One of Johnny L.A.'s recent threads got slightly sidetracked with a discussion about playing Microsoft Flight Simulator (and if I recall correctly, I’m responsible for that sidetracking). But I’m interested in a little more discussion about it, if folks are willing.
I’d like to hear from pilots (be it GA or commercial) who have experience using any type of flight simulation programs – from the most basic to the most sophisticated. I’d like to hear how you felt that your experiences with simulations translated into what you were doing when you were actually in the air. Do they make you a better pilot overall? Are they only useful for learning how to handle emergency situations? Are they completely useless? Do they suck the joy out of flying? Are they fun, but feel more like a video game than anything to do with real flying?
Further, I’d be curious to hear your opinions about how a person who starts out using only a simulator might fare if suddenly thrust into a real-world scenario. For example, it has been said that if someone becomes an expert at playing the drums (in expert or Pro mode) on Rock Band, they are going to be able to do fairly well with a basic drum set. And on the other end of the spectrum, someone who is really, really good at Wii bowling isn’t necessarily going to be able to do much of anything comparable in a real bowling alley.
So where would using a flight simulator fall in that spectrum for a complete novice? If I got really good at landing a commercial jet in Microsoft’s program (as long as someone else were handling communications), would I have a better than average chance to save the passengers if Leslie Nielsen were to call on me when the chips were down? Would I fail miserably because, even if I understood all of the instrumentation and followed instruction to the letter, the actual handling of the plane would feel nothing like using a joystick at my computer, and I’d be lost? What are your thoughts?