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03/08/2009, 2:35 PM Nishy17 Joined on 03/08/2009 Posts 2 Should I wait or get on with it? Need Some Advice... Hi, I've always wanted to become a pilot, and I'm going to start flying lessons in hope of getting my PPL. The only thing is, I'm still at college and absolutley skint! So I have to put it off until next year when I can afford it. I'm having a taster lesson soon though, but I was just wondering whether anyone recommends using a Flight simulator or not because I wouldn't want to become a pro on it and then realise actual flying is completley different... I've just got a feeling it could make it ten times harder when I actually start flying. So what do you recommend? Start using a simulator now or should I wait till I have some actualy flying practice. Thanks!    Report

03/08/2009, 3:01 PM Rolls Joined on 24/06/2009 Posts 42 Re: Should I wait or get on with it? Need Some Advice... I have just started flying, and was recommended to get Flight simulator X.  For a start, i think the game is brilliant, i really enjoy it (apart from not being able to acvtivate the dang thing, but that is a different story). I would look at it like this: Does a car game (project gotham, need for speed etc etc) really help you to drive?? In some respects it can be beneficial, but for other parts (usually the major ones) it does not help.   Flight sims are brilliant as a game, but in my limited expierience, they are not anywhere in the same league as doing it for real.  This is nothing to do with the software however, it is simply becuase you do not have the feel of the aircraft, it is simply, and i do not think that it will ever be as intuitive as a real pilot will require it to be. There are some major plus points though.  For instance, pre flight start ups, navigational ability (I suppose, i have not covered this as of yet) how the aircraft responds to various manoevers. These are all major pros to fligtht sims and do lend some help. As with car games, there is no substitute for being there and doing it, although knowing how things work will definately help. I would not worry about it hindering your progress though.  They are completely different to not hamper you when you start for real. Using the analogy to death, playing a car game before you learn to drive does not mean that you will not be able to drive after tuition, or that you will ignore all the rules of road.  There is a lot more to flying than a flight sim will be able to put into software form!      Report

04/08/2009, 8:53 AM hawkins52@btinternet.com Joined on 06/08/2006 Posts 120 Re: Should I wait or get on with it? Need Some Advice... Do not start by using a flight simulator.  You will end up doing more hours training in the long run.  Students who have previously used FS tend to keep their heads in the cockpit, staring at the instruments, rather than looking outside.  A PPL is a VFR licence, not an instrument rating.  It is far harder to "unteach" bad habits that to teach the correct methods of visual flight.    Report

04/08/2009, 6:17 PM Nishy17 Joined on 03/08/2009 Posts 2 Re: Should I wait or get on with it? Need Some Advice... Thanks for the great advice you 2! Hmm... It's a bit of a tough one to call lol, but yeah I think like Rolls said, I might just play it for the fun of it and not think too much about it being realistic etc. Becuase god knows them racing ones arent! haha Thanks guys!    Report

23/08/2009, 12:30 PM CFrost Joined on 04/01/2009 EGLK Posts 157 Re: Should I wait or get on with it? Need Some Advice... Hey Nishy, I am nearly 17 and am well into my ppl training now. I started on FSX and felt that it helped me in a lot of ways. I would say get it! Chris    Report

10/09/2009, 5:35 PM Anthony Tester Joined on 24/09/2007 Vienna Posts 106 Re: Should I wait or get on with it? Need Some Advice... If you get fsx and a suitable scenery package it could go to help with your vfr navigation, flying the route virtually before doing it for real at much greater cost. Also perhaps worth investing in an accurate representation of whichever aircraft your learning in.    Report

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