How a Flight Simulator Can Make You a Safer Pilot

2012-09-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

A flight simulator can be more than just an enjoyable game for a licensed pilot. Airplane simulators can help you develop ingrained habits to deal with real-world emergencies when they arise. Use the following five techniques with a flight sim to boost your safety and confidence when piloting a real aircraft.
#1. You can use a flight sim to "pre-fly" a route to an unfamiliar airport. As you approach the airport using the simulator you can get a feel for the approach patterns, and how the airport is situated to a nearby town, a lake, or other physical features. If the simulator you're using is detailed enough, you might experience a strong sense of deja vu when you actually fly to the airport for the first time.
#2. Pilotage is becoming a lost art in this age of GPS. This is flying without reference to instruments, and prepares you for the day when the GPS suddenly goes on the fritz, and there are no VOR's you can track. With your simulator, choose a destination, plot a compass course, calculate the wind vectors, and see how close you can come to your intended destination using only time and airspeed.
#3. Use an airplane simulator to practice instrument procedures. If you don't have an IFR license, it's likely that the last time you flew without ground reference was when you were first training for your private pilot license. Being able to control a plane without reference to the ground can save your life if you suddenly find yourself in the clouds, or in a thick layer of smoke from a forest fire. Use a flight simulator to practice choosing two VORs to cross-track to a particular IFR intersection. Then concentrate on maintaining your stick and rudder coordination as you make shallow turns without ground reference.
#4. Many pilots wait too long in the landing sequence before electing to "go around." The winds might have shifted, or an animal might have wandered onto a rural runway. By practicing go-arounds on a simulator, you can get the feel for the correct procedures in your aircraft, and establish them as habits. Do you raise the landing gear first, and then the flaps? One or two notches of flaps? How fast can you climb to avoid a 75-foot obstacle at the end of the runway?
#5. Emergency procedures can be expensive and even a little dangerous to practice in your real aircraft, especially if you're doing low-level engine out procedures. With an airplane simulator, you can choose an airport, close the throttle, and see if you can put the plane "on the numbers."
Then, set up a simulated cross-country flight. From a common cruising altitude -- say 3,000 feet above ground level (AGL) -- simulate an engine out situation. How do you set up for the best glide speed? Are there clues as to the wind direction? Choose a potential landing spot and head for it. Can you successfully spiral or glide down to a chosen approach point, and then reach your intended landing spot, or do you overshoot or undershoot? Do the same practice from other flight elevations, such as 2,000 feet or 1,500 feet AGL.
Get an airplane simulator that includes plane similar to the one(s) you fly, and also make sure that it can simulate changing weather conditions. Then use it to keep your flying skills sharp, and develop smooth, established responses to emergency situations. You'll save money, avoid bending your real airplane, and become a safer pilot.

Gary MacFadden is a licensed pilot and a flight simulator [http://www.eairplanesimulator.com] enthusiast. He has published widely on flying topics including licensing requirements and biennial flight reviews. Visit [http://www.eairplanesimulator.com] for a free video on what to look for in your next airplane simulator.

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Flight Simulator Download: How To Select The Best Game

2012-09-11T15:23:00.002-07:00

Nowadays there are lots of flight sim games on the market, but suppose you are looking specifically for a combat flight simulator download?
Now your comparison shopping becomes much more focused and easy, but you still have select the right combat simulator game.
Firstly, you must know how realistic the online flight experience must be for you.
Furthermore, your computer must be well designed, and you might need additional memory for these programs: 1 GB of RAM is the bare minimum.
You must also look around for flight sim downloads that have brilliant visual and sound effects.
Well, I've been a flight enthusiast for many years, and my experience tells me these are the key features that must be present:
* At least 100 airplanes and helicopters to choose from
* Over 20,000 Real, Actual airports to land and take off
* True scenery, e.g. allowing you to actually fly over your own house
* Your very own scenery editor, in order to allow you to create whatever landscapes you wish to fly over
* Instant download to your computer for faster access
* 60 day money back guarantee
A few flight simulation games download also include realistic weather patterns, varied terrain, accurate mapping, and utilizing several time zones.
Even lunar patterns and planetary alignments are available, like it happens with Pro Flight Simulator Game.
The software they use is basically the same as NASA uses for training their own astronauts.
They even grab information from satellites around the world and from Google Maps as well.
It is so exact that the stars and moon are in their exact location.
And the cities night lights are also in their correct places, to such an extent that you can even see car headlights if you are flying close enough to the Earth' surface.
With all of those requirements given above, you'll have fun while learning the basic things in flying online.

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Flight Simulators

How a Flight Simulator Can Make You a Safer Pilot

Flight Simulator Download: How To Select The Best Game