Did the search but drew a null.

Here's the deal. Boy is starting IFR and CFI has recommended Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2OO4 to get him up to speed on procedure... says it will save him flight time, i.e. $$$, in the long run.

Here's the question: Does anyone have experience - good, bad or ugly - with the yoke and rudder pedals made by CH Products? (see https://www.chproducts.com/retail_flash/index.html)

Before the fool goes out and poaches a neighbor’s heifer to pay for the outfit, I want to know if the hardware is worth the effort.

papa,

While I'm not in UPT yet I have been flying G/A for about 4 years, I do use Microsoft Fltsim and I have the following gear: https://www.esscoaircraft.com/Essco_Pro_Sim...age_p/10232.htm

I think it works pretty well, and it does work good for learing instrument procedures, although if you are just trying to learn instrument procedures it might not really matter what you are using to "fly" the aircraft, you should be focusing more on reading the panel and charts. Just my .02 but I like the yoke and pedals, but then again, I'm a computer geek in my sparetime.

Agreed. I taught myself instrument procedures long before I ever got my IFR rating using Microsoft Flight Sim. It really doesn't matter what type of hardware he's using as long as you can control stick, rudder, throttle, and trim from the joystick.

papa,

As a flight instructor I highly recommend that your son purchase the flight sim. There are different procedures that he can practice on the flight Sim such as basic tracking procedures with the VOR/NDB. The sim will also help your son refine his scan. By using the sim and flying a lot I was able to complete my instrument rating just over 3 weeks at almost minimums. I did no purchase a yoke or pedals. I stuck with a basic joystick.

[ 27. May 2005, 07:49: Message edited by: alohastyle22 ]

I recomend X-Plane over MS Flight Sim. The

CHProducts USB Yoke is a good buy. The pedals

are alright, but I don't care for them really

that much. The toe brake action and angle of the

pedals is poor.

I have never and, probably, will never use a filght sim to learn anything.

I would highly encourage the use of it for a guy getting into instruments to practice procedure, but I don't think the particular input method is that much of a help later on.

The more you can learn eariler, ASSUMING IT'S CORRECT, will, of course, pay dividends....

And from what I've gathered, instruments is instruments...

I used a PCATD quite a bit while doing my IFR training. Flight sim accomplishes the same goals. Having taught flying for a few years, definately get him some guidance first, then set him loose on the sim to practice. Nothing worse than having to unlearn bad habits.

That being said, after the first few hours of learning attitude instrument flying, its mostly mental. If you get the procedures down pat, the big picture will come together easier. With that in mind, flying a simple sim is nothing like the real airplane in feel and input, so controls weren't a big deal for me. I actually used the autopilot for most of the time so I could focus on the procedure and not trimming out some absurdly sensitive computer model.

Originally posted by Apollo:

I recomend X-Plane over MS Flight Sim.

I'll second X-plane too. The flight model is based off of real Computational Fluid Dynamics (real flying theory) not just a table of flying characteristics programed in by some MS dude who's probably never flown a day in his life. The graphics may not be as sweet when you land in X-Plane but the flight model is dead on. You could model a brick, fly it and have an accurate flight model. I don't expect to be flying bricks anytime soon but with the budget cuts and all, I'm keeping my options open after UPT. (Just kidding).

Bottom line: MS Flight Sim is good .... X-Plane keeps it real (sorry).

-WARHAWK-

x-plane is indeed the bomb-diggity.