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Flight-Simulator Enthusiasts Confident of Real-World Skills (wsj.com)
Two anonymous readers share a report: When the ground-services employee who stole a turboprop airliner last week declined air-traffic controllers' piloting advice, saying he had played videogames, it was no surprise to some devotees of intricate home flight-simulation programs [Editor's note: the link may be paywalled; an alternative source wasn't immediately available.]. Such software can mimic many phases of aircraft operations, including takeoffs, as well as how to respond to heavy weather and emergencies, pilots and software makers say. The simulators are also more affordable than pursuing a pilot's license and can help satisfy a lifelong obsession with flying.
Last year, two million units of vehicle-simulation games for PCs and consoles were sold world-wide, the most common being flight simulators, according to the market-research firm NPD Group. Home programs have evolved over more than three decades. They can represent all types of aircraft, from wartime bombers to modern-day passenger airliners. A setup can cost a few dozen dollars for a videogame to thousands for software with intricate renderings of cockpits and real-world environments. A new conference called FlightSimExpo held in Las Vegas in June drew around 1,100 people, its organizers said. FlightSimCon held its sixth annual gathering in Dallas in June, according to its website. Many hobbyists say they don't think of simulators in the same vein as traditional videogames, because they aren't trying to rack up points or compete. They simply focus on flying.
Last year, two million units of vehicle-simulation games for PCs and consoles were sold world-wide, the most common being flight simulators, according to the market-research firm NPD Group. Home programs have evolved over more than three decades. They can represent all types of aircraft, from wartime bombers to modern-day passenger airliners. A setup can cost a few dozen dollars for a videogame to thousands for software with intricate renderings of cockpits and real-world environments. A new conference called FlightSimExpo held in Las Vegas in June drew around 1,100 people, its organizers said. FlightSimCon held its sixth annual gathering in Dallas in June, according to its website. Many hobbyists say they don't think of simulators in the same vein as traditional videogames, because they aren't trying to rack up points or compete. They simply focus on flying.
This isn't exactly true. The average person uses "video game" to describe flight simulator software all the time. The FAA permits the use of flight sims for pilot training. That means X-Plane, where you can get the non-FAA certified version, fully tricked out, for under $2,000 -- including the beefed up PC But, you can START for just $60 -- and there isn't much real difference.
The FAA Certified version is mostly a USB dongle that enforces frame rate control and a bunch of settings. You can do all that manually on the $60 version.
https://www.x-plane.com/pro/
Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
Yes, (some) real pilots train in simulators. The article however is about video games - which are to those simulators like a skateboard is to a F1 racer. Still useful for some things, but not even remotely the same thing.
I trained using a video game, as a private pilot going for my IFR rating. So Yes, real pilots train in video games, I did. I will note that my "procedure training" was NOT logged as simulator time in my log book, but I used it as a study aid. I punched up my local airport and setup to fly the various approaches as a learning tool. I flew every approach I could in the possible exam area as preparation for the check ride too. This repetition fixed the process, frequencies to tune, headings to fly in my head. It was of great help to be familiar with all possible approaches the examiner could ask me to fly.
I also did a lot of partial panel flying in the video game, though I found that to be much less valuable w/o having the motion. It was helpful for compass only flying, where the DG and artificial horizon was out of service, but I found partial panel flying proficiency really required air time.
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
All of this means that skills acquired in a flight sim are supposed to translate to skills in actual aircraft, that is the point.
Except that it doesn't really do that. I hold a pilot license, a PPL. I also have an elaborate FSX setup with pretty much all the gear Saitek sells, including 9 of the little LCD screens. Yes, it's fun to "fly" a 737 in the Alps in the fog. Yes, it's fun to position a fighter jet at 60,000ft and see it tumble until the "air" is dense enough to create some lift.
But nothing on a consumer grade flight sim will provide you with any skill. I once had to land with a pretty decent crosswind in a 172. About 6 months after earning my license. Me and the pregnant misses on board. No FSX will be able to recreate the stress-induced focus that I needed to put that plane down safely. Just me, one hand on the throttle, one hand on the yoke, two feet on the pedals, and the runway in front of me.
The one and only exception to that would be that the sim helped me with my ground school. Ground school you say? Yes: especially navigation. Have your wife, bf, gf or friend position your plane in a random position in the country at 5000ft, and try to determine your position using ADF or VOR/DME. It really helps you understand those navaids.
To me, FSX/X-Plane is just for fun.
I'm not a complete idiot... Some parts are missing.
At best you might argue that there is some training in maneuvers and teamwork,
The US Army evaluated first-person shooter games for any real-life skills they might teach, as part of making their own game. They found that the only useful skill learned was to be mindful of ammo remaining, and reload as soon as practical.
The America's Army game was designed to emphasize teamwork and communication, hoping that could be helped as well. You do see that in normal games as well, but it's pretty rare. Competitive play in CS was all about teamwork and communication, as least when I used to follow it, but competitive CS play looks nothing like normal CS play. Even in those two, though, they miss just how hard it is for the human voice to be heard over gunshots.
Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
When I decided to become a commercial helicopter pilot, I first spent a few months reading books and practicing in Microsoft flight simulator and X-plane. ...it was an effortless transition. In fact, flying a helicopter IRL is way easier because you can rely more on proprioception.
On my first day of flight school, the instructor gave me the controls and I could fly. End of story.
I never went through the rodeo
The flight school thought I was an undercover FAA inspector doing a safety audit.
And this is not wanton self aggrandizement- anyone can do this...its how I started teaching MY students, and it works like a charm...its also dirt cheap.
I'm also a private pilot. Flight simulators these days are remarkably accurate and have the "feel" of flying. I'm not talking about flying a 737 through the Alps in the fog--just basic VFR flying. It is insanely easy to get an airplane off the ground and a flight simulator does a good job of teaching you how to do it.
It's the landing that is tough.
How about a moderation of -1 pedantic.
Any suicidal landing you can't walk away from is a good one.
Ezekiel 23:20