Personal and professional flight simulators, or Aviation Training Devices (ATDs), can be an effective and way to train while ultimately playing a game
In addition to an effective training tool, flight simulators allow for the real time practice of maneuvers at a fraction of the price
Flight Simulation Purpose:
The advantages of flight simulators are numerous
They allow you to practice your maneuvers and procedures
Flight simulators allow you to fly a flight ahead of time, interactively chair flying
When multi-player is an option, it opens your eyes to something you may not have seen before in the home enviornment which allows you to do further research and learn more, becoming better
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Flight Simulators:
Microsoft Flight Simulator:
Microsoft flight simulator is one of the most popular flight simulators on the market
The software comes standard with the most common types of aircraft but is customizable to allow additional aircraft
Pros:
Very basic, not requiring a lot of knowledge or prep time to get started
Cons:
Not entirely realistic, real life performance can be either exaggerated or non-existent in certain aspects
Requires a lot of computing power in order to run smoothly, pay attention to "recommended setup"
Certified Simulators:
Certain simulators are certified by the FAA, and provided a letter of authorization that allows that device to meet certain training and currency requirements
Flight Throttle Quadrants can further simulate the setup of the cockpit your used to
Recommendations:
You will not be using a mouse and keyboard to fly a real airplane and so if you are serious about using simulators as a training aide, you will want to purchase peripherals if you can afford them
Joysticks are fun, and for some games they work just fine, but they still lend themselves to non-standard controls and buttons which you will not have in the aircraft
Yokes and rudder pedals allow for an exact simulation of what you will use in the aircraft but can create a bulky setup
Conclusion:
Flight simulators allow for real time decisions and practice which can be invaluable to your flight training and save you a lot of money
Software even allows integration of applications like ForeFlight
Next to typical flight hours costing well over $100, a simulator looks like chump change if you expect you will see reduced flight hours required on the back side
Remember, its not the hours in your logbook that matter, its the experiences you can learn from over time
