Microsim

[nittany03]

The Microsims are back up here for general use at Whiting, and I hopped in one last Friday to give it a try. I almost felt like I'd lost skills rather than gained them trying to figure out how to fly the darn thing; it's completely different from the T-34, even more so than the "new" instrument sims. I'm interested in hearing opinions on whether anybody got any benefit from them or not thru primary, and what the most "useful" use for them was.

I'm due for a Fam Warmup tomorrow afternoon after almost 2 months since my C4004. So I thought maybe the microsim would be an alternative to chair flying to knock the rust off my Approach Turn Stalls, etc. But it seems as if I have to learn to fly all over again to use the thing, let alone practice maneuvers. So is it worthwhile to bother learning it or are there better ways to kill study time? Comments?

 

[bch]

I absolutly hated the microsim, got nothing from it and generally felt they were a waste of time. I am a huge proponent of the RIOT trainer though for instruments.

DEFINETLY DO NOT USE THE MICROSIM FOR FAMS. If you benefit from it at all... it would be in RI's as a procedure trainer, not an airwork trainer

 

[zilber]

Microsim is great for FAMs. You can practice all of your maneuvers, so when you get in the plane, they are second nature. Plus, you will build situational awareness.

 

[bch]

just to clarify... the microsim does not feel, fly, respond, move or do anything other than look like the T-34C. The gouge power setting do not work, it does not trim, it handle like the aircraft....let alone, have similiar controls (muscle memory)

but hey, if you want to work on something that is nothing like the real thing...

As far as SA goes....
No instructor commentating non stop, no approach on the radio, talking at lightspeed to a hundred other aircraft, no mind numbingly load drone of the engine. Infact, it is a quiet, sterile environment that had non of the distractors of the real thing.

 

[nittany03]

Agreed. I more or less figured that out the first 10min I used it; I'll have give it another shot for RIs though. I can fly a T-34 reasonably well, but was trying to keep from killing myself the first time I used the sim. And the views drove me nuts. I like to be able to look w/ my head, not w/ a little coolie hat on the PCL . . .

 

[rare21]

unless of course your microsim is in your readyroom. then you get yapping students and your "buddies" purposely messing with your trim while you're not looking and folks daring you to land it on the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

[Banjo33]

I used the crap out of it during FAMs. I thought it was a great tool for helping build coordination, procedural knowledge, and basic monkey skills. When I would practice, I would treat it like the actual flight.....make all comms, take off, do everything the same as I would in the airplane. When it was time to perform a maneuver, I would say out loud the procedures I would be performing for real..reaching for switches while maintaining good airwork...etc. If there was a particular powersetting I was supposed to put into the a/c, I would verbalize it outloud and put it wherever it needed to be in the sim...that way I knew what I was meaning to do, although it might not work perfectly in the sim. In the landing pattern I thought it worked great. It helped me to get quick on my checklists and build the coordination required to fly a consistent pattern...that way once I got in the airplane my SA was better because my hands and mouth knew what they were supposed to be doing. If you can be disciplined enough to use it the way it was meant and not goof off and harp on its limitations, I think it can help you as much as you'll allow it.

 

[kaiangel]

I am in RI's and use the Microsim all the time and think it is great. I believe that all the people who say it is a waste of time either haven't really tried it, or haven't put enough effort into learning how to use it. Of course it does not fly too much like the plane, but it is great for practicing multi-tasking and procedures all in a real time environment.

 

[Eagle32]

Microsims, ahh the headache. Try drinking lots of beer, playing PS2 Madden NFL, and having your buddy throw a tennis ball of your head while you are answering EPs, now that is studying (includes all the major foodgroups of naval aviation: SA, monkey skills, EPs, throwing tennis balls at your squadronmates, and beer). We all did just fine without them (TW-4 just started to get m-sims when we left). I could see where it would help out a lot in the beginning, but after that, it is up to the individual to see what is more productive, microsims or beer?

 

[bch]

Microsims, ahh the headache. Try drinking lots of beer, playing PS2 Madden NFL, and having your buddy throw a tennis ball of your head while you are answering EPs, now that is studying (includes all the major foodgroups of naval aviation: SA, monkey skills, EPs, throwing tennis balls at your squadronmates, and beer). We all did just fine without them (TW-4 just started to get m-sims when we left). I could see where it would help out a lot in the beginning, but after that, it is up to the individual to see what is more productive, microsims or beer?

Tennis balls??? Come on man... Baseballs!!! Now that will really get you thinking!



Honestly the reason I felt the microsim was such a waste of time... For RI's RIOT could do the same thing, Fams didn't really need it

 

[Acoustix99]

Microsims are money for RI's and much less of a pain to use and find time for than the instrument sims.

 

[el_bastardo]

Microsims are a procedure trainer, not a flight trainer. It's a computer game that allows you another method to practice your checklists and procedures for maneuvers. It's advertised as the ultimate in chair flying.

I don't like them because it doesn't look like or feel like I'm flying a T34. I can do a better job memorizing procedures at home closing my eyes visualizing what I'm doing. But if the Microsims help you out, more power to you.