Hairy_Satchel

I find flying a real aircraft a bit easier than the simulator once I got the feel of it. Heighted senses and situational awareness are all amplified when breaking the equipment or your neck is on the line. I also find myself thinking about nothing but the task at hand and that is maintaining control of the aircraft first and foremost. And greasing the landing is icing on the cake. My first real world approach I added power on final and knew which way to spin the trim wheel without being told. These are skills I picked up on my own with the simulator and brought to the table when needed. Still, landing a 737 with my limited experience would be a monumental challenge. God help my passengers and the insurance companies.

For me flight simulator is a tool I use to enhance my real world flying. I would encourage any simulator pilot interested enough to think about such scenarios to go to the airport with a CFI and find out if you have the right stuff. You might find it easier than you think.

My biggest problem flying in the left seat of a real C172 for the fist time after hundreds of hours on the M$ simulator was all the bad habits I picked up. Fixating on gauges being the worst. But also I realized I wasn't afraid of flying in the air but afraid of the ground and stalling six inches above. Not to mention the roll-out that follows. Understanding aircraft systems, navigation, communications can easily be learned through studying and time in the simulator. But at the end of the day, real stick and rudder skills are all that matters and can only really be understood and mastered through practice in type in the real thing. But, if the fit was to hit the san and both captain and first officer flat lined, I'm somewhat confident I could land a complex, heavy aircraft with help from the ground. After all, what choice would I have since the landing would be entered into my log book.