There are few things in the world of flight simulation as frustrating as flying an aircraft with a keyboard. If you like flight simulation, or want to get more immersed in it, there are simple ways of making the experience of being a home pilot more realistic and enjoyable. Here are some thoughts from me—a former military aviator who has flown in many full-sized aircraft and helicopter flight simulators, as well as spent hundreds of hours in front of a home computer zipping around Meigs Field, KSEA, and the rest of the world in high (and low) performance flight simulator aircraft. Before You BeginI would recommend starting with the basics before you take off head-first into making a comprehensive flight simulation rig. Flight simulator peripherals aren’t always inexpensive, and they take up space on your desk and in your room. Also, if you are thinking you might get more into flight simulation as you move forward, make sure that your initial investment is something you can build on instead of something you’ll need to replace with better gear in the future. It Starts with the StickFor many home pilots, a joystick is all you need.
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This goes back to controlling pitch and roll with the keyboard—it is not fun. The joystick has been ubiquitous since the early days of arcade gaming. In the olden days, you might have a joystick with one button—and that button was usually on the base—not on the stick. Flight simulation helped push the design of joysticks to the ergonomic and amazingly super-programmable models we have today. Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog Flight Stick for PCThe other joystick type is molded and patterned after a real-life tactical aircraft control—in the case of the —a Fairchild A-10 Warthog.
The Warthog flight stick is also programmable and has an extra-macho cool factor working in its favor, as well. Yoke or No Yokes?I always found it odd to peer into the cockpit of a modern Airbus airliner and see a sidestick controller. When I fly flight simulator aircraft, especially a big Boeing or even a Cessna 182, I like to fly with a traditional control yoke. For me, flying with a yoke on which I can place two hands, and push and pull to pitch my aircraft, gives another level of realism.
Oppositely, flying a Boeing F/A-18 Hornet with a yoke instead of a joystick does not work for me. But, if you are planning on spending hours in the virtual cockpit of a heavy, consider a control yoke. Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog Dual ThrottlesTo match the Warthog stick, check out this dual-engine.
Maximum awesomeness with toggle switches, afterburner detents (not on the A-10!), buttons, autopilot controls, and more. Save a good chunk of change by getting the together.
Yaw is No YawnOne region of flying with which I never really was satisfied in the world of flight simulation is maneuvering the aircraft in the yaw axis. In an airplane, the rudder controls yaw and the rudder is controlled by pedals. Some joysticks allow a twisting action to control yaw in the simulator, but this takes away from the realism for me. I believe the canceled Comanche helicopter had a twisting cyclic for yaw control, so maybe this is the future.
Thrustmaster T.Flight Rudder PedalsIf you want realistic rudder control, the way to go is with pedals like the. Not only do you have yaw control at your feet, you now have realistic wheel brake action for after you land your Boeing 757 long at LaGuardia! The T.16000M can also be had as part of a comprehensive. Sit Down!Want to step it up by sitting down?
A wheeled office chair would never find its way into an aircraft cockpit, but the might. The seat includes “arm rests” for your joystick (now a side-stick controller like in the F-16 Fighting Falcon or an Airbus) and your throttle quadrant. You can also mount the control stick or yoke conventionally in the center. It also has provisions for hiding wires from your peripherals.
Playseat Air Force Flight Simulator Seat 8. I Can’t Hear YouAnother way to increase your immersion is through sound (and speech). Speakers are great, but if you want to really feel the hum of the turbofan engines behind you, the chatter on simulator air traffic control frequencies, and not be a bother to your roommates or significant other, are the way to go.
Now you can crank up the engine volume, hear the landing gear horn in stereo and, if you have a boom mic, return to base following ATC vectors. Razer OSVR Hacker Dev Kit v2.0Or, if you want to truly immerse yourself in the 3D world of flight simulation, skip the monitor and strap on a pair of over your leather flight helmet! Now you can look down into the cockpit or over your shoulder to see if the enemy bandit is closing in for the attack. Push RealismAre you a casual home pilot who likes to dabble in the world of flight simulation?
Or, are you logging dozens of hours every week flying around the world for a virtual airline? It is completely up to you how much realism you want to add via peripherals and even die-hard flight sim pilots can make due with just a single joystick while others convert entire home offices into a virtual cockpit. How have you immersed yourself in flight simulation? Let us know, in the Comments section, below! Flight sim software brings back memories.
There's a flight simulator software company based in Columbia, South Carolina. I've read a few articles about him and his company. Googling what I recall, I found X-Plane. In the past, I've read internet and newspaper articles about him. His software allows for customization of airplaine characteristics; one I found interesting was simulating the Space Shuttle.From what I've read about the developer's interest, he loves Corvettes.
That is my bucket list car.
To find the right flight simulator for your home (or flight school, for that matter), first consider how you'll use it. Will this be an everyday training tool or just for occasional use? What is your level of technical knowledge, and how much customization do you require? Finally, what is your budget?
The answers to these questions will determine how complex a solution you need to buy and how much to spend.The good news is there's a system to suit almost all pilots. Here are three recommended systems, ranging from simple and affordable, to sophisticated and more expensive.Good, withThis kit has been popular for many years, and is a great way to get started with home flight simulators. We think it's the most affordable system that has the key elements for pilots, and it works with both Windows (XP, 7, 8, and 10) and Mac. In most cases, you simply plug in the controls to your computer and open the flight simulator program - no drivers or complicated software installations.The yoke has three top-mounted levers for throttle, propeller, and mixture, plus switches to simulate flaps and landing gear. For more realistic training - especially maneuvers and landings - you'll want to add the rudder pedals.That takes care of the hardware. What about software? While it's getting fairly old now, Microsoft Flight Simulator X is still hard to beat for simplicity and fun.
The program (now available as a download through the Steam platform) makes it easy to choose the airplane, location, and weather conditions, then get flying. There are also some built-in scenarios to guide your flying. It lacks some of the sophisticated features of higher end simulators, but it is easier to use as a result.Price: $274.90Betterand, withIf you want more customization options and more flexibility, this step-up system is the perfect fit - and it's still under $400. The Saitek Yoke has a metal shaft, and generally provides a more realistic feel during flight maneuvers (although no home simulator really feels like flying). It has a number of buttons on the yoke to simulate electric trim, push-to-talk, and other airplane features, as well as a digital screen on the front of the yoke.
Each yoke includes a separate throttle quadrant with three levers. Just as with the CH Products line, we recommend adding the rudder pedals to increase the training value.X-Plane is a more modern and updated flight simulator program, especially when compared to Microsoft Flight Simulator X. The latest version (11) has truly stunning graphics, both inside and outside the airplane, and the aerodynamic modelling is also more realistic. There are a huge number of customization options in the program, plus a vibrant online community of software developers that offer airplane and scenery add-ons. If you can dream it up, you can probably do it in X-Plane. That does mean the learning curve is a little steeper, so give yourself some time to get acquainted with all the options.
But once you're up and running, you can do some very lifelike training flights with this system.Price: $399.97BestwithLooking for an all-in-one system with virtually no setup? The Jay, from flight simulator manufacturer Redbird, is a compelling option.
It's significantly more expensive than the CH and Saitek products, but that's because it includes so much more. Sure, there's a yoke and throttle quadrant, but the Jay also includes a screen, a built-in computer, and customized flight simulator software. It has literally everything you need to start flying - just plug it in and turn it on. The only thing you'll need to add is the Redbird RD1 Rudder Pedals.Price: $2595.00withThis is the ultimate home simulator (pictured at right), and makes an excellent training tool for flight schools as well. The TD2 is a table-mounted flight training device that is specifically built to place the yoke at a realistic height - unlike most top-mounted flight simulator yokes. Like the Jay, it includes a screen, computer and keyboard.
Unlike the Jay, this model also includes an array of switches to simulate lights and deice systems, plus controls for throttle, propeller, mixture, landing gear, flaps, and magnetos. You can choose from glass panel setup (which simulates a Garmin G1000) or steam gauges. Again, make sure to add the rudder pedals for maximum training value.Price: $7995.00Training TipsAfter you choose a flight simulator, make sure you take the right approach when using it. Most importantly, approach each flight with a training mindset: have an objective, with performance standards and a way to evaluate your flying.
It's certainly fine to have fun flying your simulator, but if you really want to improve your flying, do it deliberately. That might even mean talking to your flight instructor about what he or she wants you to focus on, or keeping a training log with questions raised during each training session.It's also worth noting that none of these systems will help you master crosswind landings or other stick and rudder skills - you'll need to fly the real airplane in real weather to learn that. However, a properly configured simulator is very valuable for learning cockpit flows, understanding checklists, and perfecting your instrument scan.For more tips on using a flight simulator as an integral part of flight training, from one of Sporty's experienced flight instructors. @Neil Wallace - Most, if not all, flight sim software packages, like P3D, FSX, etc. Have a feature for allowing random failures to occur. This allows you to practice your responses to unexpected failures via control inputs and checklists.Consider also PilotEdge for live ATC interaction.
Also FSFlyingSchool has a very affordable package for in flight digital instruction. PilotEdge now also offers real time instruction via internet screen sharing. I highly recommend both of these.For achieving realism in flight, this depends very much on your choice of hardware and is very much a matter of your budget. Saitek and CH Products both are plastic yokes with zero force feedback. These are the low end budget option.
They have their good points, but realism is not one of them. There are also several high-end yokes that can set you back plenty.In my post below, I mention products that are mainstream and affordable to most. Most of the add-on aircraft have very realistic physics and respond in a very realistic manner to flight inputs.Of all these, I would have to say the yoke is most critical. Spend time on Youtube, where you will find excellent reviews of just about every piece of hardware. The various Forums on Avsim.com will introduce you to the vast array of aircraft, weather, and scenery add-ons.Other posts in this thread point to other excellent flight simulation options. For example, CloudAhoy is a fantastic tool for flight debriefing.Regards, RMM. It has already been mentioned, but maybe just consider this an underline and exclamation point to previous comments.
Not mentioning Lockheed Martin's 64-bit P3Dv4 is a major oversight. It traces its lineage directly back to ESP / FSX, and its interface is going to be pretty familiar to anyone who uses (or used) FSX. Now with direct Oculus Rift / VR support, or using the FlyInside app, it's possible to simulate being in any aircraft's cockpit without expensive and space-consuming physical 'flight sim station' hardware. The author feels that FSX is 'easy', so I'd say he'd probably find P3D 'easy', too.Certainly not perfect, or the universal answer, but a very important cutting-edge simulator that people looking at options need to know about!
It has already been mentioned, but maybe just consider this an underline and exclamation point to previous comments. Not mentioning Lockheed Martin's 64-bit P3Dv4 is a major oversight. It traces its lineage directly back to ESP / FSX, and its interface is going to be pretty familiar to anyone who uses (or used) FSX. Now with direct Oculus Rift / VR support, or using the FlyInside app, it's possible to simulate being in any aircraft's cockpit without expensive and space-consuming physical 'flight sim station' hardware. The author opines that FSX is 'easy', so I'd say he'd probably find P3D 'easy', too.Certainly not perfect, or the universal answer, but a very important cutting-edge simulator that people looking at options need to know about! I'm with Howard, I am looking for a helicopter option too.Do any simulators model tail rotor function through rudder pedals?
Is there a 'Collective' component to match with a joystick for more realistic helicopter flight? Even if a collective only models basic power without separating throttle from pitch it would still be a vast improvement.I understand getting.all of the physics for a helo might really push the limits of a pc yet, without changing much if anything (I have Microsoft Flight Simulator X) in the program, antitorque pedals and a collective you can attach a stick to in your lap would vastly improve a helo sim.