Newbie using G3
 

Well after getting over the error message (video card related) I managed to put in about 5 hrs on the sim. On a 19" monitor it is very difficult to distinguish the airplane direction. It is very easy to loose perspectives (get lost). After some frustration I brought my pc out to the family room and connected via DVI to my 60" SXRD. Much better. The scenery I used was the sod farm. I tried flying the Nexstar trainer for a while did NOT really like the way it handles. I settle in for the PT-40 "The Perfect Trainer" After several hours I managed to do a pretty good job at flying, and avoid crashing providing I didn’t get lost. BTW, to my surprise I can do acrobatics pretty damn good. Said that, landing is very painfully difficult. When I come in to land I can never tell how far I am from the runway or if I am lined up. When I make what I thought to be my last vector once I get close I discover I am nowhere near around the runway. I can land pretty damn good in the grass field next to the runway but lets just say I might as well be landing on a moving aircraft carrier very difficult.

BTW, I was surprise to have a video problem since I had a relatively up to date pc. The problem was with the MOBO integrated video card. Word of advice, they don’t work. If your motherboard has the video integrated most likely it will not work. The error message I got was could load snow.tga file and then could not create prop disc. I corrected the problem with a new Nvidia GeForce 6600 video card.

Any advice or tricks on landing? Also, I viewed some of the tutorials. Although there was good useful information I did not know if I could fly with the instructor or is that just for looks?

Regards,
Jerry

RE: Newbie using G3
 

Do u have the shadows on? If not, turn them on. As for landing practice, try doing it first in chase or in cocpit view. After u master that, try landing in fixed pos. w keep ground in view mode. If u want to fly with the instructor, all u got 2do is this: turn on the tutorial u want, second, swap the camera to look at u. then just fly after the instructor and u will be able to find out how he lands it. Another tip, u no how the plane gets bigger and smaller as it gets farther and closer? try to find the size the plane should look when u r over the runway.

RE: Newbie using G3
 

I don't think that switching to chase or from-cockpit view will help. I think it can only hurt! You should get used to watching your plane approaching the runway while flying towards you. Landing is difficult indeed and you have to master it by logging many hours landing in a sim.

I can testify that this works--I myself learned flying an R/C plane by "flying" RealFlight G2 for several months. Then, I flew my first ARF, Hangar 9 UltraStick 40, with ease. Everything was just like in RealFlight, only prairy dogs were running across the runway.
:)

Boris

RE: Newbie using G3
 

thanks guys I will try your advice.

RE: Newbie using G3
 

Also put your Graphics to HIGH not HIGHEST. Also how do you make a color scheme?????

RE: Newbie using G3
 

Yes, a POX on integrated video controllers!

They are akin to the dreaded Winmodem.

For the most part the IGP devices use fewer electronics and steal (slow) main RAM from the system degrading video performance.

They permit the manufacturer to CLAIM 3D capabilities on a system that would otherwise not have any, thereby suckering the average consumer into purchasing what is basically a poorly equpped machine.


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Flame off.

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The problem you are having with orientation is what you basically have to learn.

At the flying field the other day there was a beginning (but experienced) pilot who was trying to fly a plane.

They knew the controls (as you did) but kept calling out "which way is it pointed!" "is it going away or coming to me!".

An instructor had to take over lest the plane be damaged.

You need to practice with the Sim until you can tell which way the plane is pointed, and oriented just by how it responds to your stick controls.

That is you should be able to control it, when it is a dot in the air and have no other way of telling it's orientation/aspect.

Once you can do this, you are ready for the real thing.

... AND... the bad news is the "Real Thing" gets awfully small in the sky, REAL FAST!!!!

The sim doesn't do this justice unless you fly the plane in "manual zoom" mode and not zoom in more than three "+" plus presses.

My first time out, after practicing with the sim for almost a year, I had NO problem flying my plane, it was it's size in the sky, when it was distant, that gave me the most problems.

Once or twice I almost lost it... the Sim teaches you how to patiently react and "test" the planes orientation by inputting small movements and observing the results.

Hint: The biggest aid you have initially is SMOKE!

Turn it on in the Sim and fly the plane as far away as possible while still controlling it.

You'll rely more on the smoke trail to learn it's orientation.

Eventually turn off the smoke and practice....

Have fun.