Atomic Systems

callumpresley wrote:

ajax103 wrote:I can't even take off in MSTS Flight Sim, I can drive any Train in MSTS okay, but put me in the cockpit and you' be better off using the autopilot to take off.

You can't use the autopilot to take off but you can land it with the autopilot at some airports.

I know, I'm just saying I find Flight Sim really really hard to master.

It just takes practice, and make sure you use a joystick.

There are some great lessons in both FS A Century Of Flight, and in FSX. Run through those a couple of times and you'll soon be airborn.

ajax103 wrote: I know, I'm just saying I find Flight Sim really really hard to master.

Flightsim, like the real thing, is a matter of balance. A bit like riding a bike except in this case you're balancing thrust/drag, and lift/weight. You need power to climb, pull off power to descend. You can control your speed with a combination of angle of attack (how high the nose is compared to the horizon) and power settings.

Fly gently, think ahead, keep your aeroplane balanced, and make adjustments to arrive where you want to go. Aircraft have a best climb and descent speed which is actually quite slow, so a fast speed isn't always desirable, but remember aeroplanes fly because of forward speed and won't fly anymore if you slow down too much.

Don't overcontrol. The aeroplane is designed to fly and you're not, so let the aeroplane do the hard work for you - all you need to do is guide it. Other than that, practise. Because at the end of the day, most of the work you would do to earn a pilots license is simply that.