So my sister tells me, "I want to take flight lessons..."

[Navy Chief]

Actually, she wants to take flight lessons, beginning on her 60th birthday, which won't be for three more years, BUT she is serious about wanting to learn how to fly.

So I naturally said to her, "Ok then, you should start practicing with flight simulation now!"

My question is, what aircraft would you folks suggest for a beginning trainer in FSX? Piper Cub? Cessna 172?

Gosh, I haven't had my CH yoke hooked up for ages!!

NC

[Tako_Kichi]

I would go with the C172 rather than a tail dragger but the default Maule is a much overlooked aircraft IMHO if she want's to try tail draggers.

I would seriously avoid the default J3 Cub unless you've changed the FDE to one of the more realistic ones.

[airtj]

Piper Warrior/Archer

[Daveroo]

the flight school near me is using a non turbo C206 with "steam gauges"..they have a "glass cockpit" 206 for more advanced..

[Victory103]

If she has no clue about aviation, I would highly suggest the sim for her to "chair-fly" the first few lessons. The terrible stock C-172 is ok for this, unless she is planning on training in something else. Besides the pre-flight, she can run through the checklists in the sim and actually learn the individual instruments. Besides purchasing actual charts, I'd get her a VFR sectional or look on Skyvector.com and have her go over the marginal info/legend as well.

[Navy Chief]

Thanks all for your suggestions. Plenty of time for my sis to prepare for this. For that matter, she could (and probably will) change her mind.

But it might be fun to get her interested in flight simulation.

NC

[Sundog]

FYI, I think Realair is talking about redoing their update for the C172 for FSX, IIRC. You may want to keep an eye out for that release.

[CP1207]

My uncle got his license at 65 after he retired.
Worked for a major carrier doing engineering for their specific versions of Lockheeds, Boeings and VISCOUNTS! (first plane I ever flew in).
I flew with him once when he was in his early 70s. Had to handle all the radio traffic as he could not hear it, but only had to bump the wheel a couple of times to head us back towards the airport when he was slightly off in the wrong direction.
I'm convinced the airport we flew out of announced when he was in the air and that extra watch to collision avoidance should be paid attention to.

Simpler times then. He was pretty well known in his field and had one of those "lets take the beach even if we don't want it" attitudes, which is how I think he passed his flying test and then convinced the FBO to rent him airplanes.

He quit flying after concocting a plan to buy a floatplane on the west coast and fly it back east in order to land it in the river in front of his old yacht club. But only because a nephew ratted him out. I wish he would have called me instead...

Anyway, trying to get back on topic (yet another relative failed to wake up last week, therefore the above, sorry), does Cessna still offer the Intro Flights? Or anybody at the local airport?
Has she flown in small planes before?
If not, get her a demo flight somewhere in something.

Solo controlled flight is something never to be forgotten.

[cheezyflier]

there are lessons in fsx, using the 172. it's a decent place to start. i wouldn't worry about wether the plane flies all that accurate to real life. that's totally not what flight sim is best at anyhow. by taking the lessons she'll learn the lingo, and what everything is for, and different procedures, and a little navigation , and some weather stuff too. that way when she gets to real life classes, she'll be comfortable enough to learn properly, because she has a solid base to build on. knowing what to expect in MOST situations makes the whole thing seem much less daunting. just my opinion

[Daveroo]

there are lessons in fsx, using the 172. it's a decent place to start. i wouldn't worry about wether the plane flies all that accurate to real life. that's totally not what flight sim is best at anyhow. by taking the lessons she'll learn the lingo, and what everything is for, and different procedures, and a little navigation , and some weather stuff too. that way when she gets to real life classes, she'll be comfortable enough to learn properly, because she has a solid base to build on. knowing what to expect in MOST situations makes the whole thing seem much less daunting. just my opinion

OH SURE cheesy,,,go ahead..be sensible and on topic,,make sense out of this,with good points and such....sheeesh....

[olderndirt]

My thinking would be a 152 or the like. A two place is ample as a primary trainer and the real life rental cost is less than a four place.

[strikehawk]

FSX - FSX General Aviation FSX SIAI Marchetti SM 1019
[ Download | View ]
Name: sm1019fsx.zip
Size: 4,186,948 Date: 12-31-2009 Downloads: 2,956


FSX SIAI Marchetti SM 1019 v1.0. The SIAI Marchetti SM1019 is a single-engine, high wing monoplane with tail-wheel type fixed landing gear. It was intended for battlefield surveillance and forward air control. It's based upon the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog but posseses an extensively modified airframe to meet latest operational requirements, redesigned tail surfaces and a turboprop in place of the O-1's piston engine. STOL performance makes it easy to operate from any airfield. This FS aircraft model represents two different examples, the first one when in use with the Italian Army and the second when repainted by a civil user after the dismission from the Italian Army inventory. Full package includes aircraft, textures and panel by Massimo Taccoli. FD files by Dennis Seeley. Gauges by Dennis Seeley and Massimo Taccoli.


Try this one, it's very friendly and the approach speed is slow enough to make landings a breeze. If you have another PC and can run FSX on it you can help out your sis with the share aircraft function in MP. It's easier to show an approach or take off or for that matter putting her into the pit and take her for a spin then swapping roles and letting her do the same. This bird I've posted is like I said is very tame for a beginner and since it's a turboprop you get the slow response time for throttle changes that most jet engines are notorious for.

[pilottj]

This has always been a good debate, it ultimately depends on what kind of learner your sister is. Think of it like the Stick Shift vs Automatic comparison. The stick is harder to learn, but once you learn it, you can handle just about anything vs the automatic which is simple, but you still have to eventually learn a stick if you want to drive those types of cars. Same with Taildragger vs Trike. If she is a real patient learner with a a hankering for real challenges, stick her in a tail dragger. If she were planning on just learning in FS and not pursuing a real certificate, I would go ahead with the tail dragger, she will be able to enjoy a wider variety of planes if she does. However going for a real certificate, I am just guessing but probably at her age she isn't planning on a major flying career or serious bush flying so I would probably go the trike route via a 172 or somthing.

Tail-Dragger vs Trike aside, I would just use FS, find somthing with a decent flight model, then you do the takeoffs and landings first, let her fly around, get used to what the controls do, then feed in TOs and landings.

Agree with Sundog that RealAir's upcomming 172 should be an excellent training tool. Baytower's RV-7 would also be a good bet since it has both Trike and TD versions, she can decide which she likes better...lol and it has a lady pilot, she might like that.
Being a Navy guy you might enjoy seeing her flying around in Ricardo's beautiful Navy RV scheme




I always thought the RealAir Citabria would be a good teacher as well, it has a great foward view of the horizon with a view of the main flight instruments (which can be taken out) for learning pitch attitude relationships to changing flight dyanmics. The A2A J-3 would be excellent for learning the absolute basics...it really made me a better tail dragger pilot in FS. You probably would want somthing with the basic 6-pack of instruments tho so she can really familiarize herself with their function.

If and once she commits to going for a real certificate tho, I would keep her away from FS other than for memorizing checklists and proceedures because it can teach bad habits that will be hard for her and her instructor to break....this would cost more $$$ for her. If she goes on for an IFR ticket then FS is great for mastering instrument scans and navigation/approaches.

Cheers
TJ

[dandog]

OK. I did not read all of the responses. However, it comes down to price. I am taking lessons in a Cherokee 160. I guess you could find a Cirrus with the Garmin 1000 or better. But it will cost more. I want to learn to fly!!! I like flying an aircraft that doesn't have exceptional power or electronics. I want something that takes an effort. Something that is more basic, but teaches you how to fly! I can get into the stuff that makes it easier later!!!

Daniel

[expat]

I did my first solo flight earlier this year with fewer than half the hours it took my flight instructor to solo. Reason? All the hours on FS.

Did all the dual in a Cherokee/Warrior but then switched to a C172 for the solo itself (both rental planes were in pretty ropey condition and we thought the Cessna was the least worst choice!). No real issues for me doing the last minute aircraft type change.

I do NOT think the minor differences between all of the FS planes being mentioned will make a hoot of difference for your sister. If she is going to learn in a low wing (probably Piper) she SHOULD practice in FS in that. Ditto if a high wing (probably a Cessna). Much more important to learn the control and switch layouts and operating sequences that will match what she is actually learning to fly in.

The other real advantage of using FS for flight training IRL is to learn your way around a particular airfield, e.g. the runway numbers, pattern, radio frequencies, taxi ways etc.

I wish her good luck!