Did anyone else learn without a sim?

[seeyalaterbye]

I learned my orientations. forward, inverted and backward flight without a sim. I bought phoenix when I started 3d flight. I think I may have used it 10 times in a few months. I guess I'm more of a hands on kinda guy. I can't stay focused with a sim.

Tj

[rdlohr]

I don't often try new things even on my mCPX until I have mastered them on the sim.
Personal preference.

Rick

[Nubb]

Originally Posted by bravedave

Saying you learned to fly without a sim is like saying you can steer a car using your feet. Sure it can be done, but is it the best way?
Pilots (real ones) learn stuff on sims.

So I'm not a "real pilot" because I never learned using a sim...on the COMPUTER?



Great logic.

[755 robert]

Originally Posted by Nubb

So I'm not a "real pilot" because I never learned using a sim...on the COMPUTER?



Great logic.

Yup,those of us who don't use a sim are only qualified for a certain class of heli..

[Slyster]

Originally Posted by Nubb

So I'm not a "real pilot" because I never learned using a sim...on the COMPUTER? Great logic.

You are a real pilot? As in a real heli?

[Azalin]

I start to use sim after a year, after countless crashes.

Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515m using Tapatalk 2

[snjbird]

Originally Posted by bravedave

Saying you learned to fly without a sim is like saying you can steer a car using your feet. Sure it can be done, but is it the best way?
Pilots (real ones) learn stuff on sims. In fact some sim time counts as "flying" in your log book.
Oh, and Formula One racing car drivers would like to hear from the experts on here who dont need a sim. Someone needs to tell the team managers the millions they spend on sims for their drivers is wasted.
The classic line I read on here is that "only noobs have a use for a sim".
Are these people for real??If you dont like sims thats your affair, but you are very much in the minority I reckon. Top pilots would all use sims. Nuff said...

Being a "real pilot" I take offense to this statement... I can assure you in the PPL stage of flight training there is little to no Sim use... Airline/Military pilots spend a fair amount of time doing sim checks, and recurrence training in them, but those sims are multi million dollar full motion beasts, that still save the company/government money because of fuel cost, hardly a fair comparison to Phoenix, eh?

It has been many years since I went through the PPL program but if memory serves me, most of the sim flying was for Instrument flight rating. I am sure that there are many multitudes of Private pilots out there, that have never flown a simulator at all!

I grew up with a Warbird in the family, so we were doing all the basic WWII aerobatic maneuvers well before we ever saw the inside of a sim...

As I have said in this thread many times the sim is an awesome tool. And I will make this statement too, "Flying RC is more challenging than flying full scale", it may be cheaper, but it is harder to wrap your head around! Adding this to the equation, increases the merit of a sim...

I know this, I have been flying RC since 2007, and each month since about mid 2010 I use the sim less and less. I could not tell you how many hours I have flying the sim, Thousands to be sure. But getting out to the field and doing 2 crappy weakside hurricanes, is worth 1 straight hour of practicing them on the sim!

[fourbie]

Me, entirely self taught - no sim (pre sim days!lol). Got the bird in the air but could never land it so it crashed........over and over. After years of this I got help which was more about confidence boosting as I had come into heli flying later in life...........we all know how youngsters have no fear right! Right!

One thing I did which might help a newbie, and you'll laff at this, is gradually cut the trainer sticks down a half inch at a time until they were too short to put on the skids.

It has been THE most difficult thing I have ever learned to do!!

[AcidDrink]

Originally Posted by snjbird

I know this, I have been flying RC since 2007, and each month since about mid 2010 I use the sim less and less. I could not tell you how many hours I have flying the sim, Thousands to be sure. But getting out to the field and doing 2 crappy weakside hurricanes, is worth 1 straight hour of practicing them on the sim!

You are at different level of flying snjbird, and you've put your hours in. You don't have to plan bail out moves, think how to move sticks etc.

For someone who is just starting/intermediate level (ie. getting proficient with all basic orientations, something which most of the pilots never learn) not using a simulator is just silly, unless you have buddy box instructor all the time. At best it will slow down the person progress to a crawl and make flying much less enjoyable due to frequent crashes.

[jakalope]

I often see people posting about how they are spending 1000's of dollars on helis and parts. Folks talking about how this is such an expensive hobby. Excluding the 700 I built recently, I’ve probably spent less than 200.00 this year (not a lot for a “grown up” hobby). I do sim quite a bit, and I fly about twice a week. I have had at least 4 or 5 near crashes this year, including a pretty sweet (and lucky) auto after tapping the tail blades on concrete doing tic tocs down low, that I would have NEVER saved. I didn’t have to even think. My hands went on autopilot and the bird was righted and saved. This is only because I have done it on the sim so many times. I know people like to spend money on bling and other fun stuff (me too, when I have the money to spend), but if you are spending $100s on crashing and not using a decent simulator, you are really wasting money and time.

[fourbie]

Originally Posted by jakalope

if you are spending $100s on crashing and not using a decent simulator, you are really wasting money and time. [/FONT][/COLOR]

All this talk of simulators begs the question........which do you use. I have a Phoenix sim.

[755 robert]

Originally Posted by fourbie

All this talk of simulators begs the question........which do you use. I have a Phoenix sim.

MCPX...

[drummer5140]

When i first got into helis back in 93 i had no sim. I belive dave brown had one put out a sim but from what i understand was not great. But we have to remember back in 93 computers were very slow and $$$

[jakalope]

Originally Posted by fourbie

All this talk of simulators begs the question........which do you use. I have a Phoenix sim.

Phoenix.

[tkranz]

I spent more than a year without a Sim perfecting solid hover and not much more. With a Sim after that I really learned basic sport flying in four months. Sure is faster progress with the sim for me.

[bravedave]

Sigh, speaking of logic..... I meant 'real pilots' as in "Pilots flying full size aircraft that people actually fly IN."

Originally Posted by Nubb

So I'm not a "real pilot" because I never learned using a sim...on the COMPUTER?



Great logic.

[fourbie]

Originally Posted by bravedave

Sigh, speaking of logic..... I meant 'real pilots' as in "Pilots flying full size aircraft that people actually fly IN."

"Real" helicopters are so much easier to fly than RC ones!

My first sim was an open freebie off the net years ago - can't remember the name but in those days it was a real treat.

[jcmors]

I use Phoenix, I like the free upgrades to the next major versions! Physics wise I think Phoenix and RealFlight are pretty close.

I was using HeliSim too and for a free sim it seems to be pretty good.

For me, a sim makes a difference in being able to practice. I also like being able to "fly" on really bad weather days too.

Jim

[fourbie]

Originally Posted by jcmors

I also like being able to "fly" on really bad weather days too.

Jim

Yeah, ain't that the truth.......stick time!

[Sambuka]

Originally Posted by jcmors

I use Phoenix, I like the free upgrades to the next major versions! Physics wise I think Phoenix and RealFlight are pretty close.

I was using HeliSim too and for a free sim it seems to be pretty good.

For me, a sim makes a difference in being able to practice. I also like being able to "fly" on really bad weather days too.

Jim

Yep Phoenix easily vests real flight. Real flight charges extra for more models too you only get crap ones and to setup your own transmitter is a nightmare. My RF wouldn't reset after a crash with space bar not sure why, wasn't at all happy and it flew much the same as Phoenix. Phoenix easy setup, lots of models flys nice