Some Advice

Hi

 

Going for my student pilot license early next year and so I'm using FS2004 as a study aid.

 

Where can I get access to real flight plans for free?

 

Also what settings should I use to set real world simulation for flight training on basic prop driven planes?

 

Any other suggestions to make the learning real as?

 

Dazzy

Have you tried the search function for this forum?

First up, I'd recommend getting hold of the Steam Edition of FSX (commonly known as FSX-SE), this can usually be had for about £20, but often goes on sale for about £6, so it doesn't have to be expensive to get hold of.

 

FS2004 is okay, but the problem is that it's now a fourteen year-old program, and that means its nav data is not exactly very up to date, which is not good if you want to emulate the real world, moreover, there are much better add-on aeroplanes available for more up to date flight simulators such as FSX-SE and P3D. This matters, because you will want realistic up to date nav aids and a decent quality add-on aeroplane if you want to practice for real world training. The default aeroplanes included in simulators, whilst okay, are not really up to the job of emulating what you'll actually be learning to fly on these days in the most realistic manner.

 

A case in point here is the included Cessna 172. Although for many years aeroplanes such as the 172 were used for initial pilot training, the increasing costs of aviation (fuel, landing fees, maintenance etc) have meant that the four-seater 172 is quite an expensive aeroplane to use for training in comparison to other choices. Most flight sims of recent years have included a Cessna 172 as a default included aeroplane, but these days that doesn't really reflect what you'd learn on at most flight schools. Even the 172's smaller two-seater sister - the Cessna 150/152 - whilst obviously being cheaper to operate than the 172, is still more expensive to run than modern alternatives and will eventually be eclipsed by them. Yes it is true that you do still find many 150s and 152s at flying schools because Cessna built nearly 24,000 of them, but even the newest ones were built in 1977 when production ceased, which means the youngest Cessna 150/152 you might come across will be over 40 years old. The 152's rival for the affections of flight training schools - the Piper PA-38 Tomahawk - is presently another quite commonly encountered training aeroplane. The Tomahawk is arguably a bit suited to the task of PPL training than the 152, since it is better for spin recovery training, but even that ceased production in 1982, which means the newest Tomahawk's you'd encounter will be 36 year-old airframes. So don't be surprised to find flying schools not using these old stalwarts, modern training aeroplanes will eventually oust those older Cessnas and Pipers from the role and have already done so at some training schools.

 

So, what you'll be wanting to do, is find out what aeroplane you are going to be training on when you do your real-world flight training and then get hold of a simulator version of that. It could be a Cessna 152, or a Piper PA-38 Tomahawk, or something more modern such as a Diamond DA-20 Katana, a Tecnam P2002 Sierra or a Tecnam P92 Eaglet. But whichever it is, you will find that you can get hold of good add-on simulated versions of all these aeroplanes for FSX (and P3D) which is one of the reasons why it's worth making the switch to that simulator from FS2004.

 

Once you've got a decent add-on aeroplane which approximates what you'd be learning on for real, then what you'll need to do is practice with it like crazy, but when I say practice, I mean practice properly, like in the real world. The reason for this is that it will reinforce good habits (bad habits are hard to kick, so don't give them a chance to develop). So, what you should do, is get hold of a decent book on PPL training, one which covers the country you are, in since procedures differ in various countries. Don't worry about 'flight plans' at this stage, what you initially want to practice is flying circuits properly so that you learn things such as controlling the altitude with the power settings and the speed with the pitch. You will eventually make cross country flights as part of your PPL training and testing, but these are typically to ensure you know how to fly navigation using the radios and gauges as well as by sighting landmarks, so you can make these up for yourself based on the info in that PPL book you've hopefully got hold of. In the meantime, try typing a search into google for 'airfield practice circuit diagram'. That should get you going. Note that if you leave the circuit or wish to join it, you should be doing so at 2,000 feet (i.e,. above the circuit height by 1,000 feet) and joining from the 'dead' side of runway (i.e,. the side away from the circuit pattern), then descending to the circuit height to join it (circuit height is typically 1,000 feet AGL). You should report on the radio when at the various stages of the circuit too, i.e: 'Cessna G-ABCD, is on finals for runway 27'. More on this below...

 

Get hold of a headset for your PC with a boom microphone attached to is (doesn't have to be massively expensive, the sort which gamers use will do). There is a good reason for this and it's because you will have to get used to using the radio to communicate with ATC and other aeroplanes. When you are learning to fly this can be a bit of a source of apprehension, so you can remove that apprehension about being 'mike shy' and unfamiliar with the correct radio terminology by getting hold of this program and getting used to talking to ATC:

 

http://voxatc.com/Home.aspx

 

Using that program with your simulator will make flying your aeroplane in your simulator about as realistic as it can get in terms of communicating with ATC, and you really do want to be comfortable with that when doing it for real and knowing the correct terminology without having to think about it, so it's well worth the price to use this software.

 

Another thing you might want to look into getting hold of is Track-IR:

 

https://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir/

 

Although you could get by without it, it will get you used to keeping a good lookout when flying about in your simulator, and this is a good habit to gain because that's what you should be doing when flying for real.

Hi

 

Going for my student pilot license early next year and so I'm using FS2004 as a study aid.

 

Where can I get access to real flight plans for free?

 

Also what settings should I use to set real world simulation for flight training on basic prop driven planes?

 

Any other suggestions to make the learning real as?

 

Dazzy

 

 

Doesn’t matter what you get, fs2004, FSuX or P3Dud, none of them replicate the real world. Not even close.

Study and learn in the real thing.

 

And flight plans won’t help you when your looking out the window in the real thing using dead reckoning.

What, do you think you switch on the autopilot and follow a gps course when learning to fly?

I'd personally go to these websites shown below and just plan a VFR route. But the default GPS in the Sim is pretty lame. You may be interested in what RealityXP has to offer. Pricy but well worth it. I ran RealityXP gauges in FS2004 and the TAWS was my ultimate Fav. I retrofitted that baby in my F-22 and I could fly blind through mountains and not worry.

 

I bought the GTN 750, but try, try as I might I could not get it to function right. I have some other tricks I may try if and when I do decide to gamble with buying it again at the risk of having to do yet another refund. But others seem to be able to install it just fine. I was having a path issue.

 

I'm almost certain damn near every VOR and NDB is represented in the Sim. In fact, the reverse might be true where's NDBs are being taken down in real life I think. Old hat Tech you know. So you could plan a VOR to VOR to NDB route, etc. I've done just that in the Lear 45 going to Vegas from Colorado.

 

Besides FS2004 or FSX, there's Lockheed Martin's Prepar3d. It's meant for students and since you are a student you qualify. Granted it's more or less based on FSX -- well, FSX ESP, but it just has some code optimizations. Like being able to use more than 3.5 GB of RAM and other things.

 

https://skyvector.com/

 

http://www.airnav.com/airports/

 

If you have a dual monitor setup, I highly recommend using LittleNavMap.

As long as the OP is aware that using a PC is not going to be a perfect replication of what it is like to fly a real aeroplane, but instead uses the sim to familiarise themselves with things like the six pack scan and the ATC procedures and such, it's a cheap and accessible way to supplement and reinforce, or prepare for the real-world training. Hell, I knocked up a stick and rudder out of a few bits of wood and some bungy chords (not a computer in sight) to practice coordinating rudder inputs with stick movements before learning on the real thing way back when, and even something as far removed from the real thing as that was evidently quite useful, because I got sent off solo after just 7 hours and 15 minutes of dual once I got in a real aeroplane.

Hi Dazzy, & welcome.

FS2004 works great as a 'procedural sim'.

I'm a member of a volunteer bunch her in Cape Town, South Africa, called Cape Virtual.

We mentor 60 kids 'Young Falcons' with a 2 year program. So thats 30 juniors & 30 seniors, at our local Air Force Base, Ysterplaat (FAYP).

 

The kids get lectures & then do practicals on PC's. The PC's are donated & are about 5-6 years old,with joysticks & headsets. We use default aircraft with a few extras as well as freeware South African scenery from Aeroworx.

At the end of the year (November), We have a Wings Parade for the seniors &we get local flying clubs to fly in & they fly the kids & let them do a hands on circuit. We have had about 25 kids joining the Air Force, Air lines as well as commercial aviation areas...

All using FS2004.

 

If you have the passion, you do not need fancy computers or add-ons.

We have seen this with the 2 simulators we have built up at the club, an Avro Shackleton & a2 seater AerMacci MB326, a trainer used by the Air Force, known as an 'Impala' using the actual controls & seats. We are using a basic PC for each, with a payware Shackleton add-in, using the Aeroworx freeware scenery.

When 'real' pilots fly these sims, we see them actually bracing themselves in the seats, anticipating a touchdown, such is the immersion of the sims.. Both sims using FS2004!

 

So, enjoy, have fun, & good luck on your flying journey.

 

By the way, we had a young female pilot who was offered a job flying with DHL in London. She popped in to our clubhouse & we downloaded a Boeing that she would be flying as wellas the scenery for that particular airport. She practiced procedures, & visualisations for a couple of hours, went for the interview & got the job, & that was with FS2004 & freeware add-ons. We did have CHProducts yoke & pedals as well.

 

Bottom line... FS2004 still works, not bad for a sim that had it's 15th birthday in the 29th of July!

 

Regards,

Robin

Thanks Bam1220, I will look into the forum.

 

Dazzy

Thanks Chock for your detailed reply. For me it's about learning the basics of flight in crash free environment, that at least I can take some confidence in knowing that I know what Im getting myself in for.

 

Dazzy

Thanks mate for the heads up and some good info.

 

Dazzy

Thanks CRJ gotta start somewhere and I think I will stick with fs2004 until I get to the point of really wanting to test myself further.

 

Dazzy

Hi

 

Going for my student pilot license early next year and so I'm using FS2004 as a study aid.

 

Where can I get access to real flight plans for free?

 

Also what settings should I use to set real world simulation for flight training on basic prop driven planes?

 

Any other suggestions to make the learning real as?

 

Dazzy

 

 

Dazzy, throw the sim away and study the books. I did plenty of learning to fly back in the day before a few things in life prevented me from progressing further. But I still managed to progress to where I was flying solo nav flights.

 

There is nothing in any simulator that would’ve made it any easier or better. The actual aircraft isn’t that complicated to start or fly. That’s the easy part. And your eyes are out the window far more then you think. Flight simmers worry too much about the instruments and what’s happening inside.

So it’s much different.

 

Flying nav flights with no GPS and using the ‘wiz wheel’ and ‘1 in 60’ rule is probably not as easy as GPS, but mentally challenging and rewarding and not that hard either. Flying across some of the countryside in Australia with large haze in summer where everything on the ground is dry and yellow with zero landmarks visible was a good test of patience, nav skill, and super rewarding when the small town I’m aiming for emerges out of the haze dead ahead.

 

Study for the ppl exam hard. Don’t look at it as something that’s once passed that’s it. It will help you understand many things and it’s that knowledge that will help you one day. Much more then a flight sim will teach you.

 

Books first.

Just an update, I've been using FS9 for a some 2 weeks now and I'm learning heaps and feel that I now have a good but basic understanding. So Iv'e bit the bullet and ordered FSX gold for $30.00 for a disc based version. Hope I see you on the FSX forum.

 

Dazzy

Just an update, I've been using FS9 for a some 2 weeks now and I'm learning heaps and feel that I now have a good but basic understanding. So Iv'e bit the bullet and ordered FSX gold for $30.00 for a disc based version. Hope I see you on the FSX forum.

 

Dazzy

 

 

Lol

Do NOT purchase VOXATC. The developer has stopped giving support. I have been trying for months to get a hold of him.