Com-Central.net

I began flying to get my FS2004 Certificates yesterday, something I have not done in any flight sim I've owned. Searching through the forums I saw nothing about this topic, and I was wondering if anyone else has taken the time to do this. And if so, which certs did you get?

I've only finished up the student section.

well. I did the solo cert. Attempted my private pilot check ride, and right after you take, you climb to 2000 ft, then do a STEEP turn left to 090. Well, I have gone as far over as 90 degrees and it fails me, saying bank to shallow. Poop on it lol. I do by the way, have the FS2004 update from microsoft. One thing it fixed was getting the private pilot cert after your solo flight. Not sure if fixing the certs, messed up the check rides lol.

I've always wanted to take those lessons but never seem to have the time. Did you learn anything?

When I first started FS9 I started with all the flying lessons and took the check rides as them came up.

The first check rides were the easiest of course but the commercial check ride in the jet was more difficult and took several times to pass for me.

I now have all my certificates, actually posted on my bulliten board in my office since they took so long to aquire.

What I learned? Most of all it was navigational techniques and how to use the various insturments for navigation in IFR conditions, reading plates and charts and general aircraft awareness.

Basically like Boo said, I learned all about the VOR, and such. Im working on instrument now, so I hope to become smooth with flying instruments. The game is way different trying to fly like real. I used to just jump in a jet. Climb real high, spin down to a few thousand, and then do some rolls etc lol. Now I actually try to fly like I should. Very nice.

I have finished the first two checkrides. The Private was a bear on the steep turn expect a second after the first 90 degree turn with 30 degrees bank, they make you do it to the right as well I think. Once you get past that it's a cinch. Landing scared the bejesus out of me, the danged instructor went silent after giving instructions 10 miles from the airport, and I wasn't quite sure where or what to do, I kept thinking ok there's the airport, ok there's 45 degrees to port do I turn? Ok I am now 5 miles past airport, I kept thinking if I turned I would be flunked for not following the instructions. Turns out after that last instruction you are on your own to set it down. Great fun though.

I too have learned how to use the VOR, the NAVs, NDB, and I even know what the bloody CDI is

So I take it then, that someone here has the Microsoft update and has passed the private check ride on it? I passed the lessons no prob. Held alt. speed. and everything for my 270 degree steep turns. So for a little 100 degree steep left turn, I know I was in the limits. Right on 45 degree banks. Any tips why it would fail me saying I bank to shallow?

Oh, for those of you avid old timers from CFS3. I thought I would let you guys know, my game name is SABER-JP. I stepped out of the air for a while, to do my ground pounding games. But I am getting up in the air more often now. Hideout is my ground name.

I do know you have to hold the 45 degrees +-10 degrees to pass during the duration of the turn.

yeah. I figured I had that. I dont get how I can do the solo ride, where your steep turn has to be held for 270 degrees one way. Then you quickly roll over for 360 degrees the other way. But in the checkride, its only about a 110 degree turn. ?I held 45 the whole time. A few times, then after getting the "bank to shallow, try again" message. I did so, rolling over to 60. Same thing. 75, still same thing. 90 even, no luck. "bank to shallow, try again."

What update? Did you patch FS2004? If so try to remove the update, I am running stock from cd no update. If you reinstall FS2004 or roll back from the update and are able to make the checkride you may want to check with Microsoft to see if there is an issue of the patch causing that, or even submit it to them as a bug report.

well. I uninstalled 9.1. And it still failed me. re-installed, same thing lol. And yes, answering your first question. Microsoft has a patch for FS9. I was using it for a while. No big differences, fixed some bugs with performance etc. I am putting it back on, cause it does help with the whole performance thing.

Yuppers, I did all the checkrides, and passed (Private, Instrument and Commerial first try), but the ATP one took awhile, because that damn women is pretty picky about "flap deployment, flap retractment, being 1 notch on the ILS AND Glideslope, gear retractment, and staying below 200 kts BELOW 1000' AGL), that witch was pretty anal about the ATP checkride, it took me about 6 tries to get it!!

But to me it was worth it, it taught me alot more about airline flying than I have been taught before.... but I don't know why "ATP" is a checkride.. I don't know about the States, but up here in Canada (eh?), its just a written test, and no flying involved

I'm not sure if there is a flying test for ATP down here (not that far along yet, still working on my instrument rating IRL :mrgreen:). But either way, how many people would bother to get the ATP license in FS2004 if it was a written test? I mean, who would sit there for a couple hours to take a test that does nothing for you in the sim?

LOL, thats true, I would almost rather do a paper exam than listen to ROD, and that Witch (the checkride wench), lol...

ROD was a very annoying instructor, ie. I was doing a typical VFR approach and turning onto final, after lining up, I was 3 white 1 red on the PAPI lights (just like I normally do in real life!), but ROD I swear thought he was going to do die or something "YOUR TOO HIGH, REDUCE POWER" every 5 seconds... I mean... would he really like me to skim the trees at 30 feet AGL? lol, I always come in a little high and instead of flaps (in the 172), I do the foreward slip when I know I'm above the runway so I can loose altitude and not have to deploy flaps (which takes to damn long anyway (12 seconds)) lol. but ROD I swear was having some anxiety attack.

And the "Checkride wench" was worse! "You were too late deploying flaps, you were too late deploying the landing gear, you exceeded 200 kts below 1000 feet (yeah, I was doing 202 kts, man talk about ANAL!)" I did what ROD told me to do for those checkrides, but she always found something even if I did EXATCLY what ROD told me to do... I was 1 notch off on the ILS and I got in trouble for that too... I fly regularly with an ex-F/A-18 pilot who also was a 747 captain for Cathay Pacific Airways, and frankly, he is an AMAZING pilot (well... he ought to be lol), but watching him do an ILS in the Piper Seminole or the 172 he isn't perfect, the wind sometimes blows him one notch high, or left, etc, so if he can't do it perfectly everytime, why does she expect us to? lol