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View Full Version : I had my T-6 Sim ride yesterday.


jmig
August 23rd, 2012, 17:24
What a banner day. I spent two hours flying the T-6 II simulator at Columbus AFB yesterday. What a blast! Two things I noticed right away. One, the cockpit is tiny. After getting seated the stick was almost in my lap. If I was any fatter, I wouldn't be able to pull it all the way back. :icon_lol:

Two, the stick requires a lot of force to move. I was surprised at how much force it took to move. It did make landing harder at first because I would move the stick too much trying to overcome the resistance, After a few landings I got better at making the small adjustments. I am happy to report I didn't embarrass myself by pranging the airplane. I did have to go around once, however. :cost1:

For those of you who have and fly the Iris T-6II, you will be happy to know that the Iris seemed very similar to USAF multimillion dollar version in performance. The USAF version does trim up and fly straight and level better, however. Still, it is a sim. The instructor told me on of the real airplane trims much better and the prop drag isn't reflected well in the sim, aka FSX. In the real airplane. when you pull back on the power control lever, the airplane really slows down. He told me they rarely use the speed brake, except in formation.

Here are some pictures of me and the sim.

GRAPHIC WARNING... A fat old man is shown in the pictures. :)

Ready for TO

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Rolling off the perch
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A view over my shoulder
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The sim from the outside. I asked if I could put it in the pickup and take it home. Not sure I really want to. I saw a sign in it that said Warning 35,000 volts. Ouch!
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Victory103
August 23rd, 2012, 18:54
Great news and happy I stayed with the Iris T-6A! How was your pattern work?
luckydog
August 23rd, 2012, 19:40
:applause::applause::applause::applause::applause:
jmig
August 24th, 2012, 02:55
Great news and happy I stayed with the Iris T-6A! How was your pattern work?

In a word, Sloppy! I kept gaining too much altitude after the break and rolling out, or from the close. The pattern altitude was 1000 AGL or 1200, MSL. I would balloon up to 1400-1500 feet MSL. That make me have to adjust my roll out point or descent rate to compensate. Once I was so high, I had to slip the aircraft. :icon_lol: That would have "Pinked" the ride if the IP would have been grading me.

I think a lot of my altitude problem came from the trim not yet being adjusted and the high stick forces needed to level off. You have to start trimming down as soon as you start the climb. A couple of times I would just hold the trim button down in order to get the trim adjusted for level flight after a T & G. That is not good flying practice.

BTW - As a general rule, they use take off flap (1/2 flaps) setting for landing.
Bone
August 24th, 2012, 04:37
Fantastic, John! I really like the dome and projector system the USAF has with most of their sims now. How did the visuals compare to your projector set up?

I did a dance with two T-6's on the taxiway in Nashville not long ago. Those things are everywhere.
rdaniell
August 24th, 2012, 04:57
"GRAPHIC WARNING... A fat old man is shown in the pictures. :)"

JMIG, Why are you substituting a photo of me sitting in the cockpit? :icon_lol:

RD
jmig
August 24th, 2012, 09:02
Fantastic, John! I really like the dome and projector system the USAF has with most of their sims now. How did the visuals compare to your projector set up?

I did a dance with two T-6's on the taxiway in Nashville not long ago. Those things are everywhere.

Mine give me an 8' wide by 3' high view. Theirs is 360 degrees floor to ceiling. Flying a pattern in the USAF sim was like in RL. I looked over my shoulder. When I was 45 degrees from the touchdown point, I rolled off the perch. Track IR does a very good job of simulating 360 visuals. Still...I like theirs better. I don't know if I could afford three light bulbs in four RGB projectors, however.

They told me that they can fly formation in there and pretend to hook up the the KC-10 tanker they have flying in there.
jmig
August 24th, 2012, 09:03
"GRAPHIC WARNING... A fat old man is shown in the pictures. :)"

JMIG, Why are you substituting a photo of me sitting in the cockpit? :icon_lol:

RD

TWO of us looking the same!!!:icon_eek::icon_eek::icon_eek:

Is the world ready for us?

:icon_lol:
rdaniell
August 24th, 2012, 14:21
TWO of us looking the same!!!:icon_eek::icon_eek::icon_eek: Is the world ready for us? :icon_lol:

Well, ready or not, here we come...:jump: :jump:

RD