Newbee Questions (and appologies to the controller)

[Keith Smith]

Christoph,

If you'd like a teaser of what it's like to fly the jets on PE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPaQOzu_z3k (SAN to LAX in the CRJ-200)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMLjLVz0OwA (BUR to LAS in the CRJ-200 with an engine failure, for the I-5 rating)

You need to crawl before you run a marathon, though, and flying a single engine piston under VFR will help cement the foundations that will become important when flying the jet, not so much for fully coupled precision approaches (with those you just sit back and watch the automation do its thing), but more so when Vegas approach says, "change of plan, cross the runway 1R extended centerline at 8000, then circle east of the field, cleared visual approach runway 19L."

Suddenly, you're flying a Cessna again...a very big, heavy Cessna

[Cyrus]

Christoph,

That's so funny... and so spot on. I think it highlights the difference between "gaming" (e.g. 12 year olds flying 787's) vs. "simming" (e.g. a C172 + PE + mature attitude + occasional panic to keep you in check). Taking away the anonymity of the Web by having real voice interaction (and being accountable for it!) does wonders for the learning curve.

Also, after listening to a few of Keith's videos, I also find myself doing things that I had never done before, like worrying about ice, mixture richness, etc. (and I can't imagine all the learning that I'd have to do to properly manage a heavy jet; and, anyway, what's the point when all I want to gain confidence with right now is ATC interaction and basic flying/navigation/etc.). At the very least, awareness has been significantly raised... whether I choose to tweak the "Realism" settings is another matter

[Cyrus]

Suddenly, you're flying a Cessna again...a very big, heavy Cessna

Yep ... a very big, heavy *and* fast Cessna.

[Cyrus]

Keith! Mercy! Stop posting videos !! Any day now, YouTube will contact me requesting cash for hard drive space just to accomodate my playlist.

[ChristophPreinfalk]

Keith,

I'll check those videos out, thank you!

[Piotr]

I can't imagine all the learning that I'd have to do to properly manage a heavy jet

PMDG 737 manuals are just few thousand pages, nothing a student couldn't do overnight during exam session

Jokes aside, the learning curve that comes with aircraft like that is part of the fun, one can fly it for really long time and still discover new things. Plus reading aircraft manuals brings some funny looks in the trains (I commute daily). For own safety reason I did not try it in an actual aircraft, as passenger

[ChristophPreinfalk]

Did 2 laps yesterday without issues. The "this is not a scripted environment" statement helped me relax. I was a little bit nervous. My self prescribed training program is to do patter work on the daily focus airport until I'm not nervous anymore, then I'll take the V-1. Very exciting stuff!

[Cyrus]

My self prescribed training program is to do patter work on the daily focus airport until I'm not nervous anymore, then I'll take the V-1. Very exciting stuff!

Me too! Might go for the V-1 this weekend.

Keith, if you're listening, the sheer awesomeness of the whole consistent/reliable/all-voice ATC concept is what grabs attention and brings people into the PE world. But it's things like the strucured training program (along with the workshops) that will, ihmo, keep us engaged for many many months to come..... I guess that's why video games have levels.

[ChristophPreinfalk]

Did another pattern practice run at KSNA today. Exhilarating experience. Getting used to talking to ATC. Got a bit freaky when I flew through a cloud at around 800ft!!!! Kept pressing on while focusing on the instruments. Did my crosswind leg and then came out of the cloud. Phew!!! Downwind leg was fine, but then got into another cloud on base. Kept going, got a bit disoriented, but just a little bit. Had to correct my path once I got out of it. Landed successfully but decided this is too exciting for one day and stopped. Awesome flight!!!

[Cyrus]

Nice. Did you not have a mental note of the expected compass headings when entering the clouds on the crosswind/base legs? Perhaps easy for me to ask with hindsight. Anyway, well done.

I'm on the road and won't be back on for a couple of days... lots of catching up to do.