Online Pilot Course
Online Pilot Course
Online Pilot Course
2
For Simulation
Purposes only. Not to
FLIGHT PREPARATION
be used for real world Issue 1.5 14/02/12
flight. and CLOSE DOWN
1 INTRODUCTION
This series of tutorials for the CIX VFR Club are based on real world flight
training. Each document focuses on a small part only of the necessary skills
required to fly a light aircraft, and by echoing real world training, you will be
a better Flight Simulator pilot and get more enjoyment out of the hobby as a
result.
These tutorials are written specifically for the Flight Simulator Default
Cessna 172. Some details will be different for other aircraft.
You should read Exercise 1 before continuing with this tutorial.
2 OBJECT
The aim of this exercise is to prepare an aircraft for flight from a cold and
dark condition, and to close down the aircraft to a cold and dark condition
at the end of the flight.
3 DEFINITION
Cold and Dark is the aviation term for an aircraft in the same condition as
your car parked in your driveway. The engine is not running, the ignition
key is out and the lights and radio turned off. In a piston engined aircraft,
that means engines shut down, magnetos off, fuel valve(s) shut, radios off,
all electrical power switched off, master switch off and keys out. It is just a
little more complex than a car.
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The CIX VFR Club Flight Training Notes Exercise
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The CIX VFR Club Flight Training Notes Exercise
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such as GoFlight control units it is easy to display and set QFE in millibars,
giving zero feet at ground level, but this is not essential.
6 PRE-FLIGHT CHECKS
In Flight Simulator the detailed walk-round pre-flight check carried out in
the Real World is superfluous, but there are several sets of checks which
remain essential. They mimic the real world checks, though the obviously
pointless checks (seat belts tight for instance) have been omitted. However,
if you are one of those people (we wont tell anyone) who enjoys being
strapped down in go ahead anyway and check their tightness!
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*Lead Fouling
Aviation gasoline (AVGAS) has a high tetraethyl lead content. Consequently,
aircraft piston engines are susceptible to the plugs becoming covered in
small fibrous particles of lead when the plugs are operating below their
designed temperature (typically when the engine is idling) and the fuel
mixture is set to rich). This can prevent sparking. This aspect of engine
performance is not simulated in Flight Simulator.
To avoid this problem in the real world, the engine is always run at a
minimum of 1200 r.p.m. when on the ground. The parking brake will need
to be ON therefore, particularly on a hard surface, as with the engine at
1200 r.p.m. most light aircraft will otherwise move forward.
If you wish, you can also set the NAV 1 radio to a suitable VOR transmitter
and the ADF receiver to the airfield NDB, which can help navigation if you
know how to use the information these instruments give you. Technically,
you are flying by reference to ground features, so using radio navigation aids
is unnecessary, but most pilots do use them as a backup in VFR flight. In
Flight Simulator, the VOR instrument is coupled to the DME instrument (in
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the real world, they are usually separate), so in FS, not only will you receive
bearing information, but also a distance readout on the DME box. For
definitions and explanations of these abbreviations, see The IMC Rating.pdf
available for download from the Club web site.
7 CONNECTING TO VATSIM
Logging on to the VATSIM server via a pilot client
Opening Servinfo or Vatspy and using the data
Checking for any ATCUs in the area to be flown
Checking VATSIM weather (may be different from real world weather at the
chosen location)
Disabling VATSIM weather if necessary for VFR flight
Creating a VATSIM Flight Plan (within the Pilot Client)
Entering VFR Route details (optional just VFR may be entered)
Essential entry in comment box Cix VFR Club
Optional entries in comment box /V/ (voice) /D/ (Daylight) Trainee/Newbie
Saving a plan for future use
Sending a Flight Plan to the VATSIM servers
Setting the Transponder. VFR Code 7000; CAS Conspicuity codes; Mode C.
8 TAXYING
Taxy slowly. The airspeed indicator should read a small deflection from zero,
and certainly not anywhere near the minimum figure on the dial (40 knots).
Make small steering adjustments to avoid tail swing which occurs in Flight
Simulator, although it is unrealistic. The tail swing can get so bad that you
lose directional control and can even tip over. The FS2004 and FSX Piper
Cub is particularly prone to high speed taxying loss of control and ground
looping. Very embarrassing.
a) Trim set in for take off (marked T/O next to the trim wheel).
Use
dedicated yoke buttons, or the mouse or the (Numeric keypad 1 and
7 to adjust.
b) Throttle friction nut tight (not simulated in FS)
c) Mixture lever set to fully rich (Red knob pushed in towards the
instrument panel, or mixture lever on yoke, or key Ctrl-F4.
d) Magnetos (Ignition switch) on Both.
e) Primer in and locked (only simulated on the Club C172N)
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9 AFTER FLIGHT
Just as it is more realistic to start up from Cold and Dark before flight, so it
is equally satisfying to shut down properly after flight.
a) Parking Brake ON (Shift .)
b) Mixture fully lean to stop engine. Pull red knob out with mouse, or
mixture lever on yoke, or key Ctrl-F1.
c) Ignition switch or magneto switches to OFF (3 mouse clicks on the left
of the switch in the Cessna 172).)
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The CIX VFR Club Flight Training Notes Exercise
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10 REFUELLING
You may not always have the time to refuel properly so you use the menus
to enter the amount of fuel you wish to carry. This is usually 100% - full
tanks - of course. In the real world, aircraft tend to be parked with full
tanks to avoid water condensation forming in the otherwise empty space
above the fuel. Water in an aircrafts fuel tanks is always a VERY BAD
thing! The water tends to reach the carburettor shortly after the throttle is
opened fully, which is generally when you are 20 feet off the ground, nose
high and slow. The engine stops and Houston, we have a problem.
So, where you can, refuel at the end of a flight. Park near the fuel pumps
thoughtfully provided by Mr Gates at most aerodromes. If you park within a
wingspan or so, then once you have stopped, about 2 seconds later, your
fuel gauges magically move to Full. This feature has been with us since
FS4, but many virtual pilots are unaware of it (and many, but not you
naturally, fly with the unlimited fuel tick box ticked). Take care to park in
a position such that when you move off again, you dont hit the pumps with
a wingtip no reverse gear on an aeroplane well, not the Cessna 172
anyway. This mimics a real world situation, where it is possible to taxy into
a position you can only get out of by getting out (having first stopped the
engine of course) and pushing the aircraft back manually. Another
embarrassing scenario.
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