Microsoft Flight Simulator Syndrome
#11
Take them out in something that won't let you do it. Newer airplanes tend to have better avionics and I believe that helps form some bad habits in Private Pilot applicants. I was checking out in a Skipper today and I was glad I knew how to fly while looking outside. After 9 months away from light aircraft, it was a good reminder to fly while looking outside.
#12
I guess torture can change behavior in some circumstances.
On a similar note, has anyone ever done a Flight Review for a really out-of-date, low-time GA pilot? Or even been with a low-time student and seen the behavior of being very 'heavy' on the controls?
I feel like in eight months of instruction, I've become pretty comfortable with untrained strangers holding the yoke, but these guys made me very nervous because they tend to want to overpower you in controlling the plane. For instance, I did (still in the process) a Flight Review for a low-time, out-of-date GA pilot who hadn't flown in fifteen years. He wanted to overpower me on the controls during a hefty crosswind and when taxiing, he wanted to deflect the rudder pedals very wildly while ramping up the tach to 2000 RPM to get the plane moving! Even after reminding him many times, he still is very heavy on the pedals and yoke and feels it necessary to jam in an excessive amount of power to get the plane rolling out of parking, the runup area, etc.
What to do with these folks, I don't know---but I'm definitely not going to put my signature on a guy's logbook for Flight Review who man handles the aircraft.
On a similar note, has anyone ever done a Flight Review for a really out-of-date, low-time GA pilot? Or even been with a low-time student and seen the behavior of being very 'heavy' on the controls?
I feel like in eight months of instruction, I've become pretty comfortable with untrained strangers holding the yoke, but these guys made me very nervous because they tend to want to overpower you in controlling the plane. For instance, I did (still in the process) a Flight Review for a low-time, out-of-date GA pilot who hadn't flown in fifteen years. He wanted to overpower me on the controls during a hefty crosswind and when taxiing, he wanted to deflect the rudder pedals very wildly while ramping up the tach to 2000 RPM to get the plane moving! Even after reminding him many times, he still is very heavy on the pedals and yoke and feels it necessary to jam in an excessive amount of power to get the plane rolling out of parking, the runup area, etc.
What to do with these folks, I don't know---but I'm definitely not going to put my signature on a guy's logbook for Flight Review who man handles the aircraft.
#13
I've had to cover up the PFD all the way up to the BAI stuff on some occasions, especially after some students telling me "oh, it's just like playing a video game."
RE: Kung-foo death grip
That pencil trick sounds like a good idea, I might have to try that. Be sure that they have it properly trimmed too. If it's not trimmed, they seem to want get a better grip on it to overcome the forces.
I have a student now that has a habit of having both hands on the yoke. This makes the flare difficult when she goes about bringing power to idle. Each time I catch her right hand on the yoke, I say something, but I would like for it to not continue to move to the yoke. She has it trimmed and all too. Before I've just pulled out the throttle each time I caught my student's right hand on the yoke, but for this one, it's not clicking.
#14
I have a student now that has a habit of having both hands on the yoke. This makes the flare difficult when she goes about bringing power to idle. Each time I catch her right hand on the yoke, I say something, but I would like for it to not continue to move to the yoke. She has it trimmed and all too. Before I've just pulled out the throttle each time I caught my student's right hand on the yoke, but for this one, it's not clicking.
On the final approach, I also make him fly it with the hand ready on the throttle. Perhaps a good demonstration for why its a good idea is to practice a go-around procedure with her to illustrate why you need that power as soon as possible in a bad approach.
I like this discussion, a CFI forum for specific topics to discuss, learning techniques would be fun to continue on APC given all I learn from people on here.
#16
I grew up on flight sim since 95 and had the death grip the first real lesson but my instructor nipped it in the bud and that was the end of that. I totally agree that Flight Sim is a great tool to learn from but with nobody to correct anything you do develop some bad habits!
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2009
Posts: 317
I recommend my students use flight sim...without the instrument display up, using that display with 3 instruments on the bottom. Interestingly enough, level flight VIA the horizon (eye level) is the same on flight sim as a real airplane.
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2009
Position: PA-31/left, LJ31/right
Posts: 350
The more I follow you around (insert sarcasm tage here) the more I like the thought process. When I was a flight sim junkie, thats the only way I'd fly, because I coulden't see the horizon!
#19
On Reserve
Joined APC: May 2010
Posts: 11
I am a hard core FSX sim pilot, I realize it cannot teach you the feel of the aircraft, but for systems, navigation, and sight picture, I think it can help if you have experience in a real aircraft and can understand the differences.I have the PMDG 737NGX with FS2 crew and I blew an Alaska pilots mind with the stuff I knew about the 737-800 even reciting the after takeoff checklist to him, so sims I think can be an advantage if you understand the limitations, but with that said,I have learned stuff that you cant get from a book. I think used correctly can be a valuable tool.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post