I am researching for an article concerning the realism of flight simulations.If you have a PPL and use Flight simulators, I would be very happy if you could tell me your experience with them. How real is the simulation? What are its major shortcomings? Where is it successful?Of course, it would be even more interesting, if you are flying the same aircraft in reality and the sim.I would also be happy if anyone (not just people with a PPL) could take part in a small survey I created: http://www.meinstudi.de/flightsimsurvey/survey.html. It is of course completely anonymous.If you rather want to tell me something in private or more lenghty, you can reach me here: [email protected]

Simulators are great for learning and practicing procedures in a controlled environment, but they lack the true feeling one gets by doing those procedures for real. Much like if you've ever used, or played, a driving simulator. Just because you can do great in the simulator doesn't mean you can safely drive a real car on a real road under real conditions. They are, however, the most economic effective means to practice those procedures that need to be practiced over and over again, such as IFR navigation or systems failure procedures.John M

Yeah, flight simulators are the equilivent of someone with no depth perception,tunnel vision and no nerve endings trying to fly a plane on a very calm day.I think simulators can certainly help with systems and learning radio/GPS navigation techniques, and running through checklists- but for actual VFR flying they are just fun- you won't learn steep turns or stalls in a simulator and expect it to translate to real life. I think most things are much, much easier in real life because your body has so much more feedback.Once you are already a pilot, I think simulators are good because your mind can "fill in the blanks" and you can practice things. I used FSX to practice my cross-country solos. Not for the actual flying, but to be able to see the terrain/lakes/roads etc and compare them to the sectional. It really helped. I was using Megascenery New York BTW, so it was photorealistic. The default scenery is not good enough for that- but it's still decent.

I use flight sims to keep up my instrument scans.

The only sim this noobie has used so far (FS2004) has provided a fascinating opportunity to fly (and compare) a huge range of planes: from the Wright Flyer to the 777. I can't imagine any other tool making available (and so affordable!) such a range of learning experiences. Anyone who's actually tried to fly the Ryan Monoplane can't help but develop a deeper appreciation for just HOW gifted a pilot Lindbergh actually must have been.Flight sim is bigger than Harry Potter, Paris Hilton, and Cheeze Doodles combined!

.>>Flight sim is bigger than Harry Potter, Paris Hilton, and>Cheeze Doodles combined!All depends how you look at it. I mean if I could be in the Paris Hilton reading my Harry Potter and devouring a bag of Cheese Doodles while Brittney Spears rubs my feet than I think I could forgo one night of flight simming. As stated above, simming just doesn't feel quite like the real thing.:-smile12 John M

>.>>>>Flight sim is bigger than Harry Potter, Paris Hilton, and>>Cheeze Doodles combined!>>All depends how you look at it. I mean if I could be in the>Paris Hilton reading my Harry Potter and devouring a bag of>Cheese Doodles while Brittney Spears rubs my feet than I think>I could forgo one night of flight simming. As stated above,>simming just doesn't feel quite like the real thing.:-smile12>>>John MI wouldn't sleep in the Paris Hilton. I hear it's unsanitary and you'll probably catch something.

As has been said:1. you miss the "visceral" feel in desktop simulation. I remember fying into an updraft and my head hitting the ceiling of the real world 172 I was flying. After making sure the horizon was where it was supposed to be, I literally checked each side to make sure the wings were attached. That can't be simulated.2. can be a great procedure trainer. Especially in Instrument Flight Rules and complex aircraft training.3. great for experimentation. The What if's; especially for engine out and cross-controlled flight; extreme crosswind and downwind takeoffs and landings; spins and spin entry.One thing I can tell you I picked up from simming and used it in real world is the trend of the aircraft when not looking forward out past the cowling. I still remember that flight. I think I was using FLY2 at the time and I was looking out the left window on a downwind to a runway. I noticed how the view changed as I lifted and dropped the nose. I later found myself unconsciously adjusting the real world 172 to maintain level flight on the downwind.Tailwinds!Jim DonlinPPASEL

Thank you for your opinions.So it more or less boils down to the very basic Limitation of a PC-Simulator: There are no forces, no cockpit no stress.