My primary concern with students who come from a sim background (like I did) is the tendency to have their eyes stuck in the cockpit. That doesn't bode well when it comes to "see and avoid" responsibilities. As a CFI I wouldn't advise using any home sim for praticing maneuvers at all. The immersion just isn't there and again the home sim promotes staring at the instruments versus looking outside.Somebody previously stated buying a yoke gets you over the typical "use it as a steering wheel" for taxi tendency. I have to say, most folks get over that by the second or third lesson anyways. I don't think spending 300 bucks for yoke and pedals just to give you and edge for flight training is worth it. The control inputs between the sim and real airplane aren't going to be the same and in my experience a lot of sim aircraft demand too much rudder input compared to the real thing. I for one find taxiing in FSX to be much harder than in real life.That said, these sims can be helpful with proper instruction. Things like radio communication and instrument work can be improved through the use of a home sim. However, I would strongly advise against "self training" on FSX or X Plane prior to receiving qualified instruction. That sets up the potential of developing bad habits that we're going to have to get you to unlearn.IMHO.

I have tried to get into X-Plane multiple times, and am always thrown off by the flight model. While the more fluid motion may or may not be more realistic, any weather with crosswinds or turbulence just makes it feel like they've programmed it to bounce around for the sake of bouncing around.

+1I bought x-plane 9 based on their claim that the F.A.A had approved the software for use in flight training. What flying school uses x-plane for training? Has anyone got a link?RegardsAdam

+1I bought x-plane 9 based on their claim that the F.A.A had approved the software for use in flight training. What flying school uses x-plane for training? Has anyone got a link?RegardsAdam

I don't know about flight schools, but I do know that Icon Aircraft use it, as was seen at this years OshKosh, Garrow Aircraft use it for their Verticopter and Carter Copter use it for their helo designs.Edit: Almost forgot, I was asked to help set up X Plane at a flying school down here in Sydney. It's now waiting for final certification by CASA (The Australian equivalent of the FAA)

My primary concern with students who come from a sim background (like I did) is the tendency to have their eyes stuck in the cockpit. That doesn't bode well when it comes to "see and avoid" responsibilities. As a CFI I wouldn't advise using any home sim for praticing maneuvers at all. The immersion just isn't there and again the home sim promotes staring at the instruments versus looking outside.Somebody previously stated buying a yoke gets you over the typical "use it as a steering wheel" for taxi tendency. I have to say, most folks get over that by the second or third lesson anyways. I don't think spending 300 bucks for yoke and pedals just to give you and edge for flight training is worth it. The control inputs between the sim and real airplane aren't going to be the same and in my experience a lot of sim aircraft demand too much rudder input compared to the real thing. I for one find taxiing in FSX to be much harder than in real life.That said, these sims can be helpful with proper instruction. Things like radio communication and instrument work can be improved through the use of a home sim. However, I would strongly advise against "self training" on FSX or X Plane prior to receiving qualified instruction. That sets up the potential of developing bad habits that we're going to have to get you to unlearn.IMHO.

re: the eyes in the cockpit complaint..I started simming in 1981 and got my license in 1989. All I ever heard from the many instructors I trained with was how far ahead of a typical student I was and a new found interest for those at the time who were not familiar with flight simming. I am sure there are some that are fixated on instruments that are both simmers and non simmers. I have used a flight sim for every rating I have ever gotten, and can attest that it has saved me vast amounts of time, money, and increased safety-and yes one hour of simulated takeoffs on fs4 cured me of not only steering with the yoke but also the correct yoke response for taxing with winds and xwind takeoffs when I was a primary student. Flying was a lot cheaper then but I think that hour paid for the investment in the hardware.