Chock.....
I want to thank everyone for the friendly welcome, but Chock: Your reply is simply brilliant. I can't believe you'd take so much time for a new guy, and to offer such pristine, balanced and practical advice... Geez, man. Thank you.
A few notes, beginning from the bottom and working up:
1) Thank you so much for the votes of confidence on 'fear of flying' and 'throwing the car around'. I definitely do love to get dynamic, but I'd never do it with a passenger for the exact reasons you state: the milliseconds of warning that my brain and stomach get as I begin to push on the inputs gives me the expectations I need to not feel any alarm, etc etc. I feel so bad every time I go up with friends - they can tell I am on edge, and I know they think I don't trust them. But it's just that sense of "not knowing what to expect". It's better when I can gently hold the yoke and feel the inputs, but it's still there. I think you're right: confidence will come when I'm doing the inputs, and when I know and trust the airplane (and of course, with repetition and successful flights).
I've gone skydiving, and wasn't alarmed by that (granted, in my usual sardonic way, I had to make peace with death in order to do it).
2) Thank you for your perspective on the limitations (and negative conditioning) of Simulators. This is very helpful. I'm actually a combat handgun instructor, and I spend a great deal of time considering and working to mitigate the negative affects of dry-fire and "Simunition" type combat. Very similar to what you talk about here, but of course, this is all new to me so it is different and I really appreciate your wisdom.
3) I haven't heard of ANY of these Simulation programs - I'm using MS Flight Sim X, so these tips are extremely valuable. Especially because traffic and radio usage are still completely foreign to me - my friends always have me scanning, but we've never had any close calls to reinforce the importance (remote area), and they've always done 100% of the radio work.
4) I was going to get the equipment from GoFlight, which seemed very high quality, but decided to go for the cheaper Logitech ~$200 each stuff. In our new house, I'll set up a nicer cockpit.
Chock... again: thank you so much. I'm sure I'll have many questions, and now I have someone to reach out to. I really appreciate it, brother. At this point, I don't even know what I don't know. I hope to get a better idea of all these humbling things before long!
TJ
