I haven't flown the Kodiak in about 5 months. I have been busy with the C 310 and the Fenix A 320, and decided that I needed to get back into the Kodiak, which I used to fly all the time. The other two aircraft, don't have the G 1000 NXI, so I spent about 20 minutes just trying to figure out how to set the map display from Heading up to North up. Then I forgot you have to load the flightplan from the MSFS load menu. How to configure the autopilot, which vertical climb mode to use, ow to declutter the map, etc. etc. On the second flight I felt like was in semi control of the aircraft, IFR from Teterboro  in the New York  to New London CT . I think I will spend a few days getting back into being semi comfortable. I need to switch aircraft more often, especially at my age, when I can't remember where I was yesterday. 😉

It really can be hard to jump back into something you haven’t flown in a while and remember all the small details of flying it.  It’s a good illustration of why there are currency rules and type ratings in the real world.

This is the biggest challenge I have with DCS.  I’ll go on a long spurt of learning an aircraft then have it leave my attention span and when I decide to go back and try again it’s like I’ve never flown it before.  The added complexity of sensor and weapon systems plus needing to use good tactics certainly doesn’t help things there.

The exception for me to all of this is the 737 and A320.  I’ve flown both so many times over several sims that their procedures are permanently burned into my brain haha.  

39 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

I haven't flown the Kodiak in about 5 months. I have been busy with the C 310 and the Fenix A 320, and decided that I needed to get back into the Kodiak, which I used to fly all the time. The other two aircraft, don't have the G 1000 NXI, so I spent about 20 minutes just trying to figure out how to set the map display from Heading up to North up. Then I forgot you have to load the flightplan from the MSFS load menu. How to configure the autopilot, which vertical climb mode to use, ow to declutter the map, etc. etc. On the second flight I felt like was in semi control of the aircraft, IFR from Teterboro  in the New York  to New London CT . I think I will spend a few days getting back into being semi comfortable. I need to switch aircraft more often, especially at my age, when I can't remember where I was yesterday. 😉

I have the same problem.

If I don't fly it once every two weeks, I forget so much.  I flew the PMDG 737-700 again the other day, after not flying it for a couple of weeks -- man o man, it was back to amateur-hour again.   I also hot-started the Milviz PC-6, which I also hadn't flown in a while.  Me...hot-starting a turboprop that I used to be verrrry proficient in....

This annoys me, but what can I do?

I guess currency is a thing even in the sim-world now.

58 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

I need to switch aircraft more often

I know. Been flying GA for months. Climbing into the A320 cockpit will be an intimidating experience, 

Its a luxury problem, for sure. I’ve changed between ~10 GA aircraft for the last months. It’s a challenge to keep on top of things.

8 minutes ago, Mace said:

I guess currency is a thing even in the sim-world now.

Indeed. We may have the money for all of these addons. But we can’t buy time..

Edited September 9, 20223 yr by Cpt_Piett

LOL This is the exact reason why I seldom buy aircraft and mainly fly one or two. Right now I only fly the Fenix A320 and the JPL C152. I think I still can handle the C310 if I want to (with the old radiostack) but the Kodiak, which is the only other plane I own, I'd also have to get used to as if it was new LOL!

I wonder what's keeping me most from buying other planes: the cost... or the time it takes to learn everything! And also the knowledge that if I do buy and learn another aircraft it can take time to get back into another...! I really think this is the main reason I don't buy other planes and try to stay comfortable with just one or two.

I am used to only flying one or two aircraft for months if not years so it's not a problem for me. I rather enjoy my flights with a well known plane than get annoyed by a hangar full of aircraft of which I can handle none comfortably.

As it is now there only is ONE plane I wouldn't mind spending money AND specially time on and that's a study level Dash 8 Q400. And perhaps I will get the A2A Comanche... but I am a bit done with GA that have a GPS and no old radiostack so I will probably pass on that one anyway.

I know someone who buys a plane almost every week. He always wants to own the latest stuff. I don't get that at all.

Anyway, great post Bob. 😉

Edited September 10, 20223 yr by tup61

11 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

I haven't flown the Kodiak in about 5 months. I have been busy with the C 310 and the Fenix A 320, and decided that I needed to get back into the Kodiak, which I used to fly all the time. The other two aircraft, don't have the G 1000 NXI, so I spent about 20 minutes just trying to figure out how to set the map display from Heading up to North up. Then I forgot you have to load the flightplan from the MSFS load menu. How to configure the autopilot, which vertical climb mode to use, ow to declutter the map, etc. etc. On the second flight I felt like was in semi control of the aircraft, IFR from Teterboro  in the New York  to New London CT . I think I will spend a few days getting back into being semi comfortable. I need to switch aircraft more often, especially at my age, when I can't remember where I was yesterday. 😉

Be shure you not alone with this, that is the case why i fly the same plane max 5 times in a row and than use the next one and so on..

I am doeing this with all my favorite planes ( and thats some ) so i am not get to far away from each other..

But shure this is allmost a normal Effekt and happens to jonger people aswell unless you always fly the same plane, but that gets boring in the long run and robs you of the joy of flight simulation - IMO !

And even you do it my way it still doesn't always work smoothly..😲

But - that is Flightsimming..🥳

cheers 😉

Edited September 10, 20223 yr by pmplayer

Hey Bob when you going to bring that DC-6 back out the Hangar? But don't look for any updates from Rob Razz anytime soon.

Edited September 10, 20223 yr by jbdbow1970

Only 1 plane here - the HJET!  But I only sim maybe once a week.

sp

Edited September 10, 20223 yr by Sky_Pilot071

12 hours ago, regis9 said:

This is the biggest challenge I have with DCS.  I’ll go on a long spurt of learning an aircraft then have it leave my attention span and when I decide to go back and try again it’s like I’ve never flown it before.  The added complexity of sensor and weapon systems plus needing to use good tactics certainly doesn’t help things there.

The exception for me to all of this is the 737 and A320.  I’ve flown both so many times over several sims that their procedures are permanently burned into my brain haha.  

Once you have good time in the A320 and NG I totaly agree your fine to leave them for a good time, not flown the Fenix for a few months now.

But like you DCS is a diffrent story. I am back in it as Frankly I find MSFS flying gets boring. I spent last Dec to April fully learning and did two campaigns in the A10C TK. I never thought I would master that aircraft but i did. Anyone can if you give it the time. Now I want to go back to the FA18.......CASE I and III Carriers landing got burned in, and so did day time AAR. But..........its like starting again with everything else and as you know everything else is huge amount of work. But its never boring and alway rewarding. I loading up the super carriers C&D and looked around and thought "what the hell" LOL, Spend a few hours just starting the damm thing lol. I just bought the two last campaigns that have come out for the 18c, but first I am going to finishing the campaign Ieft. People that fly only MSFS will never know what a huge learning curve DCS. Its not to be taken lightly. It also make coming back to MSFS feel very relaxing and nice to do. I will try SU10 and try using both at the same time. I can but dream DCS aircraft etc within MSFS world. What a dream that would be. I wish people that fine themself buying aircraft after aircraft to keep the intrest in MSFS would try DCS. 

Bob is doing the right thing like myself and keeping his hanger very small. Learned from P3D.

I know the HJet, A320 and CJ4 like the back of my hand now.

The PMDG 737 and 414 are going to take some dedicated time for me, that I still haven't gotten around to.

Edited September 10, 20223 yr by blueshark747

11 minutes ago, blueshark747 said:

The PMDG 737 and 414 are going to take some dedicated time for me, that I still haven't gotten around to.

I highly recommend the 414. It’s a highly versatile, extremely well done aircraft. It’s my go-to GA for those longer flights, where the Caravan is a bit too slow for me. The 310 is of course great too, but I prefer the 414.

3 hours ago, Nyxx said:

Bob is doing the right thing like myself and keeping his hanger very small. Learned from P3D.

Oh I dunno. You said yourself that learning the systems is fun. People who buy lots of planes get to learn systems all the time, over and over again. 😉

I completely agree on the DCS thing though. After I finally got a yoke/rudders set up, I didn't do DCS for a long time because I didn't want to take the yoke down. Now I'm having trouble even against the AI, largely because I often forget how to activate a radar mode or weapon. 😉

 

 

6 hours ago, tup61 said:

LOL This is the exact reason why I seldom buy aircraft and mainly fly one or two. Right now I only fly the Fenix A320 and the JPL C152. I think I still can handle the C310 if I want to (with the old radiostack) but the Kodiak, which is the only other plane I own, I'd also have to get used to as if it was new LOL!

I wonder what's keeping me most from buying other planes: the cost... or the time it takes to learn everything! And also the knowledge that if I do buy and learn another aircraft it can take time to get back into another...! I really think this is the main reason I don't buy other planes and try to stay comfortable with just one or two.

I am used to only flying one or two aircraft for months if not years so it's not a problem for me. I rather enjoy my flights with a well known plane than get annoyed by a hangar full of aircraft of which I can handle none comfortably.

As it is now there only is ONE plane I wouldn't mind spending money AND specially time on and that's a study level Dash 8 Q400. And perhaps I will get the A2A Comanche... but I am a bit done with GA that have a GPS and no old radiostack so I will probably pass on that one anyway.

I know someone who buys a plane almost every week. He always wants to own the latest stuff. I don't get that at all.

Anyway, great post Bob. 😉

That is me also.   A neighbor came over yesterday to check out MSFS and like an word not allowed I suggested we go up in something I've not touched for over a year now (!).   Ended up not being able to land in weather at KDEN because I had lost touch with how to do a few things in it! 

I use PMDG 738, AS CRJ-700 and the B78X HD and that's it.  A Pilot's Life 2 has me flying each of these regularly so I stay sharp enough to score well in each though still not quite there w/ the 738.  When PMDG does the 777 I'll be jumping on that, and Majestic's Q400 has a spot in the hangar for me as well, though it's really going to have to shine before I go there--I feel it was an overrated plane in P3D and that a good part of the reason for its warm reception is that it performed far better than other fully featured planes.

6 hours ago, Nyxx said:

But like you DCS is a diffrent story.

I’m also my own worst enemy in DCS in that I get distracted by shiny things easily.  Flew the F-18 for a while, then wanted to fly the F-14, then F-16, then Apache…

I'm trying to learn a new aircraft every couple of months, but I don't want to lose skills with aircraft I've already spent some time with,  I try to keep a rotation of at least two flights/aircraft before rotating to the next.  Right now, I'm rotating among the following:

C172, G36 Turbo, Caravan, Seneca, TBM930 and CJ4.  I'm currently studying/learning the Kodiak.