Why Top Flight Schools Use Flight Simulators
Articleby Brett D Taylor
Anyone can drive a car, however it takes special training to be a commercial airline pilot. Pilots need first-hand knowledge and cutting edge practice techniques before taking an expensive aircraft into the sky. So this is why specialist flight schools utilize a variety of techniques to properly train potential pilots.
Of the many ways that flight schools instruct their students, using flight simulators is one of the most trusted and proven. These systems simulate the act of flying as realistically as possible. They can be as basic as a computer game or as complex as an actual cockpit ran by the most updated technology and software.
A flight school will have access to some of the best flight simulators out there. There are many flight simulation programs online that are available for download today. If you already have an interest in this subject then I have no doubts that you will be familiar with some of the more prominent ones. This software helps pilot trainees experience realistic flight without the dangers of piloting a real plane. They are more than just flight simulators though, they have 100′s of different types of aircraft, varying weather conditions, realistic scenery often based on information from the US Defense Mapping Agency and some even have NASA updates.
The idea behind flight simulators was to create a simulation that was as close to real life flying as possible. Terrains, planetary alignment and aircraft reactions are just some of things that have been taken into consideration when these simulators were designed. Many of the top available flight simulators include options for night flying, flying in difficult weather and consideration for both seasonal issues and different time zones.
I would certainly recommend checking what is actually out there if you have a serious interest. It would be foolish to just dive in head first and download the first flight simulation program you see. To offer advice though, the bare minimum standard you should be looking for is firstly, realistic controls to ensure smooth and fluid animation with the aircraft’s instrumentation. Secondly, I would recommend thinking about whether the software developer has taken into consideration the environmental effects (or variables as they are sometimes referred to). This includes aspects such as time lags, pressures, body forces and the best examples may even include periodic system failures. Think about it like this; when it comes down to the real thing, you will need to know what to do in any adverse circumstances, and the lives of passengers on the aircraft will be in your hands. Therefore, the closer to real life the better.
The bottom line is that flight school instructors understand the importance of using top notch flight simulation tools for training their students. With the right software the training benefits are unparalleled, helping our future pilots gain the best experience possible for the real thing. Whether you are a trainee pilot, a trained pilot or just somebody that enjoys a good simulator you will fully appreciate the value of a good flight simulator.
About the Author
Of all the flight simulators out there, my preferred choice is Pro Flight Simulator. It does everything a flight simulator should do, just like the article above outlines. If you are interested in Pro Flight Simulator and want to take a look then please visit my blog atby clicking HERE.
On my blog you will find much more information on flight simulators that I am sure will help you!
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Product page on Just Flight’s website – justflight.comLINKS & INFO Please visit the Skyline Newsroom – skylinenewsroom.com Twitter – http Subscribe! **PLAYLISTS** “FSX – Flight Simulator X Videos” Playlist ( www.youtube.com ). This playlist features many FSX payware add-ons from developers such as PMDG, Captain Sim, Aerosoft, FlyTampa, Orbx, Just Flight, A2A Simulations and Vertical Reality Simulations. “Flight Simulator Experience Show” Playlist ( www.youtube.com ). “HD Aviation Videos” Playlist ( www.youtube.com ) This playlist features many takeoffs, landings, and airshow videos. Gaming forums – battlegamingvideos.com FSX Flight Simulator X Cessna154 FS10 Microsoft Fight This video was created under Microsoft’s Game Content Usage Rules using assets from Flight Simulator X, © Microsoft Corporation.