On Monday, December 17, 2018 at 7:13:42 AM UTC-8, Wyll Surf Air wrote:
Yes this is what I would suggest. As a new XC pilot using XCsoar originally, and now Top Hat now, I think it is the best way to start using a moving map glide computer. Because I was initially able to bring my phone home and mess with XCSoar while not in the glider (or even at the airport) it made learning how to read and use a moving map/glide computer much much easier. An older Samsung phone (galaxy 5,6,7,8,9 or Note 4,5,6,7,8,9) work great and are pretty cheep if you don't have one laying around already. The only thing I would say is that have someone experienced with XCSoar or TopHat configure them because the stock layout and settings are less then optimal.

I would agree that the ability to learn how to use the flight computer is greatly enhanced at home, when you don't also have the burden of flying the ship. But with the Oudie, you don't have to take the Oudie home to do so. There is a good simulator available for Windows PCs. (I don't think it's available for MAC) You can bring your .igc file home, load it into the PC and fire up the Oudie Simulator. And if the student wants to play with the Oudie even before making their own flight, they can download an .igc file from the OLC for the area they expect to fly and practice on that one.

-Greg