Using the Sim For Flight Training (a method)

[Mithras]

After watching quite a few You Tube videos of flight training and then picking up the book Scenario Based Training With X-Plane and FSX by Bruce Williams, I decided to construct a flight training chart. It uses six sided dice, but I use a random number generator on my instrument iPad. Now, when I sit in the A2A Cherokee at my local field I can 'self-brief' as if an instructor is with me, determining the type of flight, its length and deciding on what maneuvers we will be practicing today. Its a bit of fun, and is linked by page number to the relevant pages in the FAA's (free) Airplane Flying Handbook [2004] which gives very good descriptions of how to perform all the maneuvers and deal with most of the emergencies.

 

My document is here:

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/68895612/Typical%20Training%20Activities.docx

 

The FAA's Airplane Flying Handbook is here:

 

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/airplane_handbook/media/FAA-H-8083-3B.pdf

 

Here's an example. I have an hour in the sim, I begin in the Cherokee at my local field, Beverley EGNY. I roll 1, we are circuit training at my own airfield today. Looking at the list, that might include TNGs, short field approaches, go arounds or rejected take-offs, even practicing with a maximum load. I roll for a simulated emergency and get 'You are developing a headache' which is a scenario-based problem now common in flight training, it only really applies to cross-country flights though, so I instead select flap failure. One TNG will have to be without flaps.

 

Tomorrow we are practicing maneuvers at a nearby training area, I roll 9 and 5, we will be practicing slow flight on the edge of stall and also spins (and therefore power-off stalls also). For a simulated emergency I roll 15, when we return, my instructor informs me the home airfield is out of action (runway closed, ground fog etc.) What would my plan be right now for this hypothetical scenario, particularly noting my lack of fuel? After giving a good answer (probably involving a fuel calculation and decision about an alternate field) I will land and park up again.

 

It might not b everyone's cup of tea, but it gives me more to do than fly from A to B one day, A to F the next, F to G the next, back to A, etc! :)