Banging my Head Against the Desk
Even though I love flying small GA in and out of grubby little airports in FSX, every now and then I feel the need to shake things up. Maybe it starts with a review, a few tasty screenshots, or some raves from fanboys about this or that new tubeliner. I get to thinking hey, I’ve never really given airliner flying a decent shot–maybe it’s time to give it a try. Then comes the purchase of a shiny new seven-something-seven, the reading of stacks of dense manuals, trying to work the tutorial flights, and finally… frustration. There was a time when I thought maybe my brain just wasn’t wired for learning complex flying like this. But you know what? I’m starting to think it’s not me.
We all have different learning styles. For instance, I find I pick up new skills radically faster if I see them being done than I do by reading about them. Give me a stack of manuals and I’ll be stuck inside them for days. Show me a video of what I’m supposed to do, and I’m doing it like a pro in an hour. It seems that most airliners developers are just the opposite type. They spin out reams of paper about this or that system, when all I really want in the beginning is to get in, familiarize myself with the plane, and get it in the air.
Before you squawk “Airliners are complex! You can’t just expect to hop in and fly!“, let me assure you I understand that. And hey, realism is what the sim game is all about – if I wanted a dumbed-down version of a complex plane, I’d fly the defaults. Surely though, there must be a happy medium. My favorite way to learn something complex is to first learn the bare-bones essentials. Once I’ve mastered them to the point of feeling semi-proficient, I like to add on layers of depth, exploring each new concept until I’ve drilled it permanently into my brain.
Here’s my ideal training curriculum for an airliner: start by telling me (or better yet, showing me in a video) the absolute basics about powering up the plane, programing the FMC, and performing the flight. At this point, it helps to have a little background about what I’m expected to do, a simple systems explanation so that I can logically assert that it’s important to do A because it affects B in such-and-such a way. Then, give me a super simplified checklist for doing what I was just shown, minus the depth of explanation. Let me do it a few times and get comfortable with the procedure. Then, and only then, begin to layer in deeper information such as FMC options, emergency procedures, etc. I guarantee you I’ll be up and running in no time.
Instead, what I’ve been through this week is trying to learn a new 737, reading the manuals, poring over the tutorials, and still not completing a single flight. Something always goes wrong and I wind up back at the manual or visiting the forums, trying to figure out what I did wrong this time. It ain’t much of a way to have fun.
So tell me, does this ring a bell with anyone else? Maybe I’m unique when it comes to my training needs, but I’ll bet I’m not. How do you approach learning a new skill, especially one as potentially daunting as piloting a big metal tube?
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
You hit it right on the button. The first thing I do before I buy a new jet is search for some good Youtube videos. If there isn’t anything, I don’t buy.
I think the publishers have really missed the boat on making the process of adoption easy. I’d consider buying more products if I could get up to speed more quickly on them, that’s for sure.
Thanks, Dan. The thing is, I understand that there are people who want to read the entire manual cover to cover before even getting into the plane. The problem is, that method doesn’t work for some of us. We need to get our hands on the controls and figure it out by doing. I agree whole-heartedly with you – give me Youtube vids. Please.
Totally with you on this Bill. You could have been describing me there.
It seems basic how-to videos are left to the users on YouTube to provide.
Tell you what, if I can ever figure out the vagaries of how to operate this particular 737, I’ll do some vids. The thing that keeps me trying is that it looks so damn good, and it seems to fly great… when I can get it configured, that is. After several days of doing the same preflight over and over, I am finally getting pretty quick at it though.
This is a tough one Mr. Wo. On the one hand I tend to agree with you about it being very complex. On the other hand…the learning is supposed to be fun, and if its not, maybe try stepping it up a little slower. Start with large slightly complex GA and then work your way up to the big boys. I also want to say that you are a scenery guru, and I am certain if you spent as much time flying the large planes as you do developing..then you would be a skybus guru also. I imagine making a good tutorial about any topic as you have done in the past is very time consuming. The last problem I see is that most of the people that use FS seem to be novices. When a novice makes a tutorial…then the end result is what u tend to find online most of the time. Just my two cents….propably not even worth that.
Mr. Wo… I like it! It’s got a real kung-fu master ring to it.
You’re right, the learning should be part of the fun. I think if I had more time to devote to it, I’d probably be enjoying that aspect more. Seeing as I’ve got maybe an hour or two here and there between projects, the disjointed nature of my training ramps up the frustration. Maybe that’s another aspect of what I’m on about – there should be a training route for those of us who aren’t retired and who can’t carve out more than a small block of time now and then to fly. As I said to another commenter, once I get proficient enough at this thing, I’ll be happy to do my part to make it happen.
You have certainly described my experience so far pretty accurately. And I can’t fault you on your ‘ideal curriculum’. My guess is that the teams who create these complex procedural add-ons always recruit someone who can write traditional manuals and don’t think outside the box and also find someone who is good at putting together a professional video tutorial.
What you are asking for is realistic. Airline pilots don’t begin their training in a Boeing 737. They learn in “layers”, working their way up through simpler planes. And they also spend a lot of time being shown how to do it by instructors in simulators and in very detailed training programs, including classroom presentations.
The problem is that we have the fsx simulator, but no instructors and no instruction programs. It’s like turning a real B-737 (with a manual, of course) over to a student and saying, “Go to it – teach yourself to fly!”
Maybe someone could develop a realistic and specific fsx simulated training program for one of these complex planes. The simulated training program could be based on a real-life aircraft training program. The fsx version could include classroom instruction as well as training with the simulator (There could be a function that would allow the student to shoot spit wads at the instructor when he is facing the chalkboard).
It’s always important to have an instructor who explains and demonstrates things (and who screams at you when you screw up!). I guess this would be kind of an improved version of the default Rod Machado fsx training programs, but for a specific plane, and without all of the glitches, bugs and bad jokes.
I have the same problem with the premium jets, I have one installed and have tried following the various documentation but usually miss a step somewhere and end up lost, so I put it aside and go back to a familiar small plane. The next airliner that I will buy will be one that Angle of Attack Productions has training videos for. I do not own any of the jet training but if they are as good as as the Aviator90 and Aviator Pro training then learning to fly that jet should not be a problem.
That’s a good point, Mike. Angle of Attack is a good example of what I’d like to see more of in training. Chris and I have talked a lot about this over the last couple of years, the idea that some people learn more quickly by seeing a flight in action than though exhaustive explanation of every system up front. I have to admit, part of my problem is that I jumped the gun on this particular (iFly) 737 instead of waiting for the PMDG version. Not that there’s anything wrong with iFly per se, but AoA is going to offer PMDG training, which will solve a lot of learning problems for some of us I suspect. That’s okay though, I’ll just get that one when it’s out, too!
Why is the readme instructions for adding scenery to FSX Win7 has different path for each islands: eg to add Saba takes you to different folders compare to when you are adding St. Kitts (from flightsim.com)
Uh… is this a misplaced comment, per chance? It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the discussion here.
Bill,
Truly “spot on”. I know exactly which 737 you are talking about and I’ve had many of the same frustrations you have experienced.
I learned a lot from watching this Youtube video.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SavaMarkovicPilot#p/u/13/_JSPkvbyL14
This was created with the FS9 version, but I found no differences with the FSX version.
I’m still learning as I go along. I have yet to read the 500+ page manual cover to cover and been approaching it from the perspective of reference only in trying to better understand all that I don’t know (and that is a lot). But this is still an awesome aircraft and a joy to fly.
Jerry
hehe!! we need a simulator for our simulator?
Bill,
By now, if you haven’t already obtained AOA’s training video’s, I have an offer for you. I’m sure your familiar with UTP and Captain Mike Ray http://www.utem.com/
His book on the Boeing 700 series is what your looking for in learning to fly a 737 in flightsim. If your interested, I’m willing to send you my copy. If you already have your own training material, let me know how you are progressing, I would enjoy flying with you someday on VATSIM of any server of you choice.
Thanks for the generous offer, Gary. I’ve started the AOA training series for the fantastic PMDG NGX (first episode was released today!) so I’m feeling much more optimistic than when I wrote this. I think I’ve got Mike Ray’s book around here in PDF form somewhere. Between the two of them, I’m sure I can nut how how to fly this monster properly. Once I get more comfortable, I’ll definitely take you up on the online flying offer.
Bill
I’m a bit late to this discussion but I want to endorse Chris Palmers AOA training. I’ve been using FS2000 right through to FSX. I have “self thought” the whole way and it was only when I took up flying for real (PPL) I realized that I have been doing Flight Simming so badly for many years. My favorite plane was the B737-800 but I had never learned to fly a GA. So, it was back to basics for me. I signed up to Aviator 90 to compliment my PPL training and I’m soon to sign up to Aviator Pro. After that I will take on the monstrous PMDG 737NG training. I would encourage anyone that is seriously interested in learning to fly to take on proper training ( such as AOA) to get the most out of modern Flight Simming software.
I do love what Chris and AOA are doing with their NGX training. My only complaint is the speed at which the new lessons are being released. It’s hardly worth mentioning though, as Chris is already painfully aware of how long things are taking. When they do release a new lesson, it’s always a keeper.
I am with you on that. I bought the ifly 737 ng did the tutorial and got it in the air flying ok but have not flown it since because the start up procedure is lengthy.
I can admire the depth of the sim and also the time it takes to master the simulated machine. Perhaps if I was retired I would have more “tube” time but for me I think an old beater plane in a “grubby” airfield and a hundred dollar burger suits me fine. Ps just picked up your Dillingham gem love it!
I’m a bit late to this discussion and I did my learning of how to fly airliners a long time ago.
The thing that strikes me, though, is that it does depend a lot on what one wants to do. What applies to the B737 usually applies to the B747-400, B757, B767 and B777. I’ve never seen a real or decent sim B787 to comment on that. Importantly, though, 99% of it also applies to an Airbus, an Embraer, a JetStream, a Gulfstream, a DASH8… The basics apply regardless of what Flight Management System you are using, it’s just the method of putting it in that changes.
Rather than worrying about the FMS at first, what I always do is learn the aircraft’s “default” autoflight modes, so I can take over when the FMS loses the plot. With some aircraft (mentioning no Infamous FS Boeing Developers), this also saves the last-minute nosedive into the runway caused by the critical bug that wasn’t tested in yet another patch.
But heck. I managed to talk Nick C through setting up an entire flight in a B757 in less than an hour. It’s not that complicated, really, if you break it down.