some nice feedback...

[Keith Smith]

Two nice emails in the past week or so:

Hello, Keith,
Having learned to control the X-Plane's built-in C172 adequately to reach destinations, I connected to Pilot Edge yesterday for the 1st time. I have now taken 4 short VFR flights yesterday and today, and Pilot Edge is fantastic! Having knowledgeable (expert) controllers provide real-time feedback and corrections is really valuable, and with them, each flight has been a learning opportunity. This is such an effective supplement to real-world flying, and while my spouse may pass by with a bemused glance at the computer peripherals, there is no scorn as there is with burning actual fuel.
I'm very impressed with what you have put together, and please tell the controllers how good they are.


Pre-solo in Pennsylvania,
Scott

and

I have been pc flight simulation for a while
Not only the financial investment but [so] many hours of involvement
I heard about PILOTEDGE and curiously signed up
The knowledge I have acquired during this short period is more than all the many years of my pc flight simulation
I appreciate and thank you all
I am appealing to all who feel intimidated to come to PILOTEDGE. You will be treated with respect and professionalism

[Keith Smith]

A nice one from Sonny Borba

I started using PilotEdge a few months ago as a simulator enthusiast. I have to admit that I was quite nervous to get started but once I did, I really enjoyed it. I have only clocked about 20 hours on the network but it has been a very valuable experience. My realization of this came when I finally took my first real flying lesson last week to get started on my private pilot license. I had mentioned to the instructor that I had been using PilotEdge and he was familiar with the service although had never tried it. During that first lesson of mine he let me handle ALL radio communication with ATC. We were flying around locally and I received a departure frequency and [squawk] code as well as having to make adjustments to my route due to incoming commercial traffic. I have to say that out of all the things I was thinking about up there, the radio was the easiest for me. It shocked my instructor and he has since said that he is pushing PilotEdge on all of his students!


Just thought I would share that with you.

Thanks!

[theluckyone17]

Whoever is controlling tonight (specifically covering KSMO Tower) deserves kudos. It was busy, had a couple new pilots on, and that controller handled it with professionalism and patience. Pilotedge continues to earn my subscription.

[barcman1967]

To whomever the controller who was on tonight. Nice Job! I was on a flight from Big Bear City to KONT. I heard the same controller on all frequencies (LA CTR, SOCAL Appr and SOCAL Dep. ONT tower and everything in between. It was obvious it was VERY busy tonight and this guy was the epitome of calm, cool and collected....especially when I heard there were some pilots who were having issues. All said - WICKED JOB1!!

To Keith Smith: You are the man! I joined PE after doing flight sim for years and years of self-controlling ATC and approach clearances. Like an idiot, i got on PE, and tried to do a TEC route in total IFR......(KONT to KCRQ)....woops, more to this!!! with all the frequency changes and being controlled, I learned I don't know S$%& about flying in a controlled environment and that was even after watching EVERY PE workshop. So.....during a workshop, a very wise workshop host talked a lot about learning an aircraft and about learning to walk before you run (or in my case, learning to crawl before I walk). Truer words were never uttered. Instead of trying to fly IFR in a BE20 I am flying strictly VFR in a BE58 and getting back to basics of flying while switching frequencies and such.

Thanks to all of you!!! your product is amazing and is making me a better Sim Pilot every day!!! Keep it up!!!!

And - good luck with your future business expansion.......

[barcman1967]

Controller Feedback - Great Job!!!!

To whomever the controller was who was on tonight at between Nov 29 between 0200 and 0230 Zulu and was controlling KONT.....NICE JOB!!!

I flew KAPV to KONT and heard you on multiple frequencies...I always have the PE Live Map running on my second screen and I saw how crazy busy it was tonight. I know Keith has reduced and/or eliminated "flapsless" ( ) but you were crazy composed and unflappable overall with all your sectors to be covered.

However.......it was on approach to KONT that it got crazy....there was a lot of traffic and you got it done...I was so amazed with your traffic observations and control that I almost stalled out. There was a tonne of stuff going on, including some really fast air just in the KONT area plus I imagine you had other sectors to think about.

Amazing job dude!!!!

It's controllers like yourself that make PE the premiere service - I wish all of you the best and I thank each of you!!

[Mudhen]

I second the ^ tribute.
I flew twice today; IFR SAN to LAS, and closed traffic at Ontario with the F-4.
Great situational awareness by the controller as well as keeping pilots informed of other traffic.
In one of his replies concerning why this shift was so long, he said, “…because it’s fun.”
How cool is that?
Lates…

P.S. Beware the chickens

[barcman1967]

Yep, "because it is fun"resonated with me too......

The more crazy it got, the more he got into it...... awe-some!!!!

Cheers!

[ianwild]

Apologies for the slightly meandering post but here's my testimonial to the power of Pilotedge...

I'm a reasonably competent PPL, 200 hours in, with a bit of instrument time in the UK but pretty much VFR all the way. During my primary training I discovered FSX (with a Trackir and good scenery) was a fantastic way to consolidate my lessons and I credit it with the reason I got my license in minimum hours.

I've found simulation to be a useful tool for lots of learning flying things, so when I moved to California it made sense to use Pilotedge to help me get familiar with the ATC system and airspace, and as a bonus Keith's webinar's and the tutorials got me interested in and were a natural introduction to IFR flying. I like a mission and had a lot of fun doing the I-ratings without giving it a lot more thought.

To cut a long story short, last week I'd scheduled a lesson out of Palo Alto to restore rental currency at the school. I woke up to the instructor (who I'd never met) calling me to cancel our lesson because of solid IMC, but I was keen to fly and asked about trying my hand at RW IFR given we had the plane scheduled and I'd obtained a pass for the day. He agreed to let me have a go and said he'd watch me and make corrections as we went. I filed two IFR flight plans in Foreflight, picked up my clearance, flew the Departure, got vectored lots, flew the ILS at Sacramento with a 1000ft ceiling and then turned round and did it in reverse. Fair enough I didn't hand fly much of it and in a G1000 aircraft there's a lot of help, but at the end of the lesson the instructor simply would not believe that was my first RW IFR flight. If that's not a great testimonial for the power of Pilotedge and simulation in general, I can't think what is!

So now I'm extremely motivated to get my Instrument Rating, and I reckon Pilotedge is going to be a ridiculously useful part of that process. All I think I need is some good missions to make it a bit more fun - maybe the Alphabet challenge or FSeconomy will do it, but I'd kill for some more structured I-ratings as well.

Cheers!

Ian

[barcman1967]

hey, congrats on that. Shows your committment and skill - and how PE continues to help both RW and SIM pilots learn!!!!

[schwed]

I've been flying on PE for a few months. I am a PPL and just started working towards my instrument ticket.

Last week I flew (real life) from KLOM to KLNS with my instructor. It was night-IMC We did a low approach at Lancaster as weather was below minimums, went missed and then back to our home airport.

I did everything on my own from picking up a clearance, to hand flying the plane (no autopilot), setting up frequencies, speaking with ATC,etc.
After we landed my instructor told me this was a tough flight being that it was night IMC. I told him I had nothing to compare it to since it was the first time in my life I had flown IFR.....

My point is, I was able to transfer all the skills I got from flying on PE to the real thing. Going from NEVER flying in the system to flying night-IMC was pretty remarkable.

Needless to say, I have nothing but the outmost respect for the challenges that flying in IMC (day or night) bring. I knew I had a very competent, experienced and proficient pilot on the right seat and I am well aware that this flight is many orders of magnitud above my personal limits.

Still, it was very rewarding to see that all that "play time" on my home sim with PE would translate into a real and tangible skill set.

Great service and I look forward to many more hours on the network