Any of you Instructors out there ever make an attempt at online training?I know there is no substitute for hands on,but think this would be a neat thing to do over the winter.

Nah. 'Cause as soon as you start on line training someone will try and take it out of context at a
real life airfield and problems will arise.

Step 1.) Take off.

Be sure to return in one week for the next installment: Turn the Plane.

Seriously, there is so much that can happen and is wind/weather/conditions dependant that there can be no substitute for a "real time" instructor. It's like driver's ed. You need to have someone present to say "Look out for THAT pedestrian" instead of having read "Be sure to look out for pedestrians" in the handbook. Having someone look over your shoulder and say "before you attach that wing don't you think it would be wise to connect the aileron plugs?" can mean the difference between a lifelong hobby and a disappointing waste of money in an abandoned investment.

I can tell you the secret to self-help is to taxi, gradually trying it ever faster and then at slightly increasing heights.

Real Flight Software

so much for that idea...........i have real flight software

Ah. Well that's a start. Have someone yell and then take a flash picture of you to simulate flying through the sun and the temporary blindness that follows. Put catnip on your keyboard to attract the kitten to simulate the unexpected (like a hornet up your pantleg). Have a helper unexpectedly knock your throttle down to zero to simulate a fuel flow problem or over lean run konk out. Have that helper toss paper airplanes between you and the screen every minute or so to simulate other fliers. And have then pop an bag or drop a big book on the floor behind you to simulate flightline interuptions. (Like when someone yells "DUCK!" and you have no idea why). And evety time you crash have the helper put a brick into the monitor screen to simulate the expense that brings.

I don't know. Maybe Real Flite has these things already.

When you fly directly into the sun, the screen does turn white for several seconds.

Random problems do occur such as these.

Apparently you've never tried a simulator.

I was not talking about actual flight training....was thinking more the basics leading up to a real-time trainer at a field.......stupid idea I guess by the looks of it

No, it wasn't a stupid idea at all. Just not asked correctly. Because if you want to know the truth what you asked for is exactly what the Beginner's Forum here on RCU is all about. We are here to help answer questions and help teach the new pilots as they get started in the hobby. What everybody assumed you meant was out there actually "moving the sticks" training that you do with your instructor. Now of course we can't teach that, but we can do a pretty good job of getting you prepared for that day. Or answer questions you might have when you are away from your instructor. Or questions you may have after you solo. While we don't have a "formal" training program, I would like to think that we have helped out more people than I care to count.

Sooooooo.................... With that said, what can we help out with????


Ken

RCKEN I just thought of a way you could help me, everyone can keep giving good advice, and send money to me to "invest" in more planes! Just a thought.

I think there is at least one simulator that can be used online. It may just be for racing or to simulate flying with others; like a computer game.

It would be pretty cool if you could set it up to work with an instructor. After a live training session at the field, being able to practice specific things on the sim, with instructor feedback, could be pretty valuable. Doing this would require student and instructor to buy the software and would mean the two have to coordinate a schedule. Maybe even make it so the instructor could throw in surprises like wind gusts, deadsticks, etc.

Hey, you bet!!!! You can have half of what my wife gave me to spend on planes last month!!!! [X(] What's half of nothing????

Ken

Double your RCU paycheck. And that's too high. You never invited me to go on the yacht with you either.[:'(]

About the training - we try to assist in making sure you choose a suitable plane and get it into an airworthy condition. Then we list the additional items we feel you may need to further your flying. We attempt to answer your questions with a variety of answers running from the correct ones through the humorous and right on onto the absurd [:@]leaving it for you to pick the winner. We finally wisely tell you to join an AMA club and get with an instructor because no 2 students are the same and each must be handled differently.

Well if you have not flown yet or at a minimum and you want to keep the skills up, Real Flight is a very good idea.