Flight simulator gives you the comfort of sitting in your chair in the comfort of your home or workplace, real-life flying is very different. It's not just about being able to master the controls, but also about being able to keep your full concentration on the entire process of flying the plane as well as the feelings of the g-forces.
Flight simulator also allows you to pause your flight or even take a stretch during mid-flight, another aspect not possible in real life flying.
In a flight simulator you can take off without feeling any g-force or even the feeling of being lifted and sit comfortably in your chair while flying. Even flight simulators with full cockpit controls that move like a real life plane don't have the imitation or anything close to that as far as I know.
In a flight simulator you can also make errors without the fear of consequences plus customize the environment around your plane like a God which is not at all possible in real-life flying.
Worst is you are unable to carry out the standard pre-flight inspections and documentation on the plane before you fly.
This is not to suggest flight simulation is should not be used as a practice. It in fact is the only way to prepare you for real life flying and does wonders for anyone who goes into real piloting including myself.
But most importantly flight simulator does not give you a proper knowledge of flying unless you add all the controls required for basic flying, including side screens to allow you to see on the sides while taxing and turning the plane.
This is not the case with most people who purchase joysticks for flight simulator flying which are not good practices to prepare oneself for real life flying, since we use control columns for flying and rudder pedals for yawing as well as turning when taxing on the ground.
Below is what a flight simulator cockpit should look like for those who have a serious ambition to fly professionally:
Until you get all the material needed to imitate real life flying, do not assume flight simulator can prepare you for real time flying.
Real life flying is not that difficult if you have mastered flight simulation flying and can read the instruments in your cockpit. The challenge in real life flying comes mostly in learning how to handle your aircraft's documentation, conditions and learning about it's key components as well as overcoming the g-forces and aviation regulations of the country you fly in.
Real life flying also has it's merciful parts that flight simulator does not such as if your aircraft sustains any damage in real life, you still have a chance of survival; whereas in a flight simulator if the realism settings are on, the entire flight is reset as flight simulator does not imitate damage to aircraft.
But nevertheless flight simulation is the tool to use to prepare you for real life flying. Anyone who tells you otherwise probably knows nothing of aviation. Airlines and flight schools rely on it today to train their employees and students as it is the only way to make mistakes without suffering life threatening consequences.
These are the things I would like would-be aviators to take into consideration when using flight simulator as a preparation for real time flying.
I have flown on both and this is what my experience tells me. Any questions are encouraged to be typed in the comments section below.
