"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
[...]
Incidentally, we've had many real pilots (Mary included) who absolutely
cannot land the sim planes. It is quite a bit harder to do than
landing the real plane, although the casual lack of concern about
bending metal makes it a bit easier on the digestion.

No doubt. Playing a game is a somewhat different skill than flying an
airplane. Some aspects of hand-eye coordination and procedures translate,
so it's not entirely orthogonal. But at the same time, there's no reason to
believe that someone good at flying an airplane would be good at flying a
PC-based flight-sim, just as there's no reason to believe that someone good
at flying a PC-based flight-sim would be good at flying an airplane.

[...]
IMHO, making fun of a "pilot wannabee" because all he can afford is
MSFS is NOT the best way for us to grow GA. And, trust me -- we NEED
to grow GA. Now.

First, as Mark says he's not being made fun of, nor is the scorn he gets
here related to his use of MSFS, except inasmuch as he falsely believes his
MSFS experience to grant him knowledge of all sorts of things he actually
knows nothing about.

It's pretty much just coincidence that he's using a flight sim. The main
problem is his willingless to form opinions in a vacuum and fail to revise
those opinions when presented with facts contrary to those opinions.

Second, the guy has absolutely no hope, nor intention, of ever being in the
pilot's seat. As you well know, economics is not truly an effective barrier
to entry into aviation. Those who truly desire it find a way. This guy
talks about economics as if it's insurmountable, when in fact the real issue
is that he is completely and absolutely scared ****less of airplanes.

I seriously doubt that justified, accurate criticisms of the guy is going to
have ANY negative effect on aviation. It may well improve the situation
(if, for example, those criticisms help someone else understand the reality
of the situation better, rather than relying on the guy's inaccurate
proclamations).

Pete