Flight Simulation Software - Need to Knows

The Takeoff in a "flight sim” is the easy part. Usually you just set the throttle to Max. , roll down the runway and pull up. You only realize what you have yourself into once you are airborne. Airborne you will have to deal with extra dimensions. Besides left and right movements there is also up and down, while the meaning of speed takes on a completely new dimension. Unless you are flying a helicopter, you cannot stop moving. Even worse, when you let your airspeed drops to much, your plane will drop down like a brick of stone as well. We call this "stalling the plane".

At first keeping straight flight is almost impossible without the proper equipment. There are realistic workarounds to this problem but that is stuff for a different article. Changing course without making your flight path look like a roller coaster is an accomplishment not to take lightly.

After crashing a few 747's you can take a single engine fixed wing plane for a spin. In addition, really taking a Cessna 172 to the skies is fun. In a pc simulator they are much easier to fly, you can stay level by playing with the throttle. It is in these planes that I learned the basics of flight. How to fly real traffic patterns, line up with the runway and actually land safely.

Now that you have the feel of flying the simulator, you can start to add difficulties like crosswinds, developing storms or instrument failures. You can make overland flights, practice navigation and approach procedures.

Some Flight Simulator enthusiasts' goal is to make a flight, any flight as realistic as possible. Communities of virtual pilots like VatSim really make it a point stick to all the rules and regulations of real aviation.

Some Flight Simulator enthusiasts' goal is to make a flight, any flight as realistic as possible. Communities of virtual pilots like VatSim really make it a point stick to all the rules and regulations of real aviation.

ing with a jet airliner, fly search and rescue missions in a helicopter simulator or enjoy the serene feeling of flying a sailplane at the Lake Tahoe area.

When piloting an airplane it is important to always "stay ahead of the aircraft". You need to prepare all actions you will take on a flight. The setting of instruments, fuel mixtures, flap settings and takeoff and landing speeds. When you lapse on these important tasks, you are always a little behind, and rushing to catch up. Such a frame of mind makes you accident-prone; it increases the change that you will make mistakes. Therefore, any flight instructor, real or simulated will tell you to get organized and think ahead.

Weather is an important factor in aviation and add's fun and realism to a simulation flight. Landing with a heavy crosswind over the runway really is a thrilling experience. Add snow or even tropical cyclones and you get the picture.

In real life, flying Visual (VFR) is only part of the game. Under low visibility conditions, it is impossible to rely and navigate on landmarks. Pilots then rely on their navigational instruments and turn Instrument flying (IFR). Flying a jet airliner under Visual Flight Rules is nearly impossible because of their altitude and speed.

Also landing IFR is much easier under poor conditions then trying to do it visual. Besides you need to have the skill to talk to air traffic control or things can turn out to be problematic.

Larger airfields have at least one runway equipped with and ILS or Instrument Landing System. Now landing is a piece of cake, all you need to do is to intercept the ILS beacon and the plane will do the rest.

Navigation and learning to fly IFR is one of the main advantages of a simulator. When you do want to become a real pilot, the transition IFR is very expensive and needs a lot of training. A large chunk of this training can be done on a good flight simulator. Moreover, a large number of real life pilots have trained IFR navigation on pc aircraft simulators.

Whatever the case might be, on a winter's day I love to fire up my sim and fly a springtime hop to my favorite Greek Island. Flying an approach on Corfu, to get my landing clearance for runway 17 and to see all my favorite spots and beaches underneath makes my day. In addition, when I do touch down (instead of crashing) on that runway I feel the rush of "being there".