For Pilots it's no longer a game

[YAMBA1]

On a whim, a once bought a fly simulator and a 3 D Pro Joystick. I flew around like an amateur, a bit like the Red Baron of the new age. The game did not last long on my computer I was quickly feed up, and I forget about it until, one day, when babysitting my grand-child.  I Loaded Microsoft Flight Simulator X on my newly bought computer and the program still came alive after all those years. I pulled out the old dusted Joystick and allowed my grandson to play.   He had fun. His only objective was to crash the plane under an explosion of laughter’s and to kill all the Pokémon’s Passengers. My task was to bring back the aircraft in the air and then handover the commands to this little wannabe pilot. Well, all that was several years ago and the room still echoes the joy and laughs of my grand son .

 

My FSX Deluxe Edition never left my computer again.  I started to discover the full potential of this Simulator.  I took a keen interest when I realized that a computerized voice will tell me where to go (IFR), Then came some route planning and VFR flying. I started to read about this outdated program, and to my amazement there is a whole pretty helpful community out there.

 

I discovered ORBX and loaded up Global, Aust, Vector. Whoa,  what a difference in the scenery ORBX made. I was hooked . I bought my first airport YCFS (Coffs Harbour).  It’s near my home town so I familiar with the landscape, the beautiful river system, the mountains,  the coastline  and the nearby towns.   

 

Eventually, I became more and more adventurous, and with it, my ORBX airports grew  Alice, Melbourne, Cairns and so on.  To reach those destination I need to fly bigger planes. In my professional life I travelled considerably across Australia. I always wondered what type of life could be behind those cockpit closed doors? It’s time to find out for-myself.  I loaded   FS Passengers, a  small  but nifty program that  will put  some  discipline into your flying. I still reminiscent of the days  when my FS Passengers  screamed   because I left a door opened on take-off, or exert  to much G force on the descent . Contrary to my FS  co-pilot I thought I did  a good landing, only to hear him say “Nice landing , do we still got the  gear?”  

 

Those days are now over , I have since learned  a new  vocabulary  by the bucket full . Trans Alt, LNAV  VNAV, VR V1,  Yaw Damper , FMC  IRS , Transfer BUS ,  and so  the list  goes on and on.   I needed to come as close to reality as possible without leaving the comfort of my home.  I added Active Sky, Joined Vatsim,   connected  FS-FlightControl. And a second screen. Two computers are now running my set up  with a total of 3 screens.

 

I had to move away from those horrible panels  and invested in Captain Sim  and PDMG . I have to say thanks to PDMG for his excellent tutorial . At last I know  how to program correctly an FMC. This is a great step forward  for this aspiring pilot. I once explain to my children that  for a 45 minutes  flight  I spend 3 hours on the ground . And  if I  really want it  to do by the book  it could be rather  5 hours .

So no longer are  the days  when  I just jumped on the throttle  and  successfully  take off.   Nowadays,  I make  a complex calculation  of fuel usage taking  into account the weight ,  correction landing, miss appr, the regulatory 5% contingency, Taxi , holding,  Diversion and extra  fuel … Then I fire-up TopCat for performance  and trust settings, then  download  weather prediction ……

 

My son  bought  me a book for Xmas . “Microsoft FSX for Pilots, Real World Training” and it’s subtitled  “For Serious Pilots it’s not a game”   Thinking back to my earliest days where  Sid & Stars and AIRAC Cycles  were just pompous technical words used by few to show-off their knowledge, or so I thought, I came to understand that this hobby is more than a hobby, is an enjoyable  learning process.

 

Needless to say the grand-children are no longer allowed to  use FSX or the well calibrated Joystick!  My flying world  stays  very much down under, There is no need at present to fly anywhere else. Australia NZ and PNG  is  my back garden. And I enjoy every little corner  of this small world.   I once asked my loving  wife “ Would you come  and  fly with me?”  and  came the reply “NO , I don’t trust your flying!”

 

Happy Flying

Charles 

 

[Rodger Pettichord]

"It's not a hobby, it's a way of life." Sounds like you are one mighty happy hobbyist, Yamba1. Glad you have joined the gang!

[VH-KDK]

A wonderful story and I am glad you are getting so much out of it.

[Patrick Cox]

Welcome to the club mate.

[Mikelab6]

That was a great read. Thanks for sharing !

 

Mike

[teecee]

I envy you mate, my short term memory is RS, so the complex stuff is way beyond me (well, if I am to be honest, it's always been a bit beyond me).

I still spend many hours most days flying "low  and slow" and lovin' it. Thanks for a great post. Teecee.

[lawrence aldrich]

I could have used FSX when I went through USAF pilot training in 1954.

 

However I don't think personal computers were around yet.

None of my flight instructors were made by Intel, so it was a pain in the a**.

[teecee]

I actually took a couple of lessons in a C172, and  a couple in the Jabiru, ( small Aussie aircraft, loved it, but could not really afford to go on). I looked at doing the same thing in MS (Vicksburg) and actually did a couple, but the bank (my Missus) put the kibosh on it, and to be honest she was right, I was getting too old. Terry.

 

[YAMBA1]

2 hours ago, teecee said:

but the bank (my Missus)

 The logical next step  would be a couple of hours in a real simulator, From what I heard that would be the ultimate  experience  for a non flyer , but as Teecee said the "Bank"  is also my problem 

[teecee]

You are so right..I would even settle for a modern version of the Link trainer..Terry.

[TuFun]

I was fortunate to get a crack at flying a few real USAF simulators in the 70's and early 80's.  Since these simulators were actually equipped with real cockpits, I was dispatched to work on them at times.  The first one was an F-4 non-motion sim (1977).  The operator threw in a UFO in one of the flights, very surprised about that one.  In the 80's was stationed a SAC training base and checked out a full motion B-52 refueling simulator.  I was surprised how heavy the yoke was and those eight throttles. I crashed into the KC-135 Tanker.  The Tanker was a stationary model with several cameras rotating around it.  No CGI.  The other was KC-135 Tanker full motion simulator. I was working on the B-52 simulator and a Major asked if we would like a spin in the Tanker.  Major said buckle up and hear we go!  TeD

[YAMBA1]

2 hours ago, TuFun said:

The other was KC-135 Tanker full motion simulator. I was working on the B-52 simulator and a Major asked if we would like a spin in the Tanker.  Major said buckle up and hear we go!  Te

In the 70 ,I had  the pleasure to be invited by some USAF Officers for a private  visit at The Darwin (Aus) RAAF base to sight a B-52 an a KC tanker. I was amazed  by the size of the B52 and  how small crew  compartment was,  compared  to  the bomb  hold. The crew lived, worked, climbed,  cooked and  sleep  practically on top of each other. And  for the KC I was invited  to  lay down in the aft section of the plane  where the re-fueler would control  such operation . The whole  privileged experience  was  so impressive,  it is  still very clear  in my mind.  I  have a photograph where  I  sit in the cockpit of the B-52 and  looking outside . From memory I  think that the KC  is the original  B707, I am right?

A B-52  now days is  on display  at the Northern Territory Aircraft Museum, courtesy from the USAF I understand it is  one of the rare museum  outside the US  to hold such  treasure 

[YAMBA1]

3 hours ago, teecee said:

You are so right..I would even settle for a modern version of the Link trainer.

 

Terry , I did  not  know what a link trainer was , so I looked it up and  had a good  giggled . We  have  come so far with technology . I am sure  some hobbyists  have set  up in their  houses that surpasses  those early days 

Charles 

[lawrence aldrich]

15 hours ago, YAMBA1 said:

 

Terry , I did  not  know what a link trainer was , so I looked it up and  had a good  giggled . We  have  come so far with technology . I am sure  some hobbyists  have set  up in their  houses that surpasses  those early days 

Charles 

The Link trainer was a torture device used in the 50s to find out if you were prone to claustrophobia.

I was...………...

[olderndirt]

When I worked for the FAA in Anchorage, our approach control was on Elmendorf AFB, at the base of their tower.  Every once in a while, those of us who were licensed pilots were given a chance to fly the F4 simulator.  One April Fools day we got a letter from the Wing billing us for the F4's we had crashed - mind boggling amount.

[Rodger Pettichord]

59 minutes ago, olderndirt said:

When I worked for the FAA in Anchorage, our approach control was on Elmendorf AFB, at the base of their tower.  Every once in a while, those of us who were licensed pilots were given a chance to fly the F4 simulator.  One April Fools day we got a letter from the Wing billing us for the F4's we had crashed - mind boggling amount.

Back in 1972, I got to fly the F-4 simulator in Germany. By today's standards, it was primitive--the canopy was opaque and outside weather was indicated by light, dark, or dim. But the range of motion was pretty good, and I was sweating when I was done and marveling at the "realism" of it all. And now, here we sit with our ORBX scenery. 

[boetie]

What a great read Charles, I can see myself going on the same learning journey as you ( as soon as the kids have flown the nest!)

Cheers Graeme

[Ken Terry]

Here for TeeCee is a picture of a Link Trainer.

Cheers

Ken

[YAMBA1]

1 hour ago, Ken Terry said:

Here for TeeCee is a picture of a Link Trainer.

Awesome,  looks like one of those  planes for kiddies on a merry-go-round   No wonder  then  , that Lawrence Aldrich  had claustrophobia in one of them

 Cheers 

Charles 

[teecee]

I have no recollection of dizziness, claustrophobic (for a sixteen year old) Yes, but great fun too.. Thanks Ken.. Terry.

[b1bmsgt]

I got to fly the B-1B sim a number of times back in my Air Force days. I remember thinking how my sim at home had better graphics... (FS5.1!!)

 

Russ