Had a most unreal experience

[John_Cillis 2,406]

Today I was outside when one of my neighbors, a couple years older than I am, came over with interest in my flight simulator.  I fired up P3dv4 for him, as I think it's a better simulator to get started, and I let him take the controls of the Carenado 337.  He was in ecstasy, I taught him how to turn, takeoff, trim the aircraft and just fly VFR.  He did very well, did not crash, although there were a couple of close calls that I coached him  thru.  He first flew over the SF Bay area for about half an hour, then I let him fly over my home area of Phoenix in my trike.  He said he used to use simulators at Luke, he was a very good student, even though I am not a CFI.  I always flew with an instructor by my side, or behind me in case of the trike, to be safe.

Now I have a co-pilot!

John

[n4gix 4,947]

Cool beans! How did your neighbor learn of your flight sim passion? 

[himmelhorse 1,276]

Cactus521.

I live in a little village in East Java Indonesia. 

Nearly everyone in my area knows of my interest in Flight Sim and my cockpit set up.

Whilst very few people here can afford a computer, I have up to 10 visitors a day (mostly children) who want to watch me fly. I am constantly asking them all if any one wants to try but sadly, they look at this and immediately think (and state) that it is too hard.

My biggest success has come with a four year old boy and if he is here I have to exit my 737 flight and set up the Cessna 172. he will fly that all day if he is allowed to.  An amazing child ... in three months, he has learned to turn, ascend, descend, has even managed a take off (with assistance because he cannot reach the brake pedals) He has learnt to control the throttle and is currently learning to trim the aircraft particularly in turns etc.

I constantly use him to try to encourage the others but so far with no real success. 

So I really do share your enthusiasm for introducing others to our sim world.

I thank you for being the inspiration for me to share this story.

 

Regards

Tony

[vc10man 732]

Wow, what an inspiring story,Tony. Good for you. I'm sure in time, their reticent shyness will be overcome.

[John_Cillis 2,406]

46 minutes ago, n4gix said:

Cool beans! How did your neighbor learn of your flight sim passion? 

He was wandering around where I lived, and I told him about my flight simulator.  I have a very simple setup, just a joystick recently bought, a Thrustmaster, with no twist control, I use the keys for rudder input, the joystick doesn't have a bunch of crazy buttons on it.  I use the fire button for down trim and the only other button for up trim, easy to use, the way the Allegro I trained on worked.  I like the joystick because most LSA's have a stick vs. a yoke.  I love the Thrustmaster over the Saitek I had because Xplane11 recognized it too, it did not work well with the Saitek controller I had, probably on my end, a hardware issue as it was failing after 8 years of heavy use.  Me, I am pretty much a Stick and Rudder sim pilot, I love the book, I have it at home.

John

[himmelhorse 1,276]

vc10man,

Thanks for your response. 

I do indeed hope that the reticense will go away.  Shyness, I don't think is a problem, because I know most of them and their parents anyway.

I have a very complicated (to them) cockpit which is where the "daunting" aspect probably comes from. I only use the main screen for the young lad (Riho) but for most of the boys and girls this is still too much. I have to say that a majority of them do not even have a TV at home so this is not really a surprising reaction from them.

Cactus521, Nothing at all wrong with your set up mate. YOU are the only one who has to be happy with it. Other peoples'  opinions are just that. Iam also sure that your wife or significant other is decidedly more happy with your flight sim expenditure than mine is LOL

Anyway thanks again for the inspiration.

Cheers

Tony

[vc10man 732]

3 minutes ago, himmelhorse said:

I only use the main screen for the young lad (Riho) but for most of the boys and girls this is still too much. I have to say that a majority of them do not even have a TV at home so this is not really a surprising reaction from them.

I too recall such awe when 14-in monochrome monitors were the 'bees knees'. If my memory of Medan is anything to go by, I too recall how for a humble but wonderfully warm culture, a simulator must also fill them with that same awe as ZX Spectrums, etc, etc. Now, we take overclockings in our stride like having bread and butter.

East Java. Beautiful place.

[himmelhorse 1,276]

vc10man,

Beautful place .... beautiful people

Tony

[himmelhorse 1,276]

Hello all,

Just as an addition to this conversation. I really think the amazing thing is the interest that is being shown by simmers in introducing new people to the world of flight simming.

To some of us there is the obsession aspect and at the other end the passing fad. I think a lot of disinterest is generated by the initial wow factor and then attempts to get a PMDG 737 off the ground with the first flight.  Too hard and not enough patience is the cause of a lot of people dropping out. The old, tried and proven system of starting with a 152 or similar does not appeal very much to the modern generation. 

As I said earlier, there are few people with the financial resources to buy computers BUT more and more kids are playing with tablets. In some ways, this is a little sad, mainly because with the introduction of tablets, the kids seem to spend more time playing with them (in their bedrooms) and less time socialising and doing anything active. This, by the way, is another reason for the daily "gathering" ....Internet. Some of the kids come and sit on my verandah with their tablets while the others are looking at my sim. What intrigues me is their continued interest but no interaction with the sim at all.  I would have thought boredom would set in very quickly but this is not the case.  So I live in hope. Maybe just getting used to the set up will encourage a few more to become a little bolder and try it out.

For me, I live, breathe and eat flight sim daily. If I am not flying, I am trying to find someone to talk about it and spend hours every day on this forum. Most of the content I regard as tuition and I learn something about my hobby every day. Eventually, I hope to learn what I should learn and disregard the rubbish, but I take it all in and go into overload on a regular basis. 

So, again, I thank cactus 521 for this thread. I am sure there are many more similar stories out there and I for one would love to hear them.

Cheers

Tony

[John_Cillis 2,406]

40 minutes ago, himmelhorse said:

Hello all,

Just as an addition to this conversation. I really think the amazing thing is the interest that is being shown by simmers in introducing new people to the world of flight simming.

To some of us there is the obsession aspect and at the other end the passing fad. I think a lot of disinterest is generated by the initial wow factor and then attempts to get a PMDG 737 off the ground with the first flight.  Too hard and not enough patience is the cause of a lot of people dropping out. The old, tried and proven system of starting with a 152 or similar does not appeal very much to the modern generation. 

As I said earlier, there are few people with the financial resources to buy computers BUT more and more kids are playing with tablets. In some ways, this is a little sad, mainly because with the introduction of tablets, the kids seem to spend more time playing with them (in their bedrooms) and less time socialising and doing anything active. This, by the way, is another reason for the daily "gathering" ....Internet. Some of the kids come and sit on my verandah with their tablets while the others are looking at my sim. What intrigues me is their continued interest but no interaction with the sim at all.  I would have thought boredom would set in very quickly but this is not the case.  So I live in hope. Maybe just getting used to the set up will encourage a few more to become a little bolder and try it out.

For me, I live, breathe and eat flight sim daily. If I am not flying, I am trying to find someone to talk about it and spend hours every day on this forum. Most of the content I regard as tuition and I learn something about my hobby every day. Eventually, I hope to learn what I should learn and disregard the rubbish, but I take it all in and go into overload on a regular basis. 

So, again, I thank cactus 521 for this thread. I am sure there are many more similar stories out there and I for one would love to hear them.

Cheers

Tony

Thanks,

I had to tell my ex-wife about it too since we still stay in touch with each other.  I also shared pictures of this year's Europe trip with him, he shared that we have the same religion and he loved my pictures of the Cathedrals there, especially Montserrat.  He was pointing out landmarks as he flew my trike over the western part of Phoenix, like Camelback mountain and Four Peaks, which are rendered very well in P3d's default mesh.  In addition to all this I have just learned that my daughter has received a scholarship for Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.  She turns eighteen tomorrow and she is in her senior year of high school.  I remember posting at Avsim way back when saying "I have a baby girl", how times have flown by.

John

[himmelhorse 1,276]

Cactus521,

Mate, I think you may have some wires crossed here as I cannot relate to what you are saying.

By the way, I can still remember saying "I have a baby girl" and that was 48 years ago tomorrow. I am about to submit a police report to try to locate the missing years LOL  BUT  oh the memories.  I guess we all stop loving our children the second we die, and I would not put money on that either.

best regards

Tony

 

[himmelhorse 1,276]

Nazethc,

I thank you for jumping in here but it is actually not necessary.

I think(I hope) we have sorted it out. 

I have a great deal of respect for the gentleman and if he has misunderstood anything, he would not be the first person to have done so. 

I have certainly made a bigger fool of myself by doing just what has happened here but with much more serious consequences. I eventually fixed it up but it was embarrassing for all concerned.  I do NOT want the same to occur here and just want to leave it alone.  It is up to Cactus and I to sort out and I am sure we will.

Thanks anyway

Tony

[John_Cillis 2,406]

10 minutes ago, nazethc said:

Irrational people jumping to conclusions.  Where in anything Tony said was he threatening?  You need a chill pill seriously.

Sorry, I was being a jerk, I didn't get the humor, peace my brother.

[himmelhorse 1,276]

Update to all.

THIS IS SORTED 

Thanks

Tony

[himmelhorse 1,276]

Hey guys,

Now that the drama is over

can we get back to the OP topic.

Has anyone got similar tales to tell about getting people introduced to this wonderful hobby.

I am quite sure that I am not the only one interested.

Cheers all

Tony