A little homework

[dvlourie]

I know this might not be a very popular topic but I feel it is important to the success of your flying experience both here on PilotEdge and if you are so inclined, in the real world. I have been a real world pilot for some time now and also been a "sim" world pilot for many years (1982-FSX v1.0). I have noticed lately with the growth of flight simulation and PE, that some pilots have done very well "jumping" in and flying with some success when it comes to ATC. Yet there are times that I hear some pilots struggle with many aspects of flying and using ATC. Now of course I realize that this flight simulation is an imaginary world and that PilotEdge is a pay service. Therefore some might say, "I pay for it, so therefor I can do whatever I want". In essence that is true. But, when we collectively use PE and especially at busy times, if we are waiting for clearance or maybe IFR landing instructions or just simply flight following, it is sometimes frustrating to have to wait for controllers to respond to our requests or read-backs when they have to explain some very basic concepts of flying both in controlled and un-controlled areas. So my suggestion to everyone, both new and not-so-new pilots is to take a moment to do your pre-flight homework. Check YouTube for some great instructional videos on ATC. Take some time and watch Keith's training workshop videos - http://www.pilotedge.net/workshops - they are long but worth it. Flying in the real world is similar to driving a car, it's a privilege, not a right. Treat flying in the sim world on the same level and train, read and then train & read again. The end result will be a much more satisfying flying experience for you and all your fellow pilots. The skies of flight simulation is getting crowded and PilotEdge is growing and that trend will continue. Be safe, and most of all, have fun!

[Keith Smith]

That's a fair post and it sums up the situation pretty well. We know that it's a non-starter to require people to pass tests before being allowed to fly on the network, but with that comes the opposite problem if having under-prepared pilots flying on the network. Those pilots are generally unaware that their lack of preparation has an effect on everyone around them, not just the controllers.

Watching the videos can help. Going through the CAT or IFR ratings is also very helpful. Pilots should strive to understand the regulations that apply to their flight, whether it's VFR or IFR. In the case of a VFR flight, be aware of all the types of airspace that you'll be flying through. If you're not, then self-study Class B/C/D/E/G airspace, or go through the first few workshops (start at the bottom and work up, stopping when you get to the IFR material).

At some point, I think I might take another crack at the VFR workshops and will attempt to be as concise as possible right out of the gate. That may require not doing them live, and doing some post-production editing. Or, I can do them live, even taking questions in real time just as long as they're 100% relevant to the material being presented at the time.

[dvlourie]

Keith, thanks for jumping in. I did not want to alienate anyone, but I know in my training in the real world, PilotEdge training has been an asset not available anywhere else. I also knew my CFI would never let me progress without me doing the prep work. The caveat is that PE does allow for mistakes the real world never would allow. I love the idea of a live Q/A for VFR new pilots. I offer any help I can to make that a reality. Thanks again for what you do.