Come on guys and girls, show us what you have got, raw data. Either you got what it takes or you don't. This method will not cut the mustard in the long term.
Sure, put some thought into the sim prior to your ride but don't overdo it. One small variable during the sim session can change the 'predicted 'outcome, seen it happen many times.
When your in the real world and its hitting the fan, God forbid you haven't practiced a hundred times on trusty computer it will show. Consider being called in on sim reserve with no preparation to support one of your fellow pilots with no notice and you cant pull it out of the bag on the day, you get a bad record real quick and screw the guy sitting in the other seat.
Nobody likes that.
I understand its all new to you, but really...
If your not ready to fly the sim, with no notice at any time, think again.
Sorry don't cut it.
With all due respect, I think that's a load of s**t.
There is an acute difference between being able to perform in an aircraft or sim that you are endorsed on and fly everyday, and being in a totally foreign environment and being able to do the same thing.
You think someone who has never flown a glass cockpit before and has their traditional analogue scan down pat will be able to adjust just like that?
It's surprisingly difficult to go from six pack to glass for the first time in something like a Q400 sim. Lets take the altimeter for example. Someone who's used to looking at a purely graphical instrument (big hand pointing slightly right = too high) is going to find it tough in a high workload sim ride trying to mentally process the speed tape as they simply are not familiar with it.
From personal experience, my advice would be to practice on something with a similar glass cockpit to the Q400. If you're not familiar with glass then definitely spend a bit of time on it. You can't prepare too much.