How do you practice?

[Mik3]

When you guys are on a simulator how do you practice? I have been using RC Desk Pilot as my sim mainly because it's free. I do have fun in the simulator but I also try and do some serious practice. I was just wondering if you guys have methods that really help you master orientation and certain techniques so that you can translate them to the real world.

One thing that bugs me about RCDP is the POV from the ground. It seems like my peripheral vision gets skewed. and I can think I am way up in the air but I am actually close to the ground resulting in a crash.

Just looking for some advice, thanks

 

[rcspaceflight]

I usually fly around at full speed in RCDP, which is a bad habit. I really need to attempt perfect coordinated turns. And learn how to balance throttle with elevator to keep the plane level. But I have fun and that's all that matters. My constant flying at full throttle is why I made the Birddog under powered. You have to be gentle on the controls to fly that plane, otherwise you lose too much speed and crash.

You could always zoom in on the line of sight view in RCDP. I know a lot of times I end up flying based on how the camera is moving. It's a lot easier to keep track of your plane in real life, but there are still times when you can't tell which end is which, you can only tell where the plane is. So you have to base orientation on where/how the plane is moving. Once in real life I swore I turned my plane towards me but it was getting smaller and smaller, so I had to do a quick 180 before I lost it. So following the camera is probably a great way to learn orientation. Also feel free to look away from the monitor for a few seconds and then try to recover the plane. Building the muscle memory to do a quick correction will save planes in real life.

But to become an all around better pilot you should practice figure 8s, flying in a clockwise oval and a counterclockwise oval. Taking off, turning around, flying to the other end of the runway, turn to land and landing right away is good to learn too. Also practice loops where you actually get into and out of the loop at the same altitude. Flying inverted. Knife edge. Flat turns. The B-29 is a great plane to practice flying invert with. But probably start with something easier. The FT BB or FT 3D is great for learning a knife edge.

 

[makattack]

I like using simulators to practice as others have mentioned, emphasizing the flight pattern practice. I will think to myself before the flight "ok, take off, make two coordinated right turns, two left, roll inverted, climb into a negative G loop, make approach to land in the same direction as my take off, etc.

Pre-plan a flight, and try to stick to it. That really makes for a great challenge and translates into real-world skills that can help.

 

[Epitaph]

I find simulators are good for reflexes and testing out aircraft types, but little more. I am always disorientated when looking up as I can't see where I am in relation to the field... With the physical aspect of "have I turned? Which way am I facing?" no longer there, I am missing a vital sence, and all this added to my periferal vision which I've learned to rely on since I was little. Also, depth perception is very taxed, there's the "I can't feel the wind" factor, etc... I know I can add the onscreen compass, or the wind indicater and all those, but then you would be asking my eyes to do.something that on the field my other sences are trained to do. Hence, for me, simulators are really just a game for me, only being as close to reality as "The Sims" are to real people.

 

[rcspaceflight]

You can enable 3D on RCDP. You just need red and blue 3D glasses. *tries it for first time* Ow, my eyes. It hurtz me eyezz.

 

[Epitaph]

I use Phoenix, and I've never had good results with 3D glasses of any kind, as my brain can't help but try to see through the jumble to get to the underlying truth... blue lens, red lens... blue pill, red pill...

 

[Dreamwalker]

When I first started, I was totally disoriented. I quickly discovered to use "landmarks" to keep me somewhat over the runway.

1) the sun. (It's over your left shoulder)

2)The white tent (It's to your right and slightly behind you)

3) The windmills on the far hill (they're just left of center on the runway)

4) The two trees off the right end of the runway (they're kind of small and waaay off the end of the runway )

To keep from losing my orientation to the ground, I throttle back and slow down as much as possible.
I slowly drop altitude untill I see the "landmarks".
I speed up ,just a bit, and figure out where I am in relation to the runway,then I try to land.

You can also try different view setting. Try the "Chase plane" view to get a lay of the land and to pick out your landmarks. Try it, it's fun.

You can also press the "I" key, on your keyboard, and airspeed & altitude info will appear in the upper left of the screen.
Use it to get an idea how high you are in relation to what you're seeing.

With practice I've gotten much better at avoiding the ground and landing, but sometimes I still crash.:black_eyed:

... Pre-plan a flight, and try to stick to it. That really makes for a great challenge and translates into real-world skills that can help.

Great advice makattack.
I do the same, but I focus on landing. I tend to fly too slow and Warbirds don't like to fly that slow on landing.
I practice "flying" the plane to the ground.
I have also edited some of the FT planes to be really "twitchy" to help me learn controlled , small stick movements.

 

[adamd]

i mostly use it to practice 3d and smooth glider flying. but like already stated make a small flight plan with some landmarks to fly too, figure 8s, a few touch and gos, then a landing. repeat. try with little gusts and breezes for crosswind landings if you use Phoenix ( i have never used rcdp). to be honest let yourself go wild every once in a while too and have fun on a sim it doesn't cost you anything to crash. stick time is 90% how you learn so just keep at er!

 

[Epitaph]

I play it, but that's it... "play". A simulator is supposed to simulate, and whilst it simulates the plane pretty well, it doesn't simulate my interaction with the plane well...

Just because I can play FPS games, doesn't make me ready to go to Afghanistan (unless it's controlling an RC terminator with a PlayStation controller!)!

Also, when I started flying there were no simulators, so I guess I'm too oldschool

 

[adamd]

sims are a great way to get rid of the dumb thumb syndrome!

 

[Epitaph]

My thumb doesm't go dumb... I'm a pincher, and sometimes I even pinch transmitter sticks!

 

[Craftydan]

Yeah, the only cure for dumb thumbs is amputation . . . but a self-flagulating pinch or two might help . . .

Sims are perfect for two things -- orentation and instinctive control.

Once you've got the hang of zipping around the field without thinking about it, I'd reccomend practicing loosing orentation. Pick a slower/agile model, gain some altitude (ALT = time) and in one smooth motion, glance away and start a snap-roll (left and right stick to the top corner, release when back to level . . . normally). neutral your sticks at a random but short delay and look back . . . CRAP! It's in a wierd orentation! Is it going up? down? inverted? away? toward?

You've got whatever random altitude and airspeed you have left to establish orentation, and get it back under control. sometimes, it's just a leveling of the wings . . . sometimes it's not so simple.

Start with a light floaty model with good agility (a profile foamy is typially a good place to start) and start picking things that are faster and less agile -- less room for error. It should help to speed up the "which way am I going" and reenforce the instenctive "which way do I need to go".

 

[adamd]

Yeah, the only cure for dumb thumbs is amputation . . . but a self-flagulating pinch or two might help . . .

you'll never take me alive!!!
tried it, hate it, makes my hands cramp. i have been flying with thumbs for too long to switch now, though i have to admit it does feel more precise. (thats all you will get from me! dirty pinchers!! )

on phoenix, the buddies and I will set the engine failure to random with a selected location to try to fly to before the engines shut off. when they do you have to try and fly back to home under deadstick. works best with the b-17 and a lot of laughs passing around the controller in the house.

 

[ofiesens2]

"Pick a slower/agile model, gain some altitude (ALT = time) and in one smooth motion, glance away and start a snap-roll (left and right stick to the top corner, release when back to level . . . normally). ".

I have never figured this out. In a snap roll, does the rudder go the same or opposite direction of the ailerons?

 

[Epitaph]

Probably cramped your hands because you are trying to pinch on a thumbsie designed radio, and probably trying to hold it at the same time. Tray radios are designed to place the hand in a confortable position for pinching much like you would hond a pen when writing... Unless you're one of these weird people that bends your index finger back on the pen like some people insist on writing. I have no idea how they can write like that

I tried using chopsticks once with thumbs only... Not only imprecise, but leaves you hungry after!!

 

[adamd]

Probably cramped your hands because you are trying to pinch on a thumbsie designed radio, and probably trying to hold it at the same time. Tray radios are designed to place the hand in a confortable position for pinching much like you would hond a pen when writing... Unless you're one of these weird people that bends your index finger back on the pen like some people insist on writing. I have no idea how they can write like that

I tried using chopsticks once with thumbs only... Not only imprecise, but leaves you hungry after!!

LOL!

yes I was! thumb and index to pinch, with ring and pinky finger holding the controller. also I tried with the rx just hanging from the strap but that's too weird feeling. ill try it some more to get use to it then ill pick up one of those 9xr trays if i decide to stay. you multirotor and heli guys seem to all use the pinch. must be just so relaxing flying a plane that i've grown too lazy to bring up my index finger .

 

[Epitaph]

LOL!

yes I was! thumb and index to pinch, with ring and pinky finger holding the controller. also I tried with the rx just hanging from the strap but that's too weird feeling. ill try it some more to get use to it then ill pick up one of those 9xr trays if i decide to stay. you multirotor and heli guys seem to all use the pinch. must be just so relaxing flying a plane that i've grown too lazy to bring up my index finger .

Actually, I'm mainly a sloper hehehe. Although I do have a microheli that is more headaches to figure it out, and I do want to get into multirotors, but show me a slope and I'm a happy little filly

 

[Dumpster Jedi]

I'm on Phoenix 5 and use it for orientation and instinct development as Dan said. I also use it to get a better feel for the differing flight characteristics between aircraft. I recently purchased a low-wing sport plane and having never flown something of the like, I've been spending a lot of sim time with A GeeBee, which is probably the most similar model to my Denight Special (low wing, large fuse/small tail combo). Hopefully this will take some of the stress out of the maiden, as I'm learning how a plane like this behaves in the sky, such as altitude loss during high-angle banking and low-speed behavior that seems a little different than the planes I've flown before.

 

[rcspaceflight]

I agree that a simulator is just like a game. It can be a useful tool, but it's basically just a video games. But I like video games. Plus all of the planes I've made for RCDP last sooooooo much longer than anything I've built in real life.

Sims do make you a better RC pilot. But only so far. I think the main thing is mental. If you're a confident pilot, you fly a lot better than if you're stressed or nervous. A sim can build the needed confidence for success.

 

[Epitaph]

I'm not a gamer, so I'm at a disadvantage! In fact the only games I play are Lineage II and the android My Little Pony game (apart from the odd Phoenix, of course hehehe)!