First flight in C172

[Oracle427]

Sorry it was starting on page 92, not sure how I got 78.

[Oracle427]

Good luck in your training Roddy!

[Roddy]

Well, I am finally flying in the Cessna and there is one problem that I just can't figure out. As I watch tutorials, I see the pilot scanning all over the place, zooming in and out with relative ease, and I don't see how to do that. Do I need to have some sort of a different joy stick or something to control the views better.

[Oracle427]

Can you provide a link to the video? I use TrackIR which is a head mounted eyepoint tool that allows you 6 degrees of freedom. http://www.naturalpoint.com

It is as close as I can make my sim to flying in the real world and I feel naked without it.

There are other software packages out there, but I have no experience with them.

Zooming in the active window is set by default using the + and - keys next to backspace. Panning the eyepoint can usually be accomplished with the joystick trackhat. I believe that the mouse can also be used to pan the eyepoint by clicking on the scrollwheel in the active view. However, I'm not experienced with the keyboard controls for eyepoint management.

One last thing I should mention. Many instructors aren't too fond of their pre-solo students trying to fly sims and the real airplanes at the same time. Have you discussed this with the instructor? The A2A sims are very realistic, don't get me wrong, but I would hate to hear that it is hindering instead of helping you early on in your training. My instructor encouraged my use of the sim, but only after the solo phase, and he also grew up using flight sims like me.

[Roddy]

I use TrackIR which is a head mounted eyepoint tool that allows you 6 degrees of freedom. http://www.naturalpoint.com

Wow! I think you are pointing to the thing I need for realism. Thanks. As for telling my flight instructor about the simulator, I have done that and they haven't really commented on it one way or another. I have about 5 hours of flight time so far. I'm already beginning to land better because of the sense of angle and the combination or ailerons and rudder. Today we did slow speed and power stalls and although they were absolutely exciting because of the feel, I had already experienced the aircraft response and was not too flustered. I recognize that there are things different about the sim, and I may put it on the back burner if it seems to be contrary to the real thing, but right now it really seems to be speeding up my acclimation to flight.

[Killratio]

Back in the early 1600's when I learned to fly ( ) , the instructor threatened to break my fingers if I continued using the Flight Sim whilst he was training me. Funny thing they found, back then, was that flight sim pilots had NO difficulty learning to flying straight and level (something which is a big challenge for many trainees..) but invariably took much longer to learn how to land properly.

FWIW.