(Simulated) Flying IFR - Lesson 16 - Can You Hold Please?

 Today was simulator day.  Kevin figured this would be helpful to both work on my instrument scan and finesse as the Simulator is far more sensitive that a real aircraft.

So I met up with Robert and began the Simulator session.

We did the VOR 36 approach to Flint ad infinitum as I was haivng the most trouble with that kind of approach.

 First approach was a dumpster fire as the simulator really is crazy sensitive and I was over-controlling and trying to keep up with what it was doing.  On the upside, I was good with setting the system for the approach from Pontiac to Flint even though the simulator has a Garmin 530W rather than the Garmin 430W that is in the aircraft - similar but different - as is the heading indicator which is very different from the actual aircraft.  

Second approach much better but I got confused by one of the messages on the 530.  Once that was explained it went better.

Third Approach very, very nice hitting the right altitudes and getting it right on.

Fourth Approach also very good.

Then we started doing missed and holds as I haven't really done hold entries before.

The missed approach for the VOR 36 calls for a climbing right turn to 3,000 then hold on the 97 radial at KATTY.  I figured out the hold would need a parallel entry and Rob was very helpful in showing me exactly how to do such, basically a 45 degree entry and then get into the holding pattern.

So I flew and did the approach, went missed, and then went and did the hold and flew the hold for a few complete circuits to make sure I had it down and he was quite helpful in figuring out little issues as they arose.

Then we did that again, and then did it again one more time with feeling.

Overall I think the simulator did help with my instrument scan and over-controlling as its over-sensitivity and makes you deliberately try and under-control it.  So I'd say it was helpful and we will see if it pays off.  It's also cheaper than the cost of flying the plane and you can do more approaches and holds in the same time-span, so there's that.

Robe stated I did well and showed improvement and that the simulator beats everyone up so he thought I did good.

That's 2.0 Simulated Instrument in a simulator, with 7 Approaches with 3 holds.