Does anyone have any ideas where to start with this? I have a flight sim consisting of “Yoke, Rudders, Trim wheel and control levers” I myself can fly on a NPPL…However I have never taught this to anyone.
Where do i start??
I know to teach them the principles of flight etc…but what I need to know is how to keep them from getting bored.
I was thinking along the lines of teaching them to fly an aircraft from “Starting the aircraft up - to Taxiing, take off and circuit training ready to land and then landing”
What do you all reckon?
Thanks in advance
are you asking about where/what/how about a flight sim or what to do with the Cadets when you have it?
for us we start with the AEF style flight. move the control inputs and study the output, what happens when this is done…
then to put into practise have them land at heathrow, 5miles out with enough altitude they need to think about what they are doing. requiring a basic turn, decent control and speed appreciation (throttle vs decent speed) to land
points for landing on the airfield, on the runway, not crashing!
start up and taxi will be far to slow/boring for anyone without any interest, and a circuit unless with the right (fast) aircraft will be too slow and have too many sat watching not a great deal happening!
I suppose your right Steve…it does make sense what your saying. I am wanting to teach a handful of cadets “ones that are interested for a project” how to fly an aircraft. I will be using the Cessna 152 as this is what I fly and I know it well.
I would like a few ideas on what to teach them and as you said steve it would probably be a bit laborious for them…to teach it from cold and dark.
So on that any ideas
dont make it too real too soon.
it is a game and the “ones that are interested in a project” will be chosing it thinking they will be playing a video game all night, so it will be up to you to make them believe that is the case
choose a irrealistic aircraft likea RAF Hawk or Boeing 767 that they wont get to fly to show the basics, then set up a scenario that offers a challenge - land a 747 with no engines at Heathrow, or fly over the Dome, Big ben and land at City airport in the quickest time. they’ll need the skills you show them to suceed.
it will be important to keep it basic, speeds for instance, you should be less than 120kts by now, landing at 60-80kts etc
slowly make it more real, chosing a Tutor or 152 that they’re more likely get chance to fly in. repeat the basics and consider tighter tolerance, landing at 60-70kts until practice takes over and they can aim for a set figure
Don’t forget about the non-flying keyboard commands such as how to adjust / change their view, raise the flight sim pilot seat etc .
One challenge my cadet undertake is a race against the clock, a Piper 38, from RAF Kinloss to RAF Lossiemouth. Both airfields are close an you can see the other right after you take off. (We use the Piper as it’s the cockpit section our flight sim is based on…)
Abz
Kinloss - Lossiemouth is a good one as Lossiemouth is our parent station. I will have a look and try it out myself…Cheers for the ideas, anymore useful info would be greatly appreciated
Depends how many computers your planning on using. We have a few, linked together, so cadets can fly the circuit, with others watching / preparing to depart.
We get them first used to flying the circuit individually, teaching them about controls, instruments, maintaining height/speed/heading. Then bring them together via multiplayer so they can all fly, as well as keep distance. only when we are happy do we then start introducing comms.
Akrotiri is a good place to set up. Its one E-W runway, with the water to the south, so easy for references to start.
At my squadron we have an adequate flight simulator PC with stick, rudder pedals and an airbrake lever. We use a program called “Condor Competition Soaring Simulator” or just condor, because it is a more accurate sim than FSX which as you probably know has a bad reputation with pilots. The way I operate this is to teach the cadets a GIC before they go and do it for real. The cadets that are in the project full time can go on and complete the exercises involved in a gliding scholarship and beyond. Of course this means nothing to their instructor when they turn up to my VGS to do the course as he/she must complete the entire course anyway but they do have the basic knowledge and principles already engrained in them so that they progress through the course quicker, use less of the VGS’s precious launches to do so and have a better chance of flying solo. As I progress up the graded pilot ladder myself I can teach more and more to the cadets that are interested at my squadron.
Hope this helps you
George
I’m in the position that I am just finishing a Flight Simulator at my squadron.
We decided that its main purpose would be as a tool for cadets wishing to do a GS or FS to cover the content of the scholarship in the simulator first, and then they can take what they learn to the air.
Because of that I am currently working through ACP 122 and 124 (Viking and Vigilant Gliding Scholarship training guide) to build up a “Simulation Course” for each aircraft, as well as another for the grob tutor/heron for the FS.
Once that is completed and working well I will be introducing scenario’s to make things more fun and to allow the cadets to practice what they have learnt.
Looks impressive. Is the main building material for the sim wood, or something else? Because it looks very white, between the black covering, like it might be mega-thick plastic sheet, cut to shape.
Do you plan to include instrumentation/switches via an interface box/USB? And rudder pedals- are they there yet, or planned?
Also looks like a brand-new squadron environment, all clean and bright.
wilf_san
I have tried to get a “Vigilant” or “Tutor” for FSX but cannot seem to get a decent one and one that works. Don’t suppose someone would have one I could aquire?
The Flight sim you have builts looks good…you using one pc to run the whole thing? We are getting a new squadron built hopefully starting this year so really looking forward to doing something like that for ourselves.
I will have a look at the ACP 122 /124 and see if i can do something similar on our squadron.
Many thanks
The cockpit itself is made from CNC’d 12mm ply IIRC which, in the picture above, is in the process of being sanded and painted black.
Plans for the cockpit can be found at www.62ndfightingfalcons.asn.au
One custom built computer runs the whole show, with the three screens that can be seen in the picture, as well as an additional screen to display a virtual instrument panel. In terms of other hardware, there is rudder pedals, joystick, throttle quadrant, and one switch panel. And wireless keyboard and mouse for the instructor.
I am also looking at getting a headset to “future proof” the sim for plans of setting up an ATC sim as well.
With regards to aircraft, I use simviation.com and download aircraft designed by “UKMil” who are a group of military simulation enthusiasts. they have a grob tutor, however the vigilant is more tricky, for that it is a case of finding a similar motor glider, or designing your own aircraft.
And finally, the squadron building is about 3 years old, not that new, but then again, newer than alot of squadrons.
I suggest that you all go on a RAC course that teaches you how to teach flight sim and what is reccomended for beginners.
as for mprentice1 - why is the joystick on the left?
I wasn’t aware of any courses…oooh :idea: Will keep an eye open on Bader
[quote=“Jonay1990” post=6360]I suggest that you all go on a RAC course that teaches you how to teach flight sim and what is reccomended for beginners.
as for mprentice1 - why is the joystick on the left?[/quote]
What courses and where are they advertised? Sure it’s not just a local thing you have?
And the flight sim isn’t finished yet, so it’s probably in the left as that’s where someone put it last!
S&NI RAC have run a few of these courses in the past, admittedly I haven’t heard of one running for a while now, I’ve never really had access to Bader in the past, so I couldn’t tell you if they still are.
I believe (I’ve had two CFAVs on my Sqn attend one) they follow the GS/FS syllabus closely but adapted a.) for flightsim b.) cessnas.
It covered how to use the sim efficently, how to set up + save scenarios scenarios etc.
There was bit of an issue on who should be able to teach it, as in a.) a CI who’s never flown in a light aircraft before b.) a Sgt(ATC) who was a cadet 20years ago c.) a CWO who’s done both his GS + FS or d.) a G1/C Cat gliding instructor, but as long as the instructor has been on a MOI (or similar type) course then it should be ok.
Basically, do what you want, but make sure that it follows some sort of structure and make sure that your instructors can actually instruct - otherwise it’s a pointless exercise.
Why not? Its only the military that fly from the RHS (excluding multi-crew aircraft), thats where the controls would be if you were to fly any civilian aircraft with a sidestick.
Thought I might as well share this with you guys. 3 articles that I wrote about the Flight Simulator that i’ve just finished.
http://www.2158atc.co.uk/index.php?id=252
You’ll find links to the previous two at the bottom of that article.
http://bit.ly/12ENGCV
http://bit.ly/14oAUMY
http://bit.ly/14oATbW
Above are 3 photos (sorry about the quality) of the Flight Simulator at my Squadron
We’re looking for a decent set of rudder pedals if anyone can reccomend any 
As for our training program on it, we’re planning on running a ‘fun’ PPL course on it considering I am 2/3 of the way through my Flight Instructors Course
How much money does your squadron have! =O
That looks sweet, but how useful is it for training cadets?
I’ve taken the Vigilent and Viking Gliding Scholarship’s and changed them into lesson plans to be used with the flight sim, that way cadets at the squadron who get places on scholarships can practice exercises before doing it in the air.