bob_nj

My Feedback: (62)

Does anyone use any hand/eye exercises or training to improve flying skills?
If so, what kind, and do you think it helps?

Thanks
Bob

Rudolph Hart

Hello bob yes i shot skeet for years but don't you say that.Theres a rather sensitive thread elsewhere about some american redtail bird divebombing gliders somewhere or other

BillyGoat

Just the flight simulator.

Hand eye coordination exercises over time may quicken your overall reflexes but IMHO all its going to do is make you better at the exercises. To become a better pilot the only true way to develop those neuron pathways is with a transmitter and a plane or helicopter.

bob_nj

My Feedback: (62)

I understand that part of it, but my thought is that you first have to recognize the need for an input which the exercises may help, then the actual transmitter and plane/helicopter part kicks in.

Besides, it may give me or anyone else something to do during the week when I/we can't go flying!

Lnewqban

bob_nj,

I have noticed that playing video games may improve your reflexes, but also makes your finger movements faster and sharper, which is not good for flying smoothly.
Actually, my son has a hard time slowing down his movements and inputs to the radio when he flies, and I believe it is a consequence of the games.

What has improved my reactions has been speeding up the models in my flight simulator.
A lot of crashes, yes, but they cost no money.
With time, I have improved the reaction time, to the point of giving some models more speed for practicing.

BillyGoat

Actually a persons brain function, therefore coordination and relexes, are closely related to their enviroment. A lot of people today would see a major improvement by drop things like complex carbohydrates and caffeine from the diet, increasing daily activity and getting at least eight hours of sleep.

Not to be facetious... If you really want excercises to improve coordination and reflexes, those would be: Walking, running, weight lifting, swimming, bike riding, pilates... Take your pick.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I get enough exercise just by pushing my luck and jumping to conclusions

bob_nj

My Feedback: (62)

Nicely Done!

Bravo...

jaka

Hi!
Yeah! physical training will improve your flying skills. Also using a simulator will do good.

bob_nj

My Feedback: (62)

I agree with speeding up the sim.

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

Interesting thread! To me, it seems like what needs to be sharpened is a little more than hand-eye coordination - it's the brain function that goes along with the 'reversed' inputs needed depending on the plane's attitude.

For example, I was told to watch the inboard wing tip and 'push it' with the rudder stick for inverted rudder corrections. Sounds easy enough, but every time (I'm still relatively new at this kind of stuff) it feels like a big, rusted gear starts to turn in my head and the input is too delayed to fool the judges.

Another example could be prop hanging - when the canopy is toward you, you steer the nose. When the belly is toward you, you steer the tail. Same rusty feeling in the head.

I can't think of an exercise to help improve this hand-mind-eye relationship other than flying and using the sim, but it would be really cool to find one.

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

For me flight time is all the exercise I do. I'm learning to fly IMAC, and its very demanding - far more than just keeping the plane from crashing. Many times I'll just pick two maneuvers, a center maneuver and a turn around, and just do those back and forth for the entire flight (7-8 minutes). After a while, the corrections become second nature, and eliminate the brains intervention between the eyes and the fingers.

Brad

Lnewqban

Exactly!

When an action is repeated many times, somehow, the brain decides to pass the task to the "automatic department".
The conscious portion of the brain is then liberated for more complicated operations requiring thinking.
After that point, that action is commanded with no mistake by the "automatic department", even when the conscious portion of the brain is not paying attention to it.

If you have to think about what you are doing, you are still using the conscious portion of your brain, with the potential for mistakes.

Repetition, repetition and repetition is the only known way of making the action to go in “auto mode�.
Driving a car and speaking a second language (tell me about it) are the perfect examples of this psychological phenomenon.

The bad part is that if you send the wrong action into the "automatic department", you will deal with repetitive mistakes in “auto mode�, which will be very difficult to unlearn.
I still repeat today some words that I learned to say improperly in English some years ago, regardless of how hard I try to correct myself.

bob_nj

My Feedback: (62)

Spaced Repition Education, you're right about that!
[link=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacing_effect]Spacing Effect[/link]

Lnewqban

Very interesting, bob_nj!

Some extra reading that confirms what we have discussed:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychomotor_learning

bob_nj

My Feedback: (62)

Very interesting indeed!
For me, sometimes it's a matter of trying to anticipate what input my gasser may need in a hover (timing), or mixing the sticks and trying
to put the rudder and elevator in at the right times in a slow rolling harrier (coordination/timing)

Let's face it, baseball and tennis players, as well as golfers and many other "sportsters" get the benefit of being able to work on their skills
off the field, I was just hoping there was something for us to keep sharp other than actually being at the field flying, or using the simulator.
I can't always get to the field, or to the sim.

I fell so left out [sm=cry_smile.gif]

Insanemoondoggie

I picked up a T-Rex 450 Heli , that I can fly at home. I surprized myself and learned to fly the heli fairly quickly. Heli's are cool , but I prefer airplanes, The biggest thing I noticed , was how much smoother my plane flying became. I ended shortening my sticks and my movements became smaller and smoother and more precise.

worldmodelsmach1

My Feedback: (1)

My only thought to remember... When flying upside down, down is up and up is expensive. This usually helps me remember that my hands do what my eyes and my brain tell them to.

j.duncker

My Feedback: (2)

Flight sims are good but nothing beats flying for real.

Get something like a Modeltech Magic and practice 3D flying esp. the prop hang. Learn to fly with rudder as part of your primary controls and fly low slow and close in.

Hmm maybe buy 2 Magics.