Why Flight Simulator Can Be Terrible for Training

Hey Guys! Today I go over some of the reasons why I believe flight simulators can hurt or hinder your aviation journey. In this video, I also discuss how a flight simulator can benefit you. I want to make it clear to you guys that there are great ways to use a simulator and negative. We need to make sure we are using flight simulators correctly from the start in order to have the best chance of becoming an excellent pilot. I hope this video helped and inspired you!

[@JB_Hobbies]

Before I started my PPL, I had decades and hundreds of hours of flight sim time, and I really don’t think it was at all detrimental to my flight training. It was way more helpful than any potential muscle memory issues. Now, for me-and I’m a big sim guy, not just flight sim, so I am used to doing twitchy joystick movements-some of that muscle memory stuff did manifest itself during my landings. I freaked out several instructors with my 1,000 adjustments per second on the elevator, but you know what, they all said that I had some of the smoothest landings of any student they ever flew with. Just that the visuals on the yoke we’re alarming. (Whoops). Either way, I had to stop doing that before meeting the DPE-they figured he would be less understanding. And, one major positive of flight sim is that almost no student pilot has ever flown rudder pedals before except for maybe in a flight sim. I struggled big time in gusty crosswinds when I first started because rudder pedals were completely foreign to me. I would get blown across the runway once I got into ground effect. After struggling with that for a little bit, I eventually got myself some rudder pedals for my sims, and that cleaned up my crosswind landings in no time. But yes, after flying for a while, you do realize that flight sim can’t be relied on for the flight model, but it’s great for procedures, which doesn’t just include what we call “procedures”, but also good for practicing what you should be doing in the pattern, practicing the run up, setting up for maneuvers, etc. It’s also great for exploring dangerous flight scenarios in a safe environment to get a sense for what the warning signs might be in real life. Lets you get in the cockpit even when the weather is bad. Before starting flight training, you really have no idea just how useful a flight sim is. It’s truly incredible.

[@nice2care]

Totally disagree. Practicing on my home flight sim saved me a lot of hours when I working towards my private licence. The experience is really not far from the real thing especially when using a VR headset. Try it, I am sure you will change your mind.

[@ahetzel9054]

I started using a sim before starting my flight training and i definitely had some bad habits. Mostly with not looking outside of the plane and just trying to fly based on my instruments because its how i flew in the sim. I thought that if i learned how to fly using my glass cockpit i would be so much better than other people but my instructor showed me how much I kept getting behind the plane instead of infront of it. I was slow to react due to waiting for information from my gauges. I was reactive instead of proactive. It was really incredible to see how i was training improperly but now i do a flight and take what i learn to the simulator to practice those same manuevers in the way my instructor teaches. I think the simulator is great but only if used properly

[@rickbii63]

If your flight sim locks up and your plane doesn't your screwed.

[@mustbescud]

Any tips on practicing ATC communication, and just getting use to the language? It's probably the thing i'm nervous about the most.

[@AwestrikeFearofGods]

Fly as a virtual pilot on VATSIM. If you're nervous about that too, go through the written-test training process for virtual ATC on VATSIM. It takes a bit of study, but will help you understand that ATC is nothing to fear. However, accidental rule-breaking can still get you into trouble, when you don't have an emergency.

[@jeffreymartin2010]

I like the early 80s PBS look.

[@alphahrd19]

Great vid brotha..Big Up..as a commercial pilot myself I try to tell people the same thing, so it nice to have a back up,,,lol......I tell them the sim can give you a false sense of feel an that nothing will replace that actual 3D world when you are actually flying IN the aircraft, but the sim is a great TOOL, but not a replacement.

[@kenbjackson]

Thanks for sharing Michael. I used both major flight simulators while working toward getting my SEL certificate. I found it to be very useful in understanding many aspects of flying. I never thought of or tried to transfer my flight sim learning to real life flyng. Never had a problem but I can see how someone might have issues with confusing the two different environments. My CFII used flight sims as well. Good discussion.

[@niinjoosum]

I flew both the X-Plane and MS Flight sim the old one. Both were very sensitive to user input. Thought me how to better manage input and be gentle with controls. With that said I used MS Flight Sim to familiarize myself if I was flying somewhere I had not been before. The land marks were pretty accurate. I used X-Plane because their x-plane was more exact. It helped before familiar with over 3 dozen planes I have flown. All after I could my private. But I can tell you that I have seen some kids who are amazing and ahead of the curve using flight sims. The part that is always missing is the feed back from flying but I don't use them for that, thats what real planes are for LOL. My 2 cents.

[@MichaelCarterShow]

Flight sims are most def. a great tool to sharpen your skills in real time. Even the actual in school model sims are great too. Thx for sharing. See ya on the next one. Enjoy your weekend. #salute my gud brotha!!!!!

[@terrellb5717]

I will definitely agree with you on that one. I started on my pilot training before going out and buying my flight sim components cuz I wanted to keep my learning on the controls and my gauges. Like you said, procedural.

[@topofthegreen]

You can't train with a toy, its a video game that's not even realistic.