where to learn everything you need to know to fly

[newairpilot]

hi. im new to fs2004 and can fly a plane and land but only in the 'solo lesson' with the instructor helping me. do you learn everything you need by taking all of the lessons? or are there other ways,like on the net.

also,i have downloaded a RAF Tornado, and was doing a straight flight to an air port. the route it said would take one minute, but the thing was i had no way of navigating to the runways,as i was swaying of course abit,and even if i did happen to be near the runway,there was nothing telling me that i was coming up to it.

in short i had nothing telling me where to go.

please help.

thanks.

[exnihilo]

Just be patient and gradually pick up everything you need to know.  If you sequentially went through the lessons, you would eventually learn everything you need, but you don't have to do it that way; I didn't.

For navigation, nothing beats the GPS.  There's help on the GPS in FS2004.  If you're not using a GPS, you have to use VOR navigation, which is certainly very doable, but trickier and more of a challenge.  You should probably start off by flying aircraft equipped with a GPS and get used to that, then move into VOR navigation after that.  The C172 used in the training is GPS equipped; to bring it up, just enter "shift 2" (or "shift 3", "shift 4"; I don't remember which).  You should definitely read through the GPS information section and get trained on using it before trying to fly with it though.  After learning the basic navigation skills in using the GPS, I'd move on to instrument flying.  There is lots of information/training in the game for this as well.

[ozzy72]

GPS on most of the default planes is "Shift+3", but a lot of downloaded planes have it on different keys.  (the Vought Corsair has it as "Shift+9", and my Howard 500 doesn't have a key for it, it's built into the dashboard!)

The lessons are some help.  If it weren't for those, I'd probably still be stuck on the ground.  The lessons are a big help, but so is the rest of the in-game help content.  Read up, that stuff can prove quite useful.  Of course, lessons and reading material can only do so much.  The only way to truly master the game is to simply fly around.  I've learned quite a few tricks just blasting around in my freeware P-38.  I'll probably learn a lot more as I attempt a round-the-world flight in a B-29 bomber!

And if all else fails, do as you have just done.  Ask away on forums!  We're always willing to help!

[Carlo]

Start small. Take some of the lessons in FS2004 (not all of them, that useless). Practice and you will be as nuts as the rest of us here very soon.

Crash

***Off to take my weekly injection of tranquilizers***

[beaky]

I find the FS lessons impossible, and that's coming from a real-life Private Pilot (I know, woopdee-doo). They're not difficult so much as irrational... the virtual instructors seem to be out of their minds.
Worth checking out to see what exercises there are, then trying them on your own, though.
I'd recommend getting a real-life pilot training book, and using that as your guide. The syllabus I learned on was from Jeppeson, but there are many out there.
For general theory, the best book I can recommend would be  Stick and Rudder by Wolfgang Langewiesche; it's considered the 'Bible of flying' by many pilots, myself included.
And to add my cranky two cents' worth about navigation: GPS is very cool, and in FS it won't fail unless you want it to, but to understand navigation, you need to learn how to use only a map, a clock, and the compass.  ;D

[ozzy72]

I'd say you've come to the right place to learn everything you need to know to fly

[JBaymore]

newairpilot,

First of all... welcome to SimV.

[wji]

" . . . do you learn everything you need by taking all of the lessons? " As other here have said, these can be drag and turn you off flying FS9 all together.

Set goals: what do you want the aircraft to do and where do you want to go today?

Ask your own questions (many seek answers who do not know the questions) then learn by doing and asking (preferably here at SimV)

Thanks for joining this forum.

[Nav]

Welcome, newairpilot.

As JBaymore says, no use running before you can walk. Take your time and go step by step. One of the great things about FS - the reason all of us become addicts - is that no-one EVER gets to the point where they know all about it

I would definitely say do the lessons up to the point where you can go solo with confidence; even repeat them. The lessons up to that point are very good.

From then on, though, you'll probably make more progress setting up flights of your own; from one airport to another. But keep them simple and short at first - and certainly leave that Tornado on the ground for a while!

Also, use the 'Learning Centre'. About planning a route, for example, just look up 'Flight Planner' in the Centre. Anything you forget, or unexpected problems, pause the flight and look it up in the centre, the answer is almost always there.

I would also recommend that you try the 'scenario' flights provided. Start with 'Hawaian Vacation', that's a straightforward trip round Oahu in good weather. As you gain experience you can try 'Aerial Chauffeur', a series of flights that move you on step by step from routine New England journeys to the frankly hair-raising. And once you've mastered GPS navigation and instrument landings you'll find 'European Airline Pilot' fun.

By all means come on and ask whenever you're stuck. One of us will always be able to help.  But try to keep it to one problem at a time (or say, a maximum of three per session )

[Souichiro]

One small tip of advice... Whe you ask something about flight here and how to do something.... Whatever Ozzy tells you..DON'T DO IT!!! as you'll probably end up inverted!!! If you want to know something about stunting then....Ozzy is ya man!!


Welcome to Madness

[ozzy72]

I have been spotted flying "wheels down" several times thank you very much. On both occassions the plane was on the ground