PilotEdge Forums

Up until a couple days ago I thought as a long time sim pilot very occasional vatsim user that I actually knew a little bit about Aviation and flying. I have flown everything from ga to airliners. I learned that I was pretty wrong about this.

I have historically almost exclusively flown single player. The last time I was really into flight simming a lot just before xplane11 came out and I was doing some vatsim flying one of the controllers told me about pilotedge. I was just trying vatsim for the first time and wasn't really that comfortable with it so stepping up the reality level wasn't something I was interested in at the time.

I recently fired up xplane11 and gotten all of my airplanes updated and other related software and I had a lot of interest in looking at Pilot Edge. I signed up for the free trial looked at the first flight and it looked easy so I logged in and gave it a shot.

What I discovered is I really only know how to fly IFR with a pre-planned Flight Plan. I don't know anything about VFR flying at all.

I made a ton of mistakes.

There was another pilot and Oceania so I listen to his calls and after he departed I made my calls and started heading to San Luis. I use the Sandy spot as my visual reference, what's funny is it was the first time I've ever used a visual reference for navigation. I always rely on GPS or some other navigational Aid.

I made my call to the Tower and I did not get a response. So I started checking around the cockpit to see what I did wrong, look like I tuned the radio right, but I discovered I didn't even have my transponder on. Something I never really even worried about when flying single player.

Realizing I had screwed up big-time and I was approaching the class D at San Luis so I went ahead and just disconnected from pilotedge still a bit nervous.

So I learned I need to follow the checklist better. I also learned I really don't know how to enter a pattern VFR. And I can probably go on listing the other things that I don't know here but I think you're getting the point.

Pilotedge really seems like a serious resource for guys who are actually trying to fly and while I can say yeah I am trying to fly, but it is just a hobby.

So my question is does a buffoon like me really have any business getting in the way of you guys in your airspace here.

I used to do a lot of online gaming. It started about 200 years ago with Battlezone, (aka ‘BZ’,) then into Medal of Honor, Doom, Call of Duty, et al.
Before online, I used to play all the single player levels and thought I was pretty good. When I found BZ online I thought I should be able to hold my own.
*Buzzer sound*
I got worked like Homer Simpson skateboarding off Springfield Gorge. Online was a whole new gig.

When Third Wire released Strike Fighters Project 1, I did the same routine. Flew all the single players, then went online and got hammered.
But I was really enjoying the interaction, and, before long I really was holding my own. I got to meet peeps who enjoyed the same interests, chat lobbies were cool, and it was fun to see myself improving.
I used to design airplanes for X-Plane 7. It was fun but time consuming and although there are many who rage about the qualities of X-Plane, for me, something was missing.

Then I stumbled on MilViz’s T-38. I had been out of gaming for some time, but loved what I saw. So I spooled up for FSX and started flying the T-38, but…something was missing.
I started googling online ATC, watched a few vids of various servers and then stumbled on to P/E. When I flew FSX single player I thought I could hold my own. But adding P/E to mix launched me into a whole new level.

The point I’m trying to make is this. When I flew single player I could hold my own, but I wasn’t really getting tested to improve. And to be honest, if I’m my only standard and judge, then of course I can hold my own.
Adding P/E to the mix set a standard, other than my own, that forced me to improve, or flail down Springfield Gorge. I chose to improve.

If you’re satisfied with single player hops, then enjoy the two week trial and bail. But if you really want to add to the realism, force yourself to improve, and just enjoy the interaction, then join up.

I would say that this is the VERY network for you.

The realization that you have limited knowledge of VFR operations should also clue you into how much you think you know about IFR but don't as well.

Much of the VFR operations are the foundation of IFR flight.

But... rather than staying on the network and solely learning by trial and error, please check out the free PilotEdge Workshops.

Those can be found on the main PE site under "Pilot Center". Start your way from the bottom of the page and work your way up. You won't believe what an hour of one of those videos will do for your knowledge!

Then once done with those workshops- consider proceeding through the CAT and IFR ratings. Those can also be found in the Pilot Center.

Ask all the questions you can on these forums. There is a wealth of knowledge here.

I appreciate the encouragement, I did find the workshop videos and have watched the first one on charts. I learned a ton.

My main concern is just screwing something up for somebody else and ruining someone else's immersion.

Stick and rudder is not going to be a challenge for you. However, if you've been single player this whole time, then there is world of airspace and communications which you likely haven't wrapped your head around just yet.

In the real world, pilots learn VFR in single engine trainers and slowly work their way into IFR and multi-engine transport category jets. This is not the path of the typical simmer, though, so you end up with a community of pilots who know how to start and go through a subset of normal ops in a transport category jets, but likely have significant gaps in their knowledge on many of the fundamentals. With the advent of high fidelity ATC environments, multiplayer networks and some reasonable training material, it's possible to start with a clean slate and really learn what VFR is all about, and then move back to IFR with a much stronger foundation.

You're on the right track...go through the workshops as Kyle suggested. Stop when you get to the IFR material.

In the case of your specific flight, a simple solution would've been to loiter in Class E (ie, remain outside of the Delta) while you debugged the audio issue. Or, if that failed, simply turn around and land back at L52.

Work through the workshops and CAT ratings...that should put you in good shape. Feel free to ask questions here or in real-time on our Discord (there's 170+ people there).

Thank you Keith, this is a classy operation you have here. Very impressed!

Classy operation!
You want to hear it in 7 hours time when I’m guessing well over 50 pilots will be online racing to Vegas for a weekend of fun.

I was able to get in a couple flights over the weekend at uncontrolled airports. Was a hoot. Did the cat-1 and a few other short flights. Starting to get used to talking on the radio.

Not to unnecessarily re-up an old thread, but am I ever happy I found this one. I am feeling/exactly the same thing at the moment. Made a right mess of things today—due to a stuck mike problem I have yet to cure. So, in reading this, I shall press on tomorrow—at a completely deserted and remote airfield where I can test comms. From watching video and reading I do get the sense it’s worth it!

Sounds to me like it’s absolutely for you. You’re transitioning from playing flight sim as a game to playing flight sim as a simulation of aviation. I’ve been flying flight sim since the Apple IIe but before PE didn’t really know a thing about how the real aviation system actually works or how to navigate VFR or IFR. Now next week I’m flying a VFR solo cross country real world. For me PE has made flight sim an infinitely more gratifying hobby, in part because I have learned so much. Stick with it and we will see you on the network.