hours, trying to figure out what did what at $35 of my high school salary dollars per hour.
And then...
And then the company I was working for recently got ahold of a FLY-IT. I was curious but not expecting much, and wasn't one of the first in line. A helicopter simulator. Yeah. Big deal. How good could it really be?
And then I "flew" it. Holy cow! You've got to try this!
No, it does not replicate any particular real helicopter. But the control responses to movements are correct and the simulation of sensations is startlingly real. You find yourself actually believing that the whole sim is pitching and rolling. I did an approach to a rooftop - unbelievable! At my urging, my boss (no slouch in the flight time department himself, including tons of fixed-wing jet time) got in and started having a ball. "This is realistic!" I scrunched the vis down to 1/4 mile and did an instrument approach to our local airport. Unreal! I mean...very real! (And great fun, by the way.)
As good as the FLY-IT is, it cannot teach things like LTE or VRS, nor can it simulate a host of other problems/situations that helicopter pilots are often required to deal with (e.g. gusts in a hover, different c.g.'s). And it does only have a flat screen (although this is not as big a limitation as you might expect). As a primary flight training device it is awesome. As an IFR trainer (initial or recurrent) they are invaluable for keeping the troops sharp on procedures.
I understand that the so-called "low-end" sims are improving even as we speak. The surprising FLY-IT sort of begat the Aerosim (which adds many features and a wrap-around screen). With improved graphics and control fidelity, who knows where they'll go next? But I know one thing: Put a zero-time student in one of these new sims *first*, and his training in the real thing will be much quicker.
Oh yeah, I'm a convert now, baby. I guess even us old dogs can learn new tricks.