Rod Machado's 'humourous' Flight Lessons.

[Guest TwistedAdonis]

I'm not enjoying the comedy.I notice that FSX uses exactly the same vocal tracks for the lessons as FS 2002 even though the instrument panels are different in the Cessna.Is the fact that the lessons are buggy as #### an old complaint?I found in the VOR lesson that the VOR 'line' shoots off to the right as soon as Rod stops flying and, in trying to regain it, you fail.I'm now stuck in the ATC lesson 'cos Rod never returns with his 'humourous' quips once you tune to Seattle. Also no option for 'Class B clearance' ever appears and neither does the hilarious Rod.Am I doing something wrong?I'm a noob and would appreciate any help cos it's driving me crazy.And hello btw.Twister

[brynjames 0]

I certainly noticed errors when I was using them a couple of years ago. In particular, a couple of sound files were missing from one lesson, so you never heard everything Rod expected you to do, or when he thought you had finished ok. I have not been able to check whether this is fixed or not. (For FS2004 I copied the missing sound files from an earlier version of FS).You can look at the scripts which drive the lessons and may be able to fix the issues you are having.Despite the problems, I found them a fun way of focussing my attention on what I was actually doing in the cockpit.--Bryn

[Guest TwistedAdonis]

Thanks for the response Brynn.I look in the scripts for lessons and am as a child.Don't know what I need to change to affect things.I've managed to complete it in 2002, so I'll just ignore Rod and do what I can do to land and see if that triggers the end.TaT

[Guest JackDanielsDrinker]

I think the lessons were just ported over from FS9 or FS8 unchanged. So some of the gauges may not match. And some of the scripting can get out of whack. He had me flying into a mountain on the short takeoff/land lesson.I have found hitting the left bracket key "]" or control-] sometimes gets him to start talking again.And oh God, the puns and jokes he makes are AWFUL. I'll print out a lesson and be reading it and won't stop cringing.

[Guest iwantmydc3]

Yeah the only person with cornier jokes, that has taught so many people a hobby would be Gordon West, in the field of Amatuer Radio; he has some real groaners. I understand that Rod is a much better instructor in r/l, lol.

[Guest JeffPreston]

Folks:You might be interested in the approach taken in FSFlyingSchool, whereby the instructor analyzes airmanship, rather than giving specific fixed lessons. Also, as the voice logic is not "scripted", the instuctor is able to follow along with what you are doing regardless of where you decide to fly off to.Fly circuits at your favorite airports, practice landings anywhere, deal with goodness knows how many different types of failures, etc.Free demo too!

[RobertRent 17]

I agree. Rod is a great guy but his jokes get in the way of learning, and the flight lessons themselves are buggy.If it helps, back in mid-2005 Doug Horton did a Computer Pilot magazine series on working through the Microsoft Flight Simulator