What is the difference between an airplane and a simulator?

Answer: No matter how hard you try, the simulator will not fly.

That was one of my questions from my second day of training.  I know it sounds like a silly question but the point was to illustrate, while the simulator was meant to simulate flying as accurately as possible, it is, in fact, not actually flying.  And boy did I learn that the hard way.

To start, the simulator is a great way to introduce some of the mechanics of multi-engine flying.  It has realistic controls and a realistic cockpit.  Unfortunately, the only place to view anything is on a small monitor out the front of the left seat.  It turns out that it's a lot harder to use your peripheral vision when it's completely white.  I am looking forward to using it as an instrument trainer.

So, day 1.  I show up and take a test.  It was a test over some of the VFR rules that I learned while in Montana.  I missed a few questions but nothing to be concerned about.  They even asked a question about what a military rotating beacon looks like.  Even though I spent the last 5 years on a base with an active flying mission, I missed the question.  The first day was mostly just administrative stuff and ended with me being sent home to study.  Study by the beach?  Yes please!

Day 2:  This was a rough day.  For some reason, I had a really hard time with the simulator.  I would look down at a checklist, look up and see that I had entered a 60 degree bank.  WTF!  I struggled with the checklists because I was using them for the first time.  I didn't have them memorized or even conceptually understood.  So, my instructor turns off one of my engines and I do my best to fuddle with the checklist.  I finally get it figured out and he goes, "ok, now restart it." What a disaster.  I couldn't find the checklist and when I did, I was almost upside-down.  After two hours of almost killing myself, the pain ended.  He said I did a good job for it being my first day and I couldn't help but think he was being nice.  I drove home with my tail between my legs to study some more.

And study I did.  I spent the entire night committing almost every single checklist step to memory.  If I didn't have it by memory, all I would have to do was look at the step and know what had to be done.  I planned on looking at those checklists as little as possible.  Study Study Study.  Sleep...

Day 3:  I showed up early and spent about an hour sitting in the turned off trainer going through the motions.  I  would simulate engine failures, I would run the various checklists, etc.  I thought I had a pretty good grasp on what I was supposed to do and so I ran off to grab a snack before my next 2-hour block of almost dying.

So, I hope in the left seat and begin running through some of the pre-flight checklists.  I start the engines and am ready to go.  We do some pattern work and I have a much better grasp of the simulator...except on the first take-off where I nearly stalled the plane and sent it crashing down to earth.  After my first simulated landing, everything was much better!  We did some practice engine emergencies, slow flight, power-on/-off stalls and steep turns.  I absolutely rocked it.  He said that if I were taking the check ride I would have passed.  Whew.  I did so well, in fact, that he put me into simulated instrument conditions to see how I would react.  He even had me do some CFII maneuvers which I passed with flying colors.  So, all-in-all, today was a MUCH better day!

Tomorrow is a big day.  I get to finally get off the ground.  I will be flying the Piper Seminole.  This is what it looks like

Wish me luck!!