michael rauls
Tech Sergeant
- 1,679
- Jul 15, 2016
That is certainly another perspective to consider.
What gave me the idea was there have been a couple guys in the news recently that having never flown before, only practicing in simulators were able to steel and successfuly fly in one case a rather large/ complex multi engine aircraft and fly them successfully( not that I plan on steeling aircraft or anything else for that matter) so it got me thinking that a good sim might prepare you for flying in the same way driving a car around in an empty parking lot kinda prepares you to drive on the street. That is you could learn the basic thought process to become automatic in a safe environment thereby, at least theoretically, avoiding actually doing those motions and procedures in response to sensory input for the first time in a less safe environment. Like one where it would be possible to end up as a heap of ruble at the end of the runway which would be embarrassing at the verry least.
To put it another way, its one thing to watch someone tell you when this happens do that, when that happens do this, no matter how many times there still is a brain wireing process that needs to take place when you actually do those things in response to sensory input.
Best example I can give for this kind of going through the motions in response to tactile and visual input is learning jiu jitsu( similar to wrestling but I would say more technical and less athleticism dependant) with a passive partner first(called a uke) before actually rolling with a fully resistant opponent. It really helps. It's one thing to watch the instructor say do this, do that and see him demonstrate. It's quite another to do the movements with an oponent even a passive one. Then when its time to actually roll your not trying to learn the muscle memory at the same time your getting clobbered by your oponent. The feel is of course different with a fully resistant opponent but you know at least the basic motions to go through instinctively already because you already have done them.
I thought the same learning process might work well with learning to fly but it's sounding like maybe not so much.
On a final note, aren't there better simulators than a desk top. Ones that you actually get into that would give you more realistic sensory input to learn with?
Thanks again.