I used to drive Nascar Racing 2003 sim until I discovered LFS. LOVED being able to drive real tracks, including several that I'd actual driven in real life (BMW drivers school). Today I still enjoy watching real races because I "know" what's around the next corner thanks to the fact that I've virtually been there--recent Monaco F1 comes to mind. In fact, not having real tracks is my only regret with LFS.
As for flying, as a flight instructor for almost 40 years I absolutely agree that flight sim experience helps when you climb into a cockpit. No doubt about it, hours in a sim will save you money and make you a better pilot in a real aircraft. Indeed, real airline pilots will make they're first flight in a real airliner with passengers on board (as copilot); all their training is in a sim. A sophisticated full motion sim to be sure, but a sim none the less.
That said, I can also assure you that as a noob you might be able to keep a 747 in the air for a while, making gentle turns and climb/dives, you would probably be unable to recover from even a steep turn, much less successfully land.
As a former Naval Flight Officer (bombardier/navigator, not pilot) with lots of jet experience, and as a civilian commercial pilot and flight instructor I was hopeless trying to fly a Lear Jet the first time I got my hands on one. For that matter, as a certified multi-engine instructor with lots of tailwheel time, the first time I ever tried to just taxi a conventional gear, twin engine WW2 C-45H I was mortified by my performance. ('Course maybe I'm just not a very good pilot--but I haven't bent an airplane yet!)
BTW, a sick pilot or copilot is not an emergency. Even a 747 can be flown by safely by a single pilot if necessary.
As for flying, as a flight instructor for almost 40 years I absolutely agree that flight sim experience helps when you climb into a cockpit. No doubt about it, hours in a sim will save you money and make you a better pilot in a real aircraft. Indeed, real airline pilots will make they're first flight in a real airliner with passengers on board (as copilot); all their training is in a sim. A sophisticated full motion sim to be sure, but a sim none the less.
That said, I can also assure you that as a noob you might be able to keep a 747 in the air for a while, making gentle turns and climb/dives, you would probably be unable to recover from even a steep turn, much less successfully land.
As a former Naval Flight Officer (bombardier/navigator, not pilot) with lots of jet experience, and as a civilian commercial pilot and flight instructor I was hopeless trying to fly a Lear Jet the first time I got my hands on one. For that matter, as a certified multi-engine instructor with lots of tailwheel time, the first time I ever tried to just taxi a conventional gear, twin engine WW2 C-45H I was mortified by my performance. ('Course maybe I'm just not a very good pilot--but I haven't bent an airplane yet!)
BTW, a sick pilot or copilot is not an emergency. Even a 747 can be flown by safely by a single pilot if necessary.
like run b... u kno