Until then...
Nick... I had two 25hr sim courses in a Frasca 141. I would say it was hardest flying I ever did because you absolutely had to stay on top of "everything" or risk being all over the place. I remember days going there, "oh joy, joy... what fun we will have today..." because it was a lot of work - and I was really wore out by session's end. In terms of helping / hurting, I would say the exercises we had to do in that Frasca is what enabled me to be very precise when shooting actual instrument approaches. After I had passed my Commercial / Instrument Checkride, I wouldn't think twice about flying in 200 & a half weather. Total confidence. That is... it did not take long at all to build that confidence (putting those skills to work) in actual IMC.Nick M wrote:• Is the lack of physical sensation in the sim a help or an obstacle in IMC flight?
Oracle mentioned small changes. Half std rate turns, just a handful of degrees on the heading changes.Nick M wrote:I’m trying to analyse why my ILS approaches become unstable at this point. Obviously the needles are much more sensitive as I approach the localiser.
The VSI is going to tell you if you are going to depart from glidepath. Important to get the proper MP dialed in for the approach GS angle, so you have the right vertical speed / airspeed.
I think that would make a good thesis project (what do I know tho ) i.e. the effect of various types of flight controls wrt to learning instrument procedures in the sim.Nick M wrote:• Have any of you found switching to a yoke significantly improves your instrument flying?
I currently use an X-65F (and like it for what it does) but hope in a year or two to purchase some of PFC's stuff like their Cirrus Saab Yoke. some1 posted at avsim he likes it.
I don't think so. The final course @ Purdue we used a C172RG with an HSI. As you noted, it greatly simplifies the scan / better SA. I am not aware of any downsides to an HSI.Nick M wrote:• Does using an HSI encourage bad habits including the ‘needle-chasing’?
I am not quite sure what you are asking about here. Of course, the Art. Horz. gives you pitch info, as does the Airspeed & VSI.Nick M wrote:In general though, I’d say my pitch control on the ILS is much worse than my lateral control. Partly this is because I struggle to have the aircraft perfectly trimmed without visual references. This leads me to a little thought/question for A2A:-
• Would it be technically feasible to introduce a ‘cheating’ trim indicator under one of the shift + number windows? By this I mean a graphical indicator of how much force the yoke is applying?
I think it essential to know what vertical speed you need for the glideslope. And then know what power setting is needed to maintain your chosen approach airspeed and vertical descent rate. Set power / pitch just as you begin to intercept, trim out for your descent rate, then those tiny adjustments as necessary. That is why those exercises can be so useful. You can take that experience right on over to working the approach.
Also, I would suggest calm conditions at first. Work the wind in later.
If you go to the FAA's Terminal Procedures - Basic Search page, download the "Legends & General Information" pdf. On the last page of that is a "Climbs / Descents Table" that you can use to determine descent rate based on groundspeed and descent angle.
Hope all this makes sense,
-Rob