Something that's been frustrating me...

[spitfire boy]

Here's the thing; despite my love for Flight Simulation, I'm not actually very good at flying in-sim. Most of my flying comprises taking a random aircraft, placing it at a random airport, taking off and then simply going absolutely bananas with the joystick.

I would like to start flying proper - long-ish haul flights in airliners seems a sensible way to go. But therein lies a problem. I've never been able to get to grips with the flight director switch. Could someone please explain how I'd get a typical airliner in FS to follow a course automatically, rather than lining the plane up manually on the little pink line on the gps and then selecting the 'wing level' switch?

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

[ozzy72]

Just adjust the trim until you've got everything the way you want it and then hit the AP (auto-pilot) button

[C]

Here's the thing; despite my love for Flight Simulation, I'm not actually very good at flying in-sim. Most of my flying comprises taking a random aircraft, placing it at a random airport, taking off and then simply going absolutely bananas with the joystick.

That's the joy of FS!

I would like to start flying proper - long-ish haul flights in airliners seems a sensible way to go. But therein lies a problem. I've never been able to get to grips with the flight director switch. Could someone please explain how I'd get a typical airliner in FS to follow a course automatically, rather than lining the plane up manually on the little pink line on the gps and then selecting the 'wing level' switch?

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

You're best bet are probably the tutorials, purely as each aircraft will have differing FDs and Autopilot systems.

[Mictheslik]

And remember.....learn the basics of AP flight in the cessnas....dont jump straight to a 747

.mic

[spitfire boy]

I am in the process of doing the tutorials; still a way to go though.

Thanks for the help guys... guess I need a bit more patience.

Well can you blame me, I'm 14 for crying out loud, no-one ever heard of a 14-year-old with even a modicombe of patience - or common sense for that matter....

[Brett_Henderson]

[quote]And remember.....learn the basics of AP flight in the cessnas....dont jump straight to a 747

[spitfire boy]

[quote][quote]And remember.....learn the basics of AP flight in the cessnas....dont jump straight to a 747

[Brett_Henderson]

Well that was comprehensive...

Thanks very much Brett; at this point I've accomplished most of the first paragraph under the second quote; still a way to go. But that's good.

Thanks again!!  

EXCELLENT !  :)   and, you're welcome...

When you have questions, or need advice, or just wanna report your progress..
we'll be here  :D

[beaky]

Dang, Brett... the FAA should give you some kind of award for getting a 14-yr-old to stop fidgeting long enough to learn some basics...

"for auspicious conduct above and beyond the call of duty of a CFI..."



BTW, spit- just to toss in my two cents: Brett is right, and I'll add that if you stick with short hops at first, with only one or two new tasks for each flight, it's not so boring, even in a little "putt putt" airplane.

Once you unlock the secrets of basic maneuvers and navigation, you'll find it very satisfying, and you'll also find it easier to move up to more challenging "missions" in more complex aircraft.

[spitfire boy]

Dang, Brett... the FAA should give you some kind of award for getting a 14-yr-old to stop fidgeting long enough to learn some basics...

BTW, spit- just to toss in my two cents: Brett is right, and I'll add that if you stick with short hops at first, with only one or two new tasks for each flight, it's not so boring, even in a little "putt putt" airplane.

Once you unlock the secrets of basic maneuvers and navigation, you'll find it very satisfying, and you'll also find it easier to move up to more challenging "missions" in more complex aircraft.

Righto, sir...

I'm off to go fly a pattern in an itty-bitty cessna.... toodle-oo!!

Boy, am I in a strange mood tonight....

[TSC.]

no-one ever heard of a 14-year-old with even a modicombe of patience

& yet you still feel the need to sit in a computer guided bus staring at ocean or ground thats so far away it all looks the same? & how long are you expecting these long hauls to last? 4 hours? 6 hours?

Sounds boring already.

Take some notes from Brett & Sean, stick to the GA's, get some proper charts, & invent your own short hop trips using some radio nav-aids & great big dose of VFR - you'll stay interested much longer.

Cheers,

TSC.

[spitfire boy]

no-one ever heard of a 14-year-old with even a modicombe of patience

& yet you still feel the need to sit in a computer guided bus staring at ocean or ground thats so far away it all looks the same? & how long are you expecting these long hauls to last? 4 hours? 6 hours?

I guess I just wanted to learn the technicalities of it. That sort of thing I find very interesting.

If you're recommending I stick to the GA, are there any GA downloads in particular you'd recommend?

[TSC.]

If you're recommending I stick to the GA, are there any GA downloads in particular you'd recommend?

I think you'd learn more & understand more sticking with GA rather than ploughing headlong into buses. Personally I find it very rewarding to complete a flight using the basic nav-aids & VFR.

Unfortunately the HD on my FS comp has gone belly up this morning so am a bit lost as to what freeware bits to recommend, I'm pretty much stuck on payware now, but I use a couple of Carenado's Cessna's & Holger Sandmann's Misty Fjords & Tongass Fjords (plus his freeware Glacier Bay V2) - I've also added FSaddon's Freight Dogs to give me somethings to aim for when I can't decide on my own flights.

I use Skyvector to provide the charts I need so that I can take in some proper VFR flying & try my hand at navigating with the charts.

Sorry I can't be of much help with the freeware stuff, it's not really something I use anymore - although I know Fozz uses lots of freeware GA & I'm sure he could point you in the direction of some great free downloads.

Cheers,

TSC.

[spitfire boy]

If you're recommending I stick to the GA, are there any GA downloads in particular you'd recommend?

I think you'd learn more & understand more sticking with GA rather than ploughing headlong into buses. Personally I find it very rewarding to complete a flight using the basic nav-aids & VFR.

Unfortunately the HD on my FS comp has gone belly up this morning so am a bit lost as to what freeware bits to recommend, I'm pretty much stuck on payware now, but I use a couple of Carenado's Cessna's & Holger Sandmann's Misty Fjords & Tongass Fjords (plus his freeware Glacier Bay V2) - I've also added FSaddon's Freight Dogs to give me somethings to aim for when I can't decide on my own flights.

I use Skyvector to provide the charts I need so that I can take in some proper VFR flying & try my hand at navigating with the charts.

Sorry I can't be of much help with the freeware stuff, it's not really something I use anymore - although I know Fozz uses lots of freeware GA & I'm sure he could point you in the direction of some great free downloads.

Cheers,

TSC.

Downloading the 'misty fjords' add-on as we speak; looking forward to it...

As for GA aircraft, I use the much-talked-about cessna 150 freeware package, and sometimes the also-much-talked-about King Air 300, see here

[Brett_Henderson]

HEY  >:(  ... when did sneak off and get you multi-engine and turbine ratings ?