MaxSez: Ya it’s IF and you can just light the fire and zoom. But wait, let’s keep it real! Think real world every time you strap on an aero plane when you open the App. Run a check list in your mind or with an add on. At a minimum do a “walk around”, check the control surfaces, fuel check, calibrate then route plan prior to contacting ground or Unicom for taxi. These are rote action that will become indelibly fixed in your psyche should you matriculate to a real “left seat”.
Now the cautionary tale from a RW incident report:
I had a student meeting me for a lesson [early in the morning]. My student was running late, so I performed the preflight and got the aircraft ready to fly. It was cold out, so once I pulled the aircraft out I hopped into the aircraft to stay warm and let my student know where I was (newer student) and that the aircraft was ready to fly.
He showed up shortly after, and we got ready to go and started up and went on with the lesson. I had left the tow bar on the front of the aircraft nose wheel. I did not notice it or remember it at the time. The tow bar didn’t make any noise I could hear as it scraped across the ground, but looking back it did seem a little more difficult to steer than usual, but not enough to raise a flag. Not outside of the realm of possibility for a Cessna in my experience.
On takeoff I heard a bump that sounded like a door opening. I looked around, didn’t see anything unusual and continued with the lesson. We landed, and as soon as I looked in the back of the aircraft for the bar I immediately knew what happened. I called the Tower, they sent Operations to find the tow bar (it was on the runway), and then I went and told my Chief Pilot. I ordered a new tow bar for the aircraft and maintenance took a look to make sure nothing was damaged. No damage occurred.
Factors that I believe led to this:
not getting a great nights rest beforehand
I have a new job as a first officer, so flight instruction is now a side job, lack of consistency in instruction
it was cold, so I rushed my preflight and hopped inside the aircraft to wait for student
inconsistent chain of events (normally my student is with me for preflight)
it was dark, sun was just starting to rise
Analyzing the event:
steering was slightly abnormal, but still maneuverable with nose steering
takeoff I heard an unusual bump
Had I correlated these at the time it would have been evident what had occurred.
ScandinavianSez: Yes! I do fully agree with this. Since it is IF all you have to do is start up the engines and fly. But it makes it so much better when you actually run a checklist through your mind and actually do RW procedures. It makes the flight so much more enjoyable.
MaxSez: At a minimum this Pilot got a filed Incident Rpt on the record which included the FOD runway closure which interrupted operations.
Not a good thing on an instructor certification at renewal or FAA inquiry. Pilot Error reports follow you forever…
MaxSends
Strangely I’ve actually had a control failure once in IF (no idea what went wrong with my phone lol). I always do an ATC check though (as in I make sure google TTS hasn’t decided to crash), since the fact that an incoming ATC message directed at mt aircraft interupts the message currently read makes it easy to tell when I receive an instruction.
Agree. I always do an intricate pre-flight activities on IF, such as:
Capturing flight plan;
Setting up the third party apps (IFA, IFO);
Reviewing the departure and arrival airports charts, and so on.
Anyway, you simulate as a pilot, you may as well do the documentation prior flying. Even though it took me at least 15 mins. but still, its kinda feel the realism.
@Ren: MaxSez: 15 minute we’ll spent… If your gonna “Do It”, “Do it Right”… Every action you take on IF initiates a re-action! A correct procedural action here sets a mind/memory procedure that will follow you for a life time flyin, driven…ect. Rote Memory is fixed, at 78 I still recall my first instructed walk around…and just do it sameway every time. pass it on…
Regards, MaxSez
@xsrvmy. MaxSez: Noted. Like you I’ve had my WIFI drops, unexplained disconnect from the active server causing time and XP Loss, A truck load of Overspeed violations due to AutoPilot drops even with Assistant installed due to inattention or while modifying a FltPlan.
Comm for years have been 5x5 for me . My only gripe on Comm’s is the lack of Pilot Friendly request/Cmds. This issue has been addressed numerous time and never acted in. Controller Comm menu has been updated multiple times, Pilots menu remains stagnant and in the weeds.
Do nice work, Max
I remember on my first flight lesson my instructor said to check and re check everything on the aircraft because because that one flight could be the day something fails and when flying a plane it is better to discover something on the ground than in the air
@KyleDepra… MaxSez: Well ok! So much for realism. I do note the developers have attempted to satisfy even the 10% among us who want to play with switches, toggels and doodads . . The last change certainly was a Great Leap Forward since your maiden flight in 2016. They say you can satisfy most of the people most of the time. Unfortunately you’ll have to wait like the 9o% of we happy campers.
Happy Landing! G’day, Max
You should check that your controls are working properly. This is actually done during engine start I think. Check that pitch actually moves the magenta bar moves.
Throughout my time using and promoting this simulator, I have found one of the most crucial and important aspects and selling points to be the practicality and intuitiveness of the simulator – the fact that you can simply sit down, whip out your mobile device (whatever this be, wherever you may be, so long as you have an internet connection), and simply fly. A great trump card over some of the PC-based simulators where it can take hours just to work out how to start up your 737 - even though Infinite Flight is becoming more and more abreast with this level of realism with every day that goes by.
I do appreciate your point, and believe this is extremely pertinent for most situations whilst flying on Infinite Flight - especially when flying on the expert server. The saying ‘prior planning prevents poor performance’ is a one that should be kept in the back of everyone’s minds all the time when flying in Infinite Flight!
But, I’d also like to say that some of my favourite flights are those that have been completely unplanned to an extent. I think it’s important to highlight to people that pre-flight checks are what you make of them. Whilst some are imperative at all times, you don’t need to come up with a full routing for flying some VFR around your local aerodrome. Planning to have a bit of fun in an F-14 racing others? No preflight checks really required if you’re goofing around on the casual server.
So yes, pre-flight checks are necessary most of the time, at varying degrees - especially if planning flights in busy airspace on the expert server, in my opinion. A necessity in this simulator? That’s up for debate. They can add more realism, and can make your experience more immersive and engaging, but can also be a massive turn-off when not needed - they’re not necessary to experience the spirit and joys of flight in this instance.
I think it’s great that people can ‘carry their passion’ whichever way they’d like - an hour long start-up and taxi, or a simple startup and quick VFR flight up in the air in a matter of minutes. As I’ve said above, one of the best things about this simulator in my opinion - choice and flexibility!
@Adam_Williams. MaxSez: Excellent teaching point and summation of the IF Universe a-crossed the board my scholarly shipmate. I find your second quoted point to be the most salient for this Topic. Most here are goal oriented with access to Expert their golden ring. En-route to the goal all Fledglings concerned should be familiar with
the 6 P’s you brought to mind which will be the subject of a future Fledgling Topic. Thanks for the memory bump.
Respectfully, Max