PPL Starter
 

Hello,
I have just signed up with a local flying school for my PPL. Membership, 5 hours and Air Pilots Manual (vol 1) etc etc.

This may seem sad to some of you! but....
Having just spent a week abroad on holiday, I took my "Air Pilots Manual (vol 1)" with me and spent the whole week with my nose in it. I managed to read most of the manual.
I have spent the past 5 years or so flying on Flight Simulator.
Since returning from holiday, I have been going through the "Check List" I was given as part of my package. Now, I noticed some of the items mentioned in the check list are quite accurate i.e. When checking the Mags from 1 - 2, there will be a drop in rpm of approx 125rpm. This actually happens on the FS.
Other things I read about and have checked against FS seem true enough.
My questions are:
1: Should I mention to my instructor the above?
2: Will he think I am a sad git if I do?
3: Is Flight Simulator an aid to learning or is it unrealistic?
I won't be offended by any of your replies and I would appreciate your honesty.
FYI, My first lesson is 23/6
One more question... I have just bought a David Clarke headset! Was that a waste of money? Bearing in mind, I will complete the course.
Thanks for reading
Mike (zero hours!)

For sure he won't! Actually he'll see you have a lot of interest! :ok:

From my point of view you shouldn't forget FS is not a simulator, is just a game (not everything is 100% real). However I think is really good for IR training. So if you latter want to get the IR I strongly recommend it.

I also recommend you IVAO. It's very useful to get fluency in phraseology and you'll enjoy it for sure!

Study hard and you'll become a very good aviator!

Enjoy your flights!

DC-8

Also remember there will be differences when you get on a real aircraft - the sim will always give a 125 mag drop, the aircraft might have 100 on one side and 120 on the other, or if you are unlucky 200 on one side.:mad:

There is a problem that is often associated with FS users. It’s to do with where your eyes go when you’re flying. In FS you well find you fly the aircraft on instruments everywhere, in the real thing you HAVE to look outside. Basic flight should be easy for you but it is very important you do as much of the flying as you can with reference to the outside world.

99.9999% of the time the thing that’s going to kill you in an aircraft is outside the windscreen coming through it.

As for the headset, if you’re really keen on flying then it is a good investment, are you going through to CPL?

Good luck with the flying, students who put in the effort, read ahead, think about their flying are the ones who get through the fastest, cheapest, and generally become the better pilots.
:ok: :ok:

In my experience, flight sim users have one problem - they tend to fixate on the instruments rather than looking outside. Other than that they're absolutely wonderful; they're keen, they know about flying, they understand lots before they start. :ok:

So mention it to your instructor, so that he/she realises you'll probably know quite a bit, but he can constantly remind you to look outside if necessary.

Have fun!

Hi Michael - I used to be exactly the same with regards to flight sim (never off the damn thing!) but as soon as I got about 2 or 3 hours training in, I started to realise it's weaknesses - it doesn't really portray the real world of flying. Ok, the principles are there (move the stick left, aircraft rolls left) but you just cannot compare it, and for this reason alone I found that I have not even been on flight sim for about a year now.

However, when I was learning to use VOR it was very useful, as you will see later on in the course.

Best of luck,

Maz :ok:

P.s - IR = Instrument rating and CPL = commercial pilot's license! I know how horrible the abbreviations are when you start out!

You're not sad - just MAD
 

If it's any consolation....

I had a weeks holiday in May (UK) and took CAP 413 and the Thom telephony manual, the aircraft technical book AND my work laptop with FS2004 loaded.

Had to come home for 1 day for personal reasons so I popped into the flying club and sat - and passed - aircraft technical. Had lunch at the club, did what I had to do and went back on holiday.

It happens to us all - welcome to the club!!! :D

Hello all

Thank you for your replies.

I appreciate and take on board what you say about FS.

I am sure your comments will be usefull to me. I just can't wait to get up in the air.

A friend of mine is a FO with BA (B777) and he was ecstatic when I told him I was starting my PPL. He said some of the best parts for him were

First TO and landing

First solo

First cross country solo, not to mention gaining his PPL!

As to whether I will carry on to CPL, I really am not sure. Flying is somethig I have wanted for so many years. I will definately take it further than PPL but let's just see how the money goes.

Anyway, once again, thanks for your guidence. Roll on 23/6

Regards
Mike (Zero hours)

couldn't agree more.
I went solo couple days of ago, I will NEVER forget those 10 minutes. Ever. :)

Go for it, you will love it!!!
You'll get over the "FS syndrome" in no time :)

I bet you a fiver that as soon as you get home after your first lesson, you will go home, load up flight sim and try try and fly the area that you just did on your lesson! ;)









(i did)

Hi Mazzy,

I'm sure you're right. I notice your from Liverpool, that is where I will be flying from.

Is thatwhere you fly from?

Regards
Mike

So, how'd the first lesson go?

Hi Cool Hand,

Well, what can I say. My ambition is now, one part fulfilled.

My first lesson was fantastic. I explained to my instructor, Neil, what I asked you guys about in my original thread and he was pleased that I had put some work in before my lesson. He said he felt I was serious and had come somewhat prepared. (Even asking some questions about yaw and the effects of increasing and decreasing power settings etc)

What did suprise me though was the fact he let me taxi (steering only) from the apron onto the runway. He then applied the power and let me take off.

After 45 mins in the air going through some basics, we headed back where he landed the aircraft and then let me taxi (fully this time) back to the parking area.

Now... I don't know if this is the norm for a first lesson, and it may well be, or if he just had the confidence in me from the begining.

Anyway, what an incredible guy, totally enthusiastic and professional. He was a total credit to you instructors out there.

If anyone in the Liverpool or surrounding area is thinking of starting, I can whole heartedly recommend Neil.

After going through the check lists with him, he has told me that from my next lesson onwards, I will be doing all the aircraft checks whilst he watches over me.

Well, I am in danger of starting another "My PPL" or "one to 45" here so I wont go on.

Thanks for your interest.

Regards
Mike (1hour)

Mike, you have a good one there in Neil. Stick with him, you will do well, and it will be great fun. Enjoy yourself. :ok:

Neil is a top instructor and a great guy, you have a good one there !!!

Here'a a good tip for you. When sitting around waiting for your lesson, listen to the guys talking, some of them have been at it for years and have some good tales to tell. Remember, learn from the mistakes of others, you wont live long enough to make them all yourself!!

As for FS2004. I agree with all the previous comments. The problem is that it makes you use instruments more, we are generally flying under visual rules, and they are called visual for a reason. The scenery isn't that good unless you get an add-on. The main problem is that it is just a game, not a real sim. You don't get any feedback, so where you might get a feel for what goes where, the seat of your pants don't tell you a thing. Some of the speeds are a little out, and try and get the 172 to stall. Yes it will stall, but nicely, no wing drops on it, and it will not spin at all. Whilst you might not want to spin in real life, you need to be aware of the causes so that you can prevent it, and FS cannot replacate this. SIM is also a lot harder to trim than real life.

My advice is not to compare the real thing to SIM, but compare SIM to a real plane, like I have done here. But as for flying headings and instrument reading it's not bad at all.

My personal favourite flight on SIM is the extra 300 under Runcorn Bridge!!! Just for fun you see.

Nice post guys look fwd to more :)

Come on then Michael, have you flown again since your last post? How did it go??

Oh yes, I am having a lesson each week at the moment.

I really enjoy eveything about my lessons. I now do the aircraft inspection before each lesson,pre-start up checks.. etc taxi, t/o, fly to the training area and back then land which I am pleased at after only 3 lessons.

I enjoy the way Neil pushes me each lesson. I can see that he really wants me to do well and we spend a lot of time after each lesson just chatting about flying, cars and pretty much everything. Im sure he must be wishing I would just go home, but it's hard to wind down after a good lesson.

I am sure all you other guys are good but if Carlsberge made FIs....

Thanks for your interest

Mike (3hours)

You're landing after only 3 hours?! :eek:

Whats so shocking Female Wannabe I went solo at 6.5 :}