"It is impossible to navigate without a chart." :-? -- I disagree.
Of course, real-world airline jet pilots should have charts, even in times of GPS. But you're just about to begin you sim pilot career...
When it comes to teaching people something, I favor a principle that is similar to raising children. One day they'll earn money and feed themselves. But at the beginning, they cry, can't even crawl and suck their mothers' breasts. That's where you start. Don't worry about navigational charts. Trust me.
Follow Fozzer's advice and [glow=yellow,2,300]start with the Cessna 172[/glow]. A good airport to begin at would be in an area where you'd soon be able to get a feeling for orientation and by navigate the close vicinity by sight. Such an airport is Meigs Field (KCGX). For more than a decade, Meigs was Flight Simulator's default start airport, until its controversial closure in 2003. In FS2004, it's still alive in all its beauty.
Use slew mode (Y, F4) to get airborne, turn slew mode off (Y again) and carefully move your joystick to get a feeling for the aircraft. Try some loopings if you want, just to experience that the Cessna is
NOT an F-16!
You should begin with taxiing the C172 on the taxiway. Select
Clear skies in the weather options to turn of any winds that might distract you. All you need is the controls for rudders, throttle and brakes.
Familiarize yourself with the basic key commands!
Soon, taxiing will be no problem. Taxi to the runway and practice take-offs. You don't need the flaps to take off in the C172, but you can fully extend them before taking off (Shift+F8) to see how they increase lift.
Next step are [glow=yellow,2,300]traffic patterns around the airport[/glow]. Don't worry about air traffic control. One of the benefits of FS is that you can familiarize with the ATC procedures later. Look at the reference info on the kneeboard (press F10 six times). Memorize two speeds: the
stall speed (48 kts) and the
best rate-of-climb speed (74 kts).
Take off to the north (heading 360) and climb to, let's say, 2000 feet -- FL020 in aviation terms; (
FL for
flight level). Don't climb to steep. Do not fall below the stall speed! Try to climb the best rate-of-climb speed. Because aircraft usually take-off towards the wind (which increases their speed in the air, and therefore the all-important lift), this part of the traffic pattern is called
upwind leg.
When you reach FL020, level the aircraft and turn right. Fly east (heading 090) for a minute. This is the
crosswind leg.
Then, turn south (heading 180). Try to maintain FL020, and try to maintain a given airspeed, say 120 knots. Look to the right to see the airport pass by. Know where you are! Remember that aircraft take off towards the wind? Now you're moving in the opposite direction, therefore, this leg is called the
downwind leg.
When you have left Meigs behind you, turn to the west, heading 270. Lower your flaps (F8), they will slightly increase lift, but also increase drag, which helps you to slow down for the landing. Look to your right and see how your plane is lining up with the runway. This is the
base leg.
Shortly
before the plane lines up with the runway, turn right again, towards the runway. Now you're on
final. Cut throttle and fully extend your flaps (Shift+F8) to reduce your airspeed. Try to approach the runway with 65 kts. The C172 has a fixed gear, which is good for beginners: you can't forget t extend it.
Your first approach probably won't be perfect. That's OK. Don't
hunt the runway madly. Stay calm. When you see that you won't make it safely to the ground, apply
full throttle and climb. This is a
go-around, a perfectly legitimate procedure. Return to FL020 and fly the pattern again.
When you successfully managed to land, you don't have to come to a full stop. Instead, you can also apply full throttle and take-off again. This is called
touch-and-go, also a perfectly legitimate procedure.
So... still worried about navigational charts?
You won't learn to fly in one day. But each day, you'll get better... It simply takes patience... and practice, practice, practice... And don't hesitate to ask questions! As you can see, some of us are quite talkative...
So long... Good luck, mate!
by Dan Morera » Thu May 17, 2007 1:01 pm 
Excellent post :)