Due to the typical spring weather in this part of Germany, I have been making more use of a virtual aircraft than a real one. A former coworker asked me if it was possible to learn to fly only by using a sim. Basically, no, it is not possible. A good computer simulator (I use X-Plane, I wanted one that would run on Mac and Windows) can help to teach procedures, RNAV, to a certain degree radio work, but not really be the only way to fly.
The accuracy of the simulator effects how well and how accurate you can practice real flying. I went all out when I set mine up, shopped a well known internet selling platform for a yoke, throttle, and rudder pedals as well as purchasing very realistic landscape for Germany. I could practice my cross country flights without getting "lost" or better yet, getting lost with and then getting "unlost" with only a compass and map. Very enlightening. Recently, I have been practicing cross wind landings at and over the maximal recommended for the AA-5 I fly. Tricky at best, and no, nothing I would do in real life. Although, it is pretty cool landing 90 degrees to the strip with a 60kn cross wind perpendicular to the runway. You can basically hover! And that is where the danger comes in.
In the sim, I can loop, barrel roll, spin, and basically fly any way I want in the AA-5. I cannot believe that I would do this in real life, but I always have it in the back of my head, that yes, the sim let me do it, so maybe I can. Very dangerous. I have not survived flying into a simulated thunderstorm. Dead within minutes.
X-Plane has a plug in that allows it to couple with Air Navigation Pro on my i-Apple products allowing a further level of realism to my "sim-experience". Probably one of the best learning experiences I had at home was what to do if the iPad crashes or loses a GPS signal. How do I trouble shoot AND fly the a/c? Once again, I could painlessly practice this without endangering myself or anyone else. The lesson I learned was what everyone always says: fly the aircraft first. On the sim, you change pitch or direction without feeling it and you can get into trouble fairly quickly.
A good computer simulator is not a substitute for the real thing, but for praticing procedures, definitely worth it.
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