punder

Wow, stunning. How can I get a copy? :rolleyes:

I've been flying the RealAir Legacy exclusively since I got serious, and it's just a tough plane to beat. Carenado's products are great, but they just don't "feel" the same as the Legacy. Extra expensive gauges aren't necessary, except for the RXP GNS530W, which turns the Legacy into the PERFECT trainer, all the way through your "IFR rating." And you don't have to use the "fast-forward" key! 240 knots TAS!!! You can fly it as a lower-powered plane, too. Just experiment with MAP in the 12-to-20 range, and you can get all sorts of nice speed/economy combinations. After not so very many flights, you also learn to time your descents and approaches so that the speed brakes aren't necessary. But they sure come in handy sometimes anyway, since you can't drop the gear until 132, and the flaps until 122. (If you jump the gun, you might get a very realistic, and scary, surprise.) I'm a Sport Pilot with about 70 hours, and usually fly the Gobosh 700 LSA. The Legacy is helping me keep my mojo for the long periods when "real" flight is a budget-buster. (Well, that, and a couple other things--Angle of Attack's AviatorPro, and PilotEdge, but those are different topics, I guess.)

(Hope this doesn't double-post, it timed out the first time.) Not sure if this is the right place to bring this up, if not, please direct me to other threads or whatever. I am a US sport pilot with about 70 hours, and a casual on-again off-again flight simmer, but I have gotten more serious lately and started working through AoA's AviatorPro to build up IFR/complex a/c skills. I want to start using vatsim to improve my radio technique, but the website, while full of information, is pretty opaque about what's required, level of experience etc; and I've seen vast numbers of horror stories about rude controllers, zero-tolerance, arbitrary bannings, etc. It really sounds like they expect you to know it all before you even sign up--which kind of defeats the purpose of a simulation, don't you think? So... what experience do you need before flying on vatsim? Is it okay to just fly a piston single between airports for fun, or are you expected to drive a 737 for a virtual airline? How many mistakes are you allowed before you get yelled at or banned? I know if a real controller treated me the way Dirtybird1980 got treated, I'd be on the phone with the FAA shortly after landing. Any recommendations on training organizations? I'm having fun and learning a lot with AoA, but also looking for something more specific to vatsim. Thanks!