First Solo Completed!!!

[Xyn_Air]

I finally stopped futzing around (that is, flying aircraft in FS9 more like a game than as a simulator) and buckled down to work my way through the flying lessons provided.  Because I wanted to take this aspect of Flight Simulator seriously (someday, should I ever drag finances out of the cellar, I would love to really take flight lessons, so no reason I can't develop a proper attitude now with what I have), the progress has been slow going.  I took the time to often do the same lessons over and over to really understand what was being taught.  I think the hardest part was changing my thinking about using the elevators and the throttle control (I wanted to use the elevators to control my pitch and altitude and the throttle to control my airspeed . . . of course, if you are trying to maintain a specific angle of attack, you can no longer use the elevators to control altitude, and so it becomes necessary to use the throttle to control altitude . . . but, you already knew all this and I digress  :-[ ).

Anyway, I finally worked my way through the lessons for Student Pilot and completed my first solo flight!  Yay!  I know it perhaps seems a bit trivial, but I am glad I have started down the path of actually learning the real skills behind flying and using FS as a simulator and not just a game.  Still a long road ahead, but I feel so ridiculously proud right now!

Anyone else progressing through the flying lessons?  Anyone complete all of the flying lessons?

[Sir_Crashalot]

Yeah I took most of them. That is until I found the joy of flying a 737 inverted under a bridge and thought to myself; Fudge those lessons, this is more fun........

Crash (flying any which way possible)

[Xyn_Air]

Yeah I took most of them. That is until I found the joy of flying a 737 inverted under a bridge and thought to myself; Fudge those lessons, this is more fun........

Crash (flying any which way possible)

Well, that certainly explains the name . . .  :o

How far did you get on the lessons?

[aussiewannabe]

[quote]I finally stopped futzing around (that is, flying aircraft in FS9 more like a game than as a simulator) and buckled down to work my way through the flying lessons provided.

[TSC.]

I know it perhaps seems a bit trivial

Not trivial at all Xyn_Air, completing your first solo is a major step. Congratulations to you on your achievement, now you can look forward to buzzing about in a 172 until you get things really nailed.

Still a long road ahead, but I feel so ridiculously proud right now!

I think it's pretty normal to feel proud, just remember - you may not be flying for real, but the challenges you can face in the sim can be pretty realistic.

A lot of what you will need to learn is exactly the same as in real life, the principles of flight & navigation are all there in the sim for you to discover - & it's a h3ll of a journey.

[Sir_Crashalot]

Yeah I took most of them. That is until I found the joy of flying a 737 inverted under a bridge and thought to myself; Fudge those lessons, this is more fun........

Crash (flying any which way possible)

Well, that certainly explains the name . . .

[Zaphod]

... The rest of my flying experience is some sort of trial and error......

Crash

Welcome to a new Budget Airline

Trial and Error Airways

Sign me up!

Congratulations Xyn_Air.

Zaphod

[JBaymore]

Xyn_air,

Congratulations.  I understand the feeling.  :)  It may be "virtual".,..... but it is still an accomplishment.

It likely puts you ahead of a LOT of the members of this forum.  ;)

best,

...................john

[Ben R]

you know..i have alot of time on my hands these summer hols..so i think ill give em a go..=D

[Zaphod]

you know..i have alot of time on my hands these summer hols..so i think ill give em a go..=D

Yep..Me too.
I may give it a go. About time I learned to do it properly instead of being a hazard to all other aircraft

[Formula_1]

Congratulations!

I have never done the lessons in FS9. I think I did all of them in FS2000 (the first pc cd-rom game I ever got).
While I fully understand things in FS9, I might give the lessons a shot just for the fun of it.

How long did it take you to complete them? I know you said you did some more than once, but a rough guess of the hours spent is fine.

Good luck with lessons in the real world. Knowing the systems and everything you learn in FS will help you. I remember my instructor asking if I had ever flown a plane before. He told me to level out at 2000 feet and I began to do so at around 1900. He said everyone always waits until they reach 2000 before they begin to level and overshoots the mark. At the time I had not ever seen a flight sim (it was 1984), but had flown R/C planes for years. I can only imagine FS is even better at preparing one for real flight. Plus you are mastering things that I didn't know much about, such as VOR's, etc.

[Nav]

Congratulations, Xyn-Air - and well done for using the early lessons, some of us 'old hands' have lost count of the number of times we've recommended that to people who post 'How Do I Fly?' type threads.

Unfortunately the later lessons aren't quite as useful - on things like navigation, ILS, etc. you'll probably get more help quicker from the various tutes in the Download section or the FAQs above. So I'd suggest that you get selective - any problem that you have that won't come right, try the appropriate lesson; if that doesn't help, look for tutes; if you're still in trouble, ask on here.

I'd also advise not bothering with the 'Check-Rides' - they're infuriating, almost impossible to pass, much more difficult even than the real thing!

Exceptions are things like 'Complex Aircraft Checkout' and 'Jet Checkout' - you may not finish the lessons at first, the instructor has a habit of saying, "Since this isn't working out very well......' and ending the trip! - but it's a good way of learning the basics about twins, jets, etc. and getting a bit of a hold on the different procedures.

[microlight]

Congrats! The next big test will come when you try to land one of the passenger jets by hand rather than relying in the ILS! Have the bicycle clips handy.

[Xyn_Air]

First off, thank you everyone for your congratulations and encouragement.  It's nice to share an interest and hobby with so many positive and enthusiastic people!

TSC mentioned a 'trial flight', and I wonder if that meant a 'real' flight where a pilot takes you up and lets you put your hands on the controls for a bit.  If such is the case, I did have the opportunity to do just that once when I was in high school.  Some of the best 5-10 minutes of my life ever (and I stayed within 50 feet of my target altitude!).

As for further flight opportunities, I may have that as well.  My father's long-time friend owns and operates a Cessna 170 (did I mention this already? mind must be slipping . . .).  When then go on flights together, my father's friend teaches my father different piloting skills and lets my father fly the plane quite a bit.  My father said that his friend would be more than willing to talk to me about flying.  Big challenge there is distance.  I live in Japan for another year, and then when I move back to the States, I will be living in North Dakota while my father and his friend live in south-eastern Washington (only two hops for a 170!).  Still . . . a great dream . . .
and maybe an occasional possibility.

I'm rambling.  Where was I?

How long did it take you to complete them? I know you said you did some more than once, but a rough guess of the hours spent is fine.

Well, I probably took about an hour or so for each lesson.  Maybe two hours if there was a lot to read.  Actually, it was the reading that took the most time.  I am not a fast reader.  I understand what I read easily enough, I just read slowly . . . at my own pace if you will.  That, and I often re-read the same thing over and over again until I can remember the details easily.  So, I maybe spent an hour reading and 15 - 20 minutes flying.  I flew each lesson at least twice.  And, I spaced the lessons out over a couple of weeks.  I didn't let so much time go between lessons that I forgot what I was learning, but I wasn't rushing through them either.  Of course, the first set of lessons are the easiest, so I have no idea how long the next set will take.

When I get done with those, I am sure I will be crowing about that, too!  ;D

[TSC.]

TSC mentioned a 'trial flight', and I wonder if that meant a 'real' flight where a pilot takes you up and lets you put your hands on the controls for a bit.

Aye, thats the one. Good to hear you've got wonderful memories of already doing it - you should do it again!  :)

Cheers,

TSC.