Simulators

A bit of neophite comment on simulators.

Some years ago I bought a Microsoft simulator, played with it a while and
relegated it to a young friend. I'll say this - I wish I had this when I
first started chasing instruments for certification. The first major hurdle,
at least in my case, was continuously scanning the instruments and
automatically making control adjustments. I tended to concentrate and adjust
on one reading too long. Attention deficit disorder? The first hours were
agony. With the simulator, I believe I could have shortened dual flight time
considerably, and I know I could have suffered less punishment.

Don't know the present reality status of top line simulaters, but recovery
from unusual attitudes involves more than just manipulating the controls.
How one reacts psycologically to suddenly looking straight at the ground, or
the sudden appearence of the inverted treeline is a big factor. We lost a
pilot and his passenger some years ago when he let a 150 stall out on
takeoff, and spun into the ground. The instructor who taught him to fly
quietly suggested that he tended to panic if the plane did not act as he
anticipated. This, of course, was not in the official report. And it was
speculation on his part.

I can't see simulators preparing a pilot for instant and automatic recovery
from unanticipated emergencies - the adrenilin factor just ain't the same.
Unless convinced otherwise, I can't see pilots EVER stepping directly from a
sim into the left seat.