Why do most prefer the "heavy metal"?

I only fly big airliners. The only time I hand fly the airplane is when I reach 1000 feet AGL on climbout and when I'm 200 feet AGL on final approach. Why I do that? Because it's realistic.

I have to agree because I fly GA mostly taildraggers and vintage using GPS or if it doesn't have it a compass.

But I can see the allure of "big iron", they are something that you would never get a chance to ever fly IRL.

Also you can simulate real time flights now with a full load of passengers using FSPassenger.

Well, seeing as how I can't get to sleep, I'd be happy to answer this.

You may think we are all into the "heavy metal", but in fact, there is a large majority of GA fliers who have the same philosophy as you, and who wouldn't look twice at anything heavy. Your not alone 😉 I myself vary between the two, depending on time, and mood.

They reason we use all the "auto's" you mentioned above when flying the heavies, is merely because thats the way its done. When you have 7 hour transatlantic, its not always the best thing to be worrying about trim 3 hours in flight. When flying GA, I don't see any problem with autopilot, but I often use it if I have a flight more than 100 miles long, because its too much manualness for me.

Also, all those auto's you talked about, well, consider some of us disable autopilot a long way before landing, during initial approach, but autobrake is nothing that can be done manually. It all works out for the best, and the fact that it is true to life flying aswell, people, like me, tend to follow convention, and use Autopilot as needed.

Forgive me if anything is unclear, I'm just tired, but I can't sleep 😳
Funny how that works, eh

CC9

i try to fly my crafts by the book, whether it is an ultralight or a 737 (as big as i'll go usually). if that means using autopilot for an hour then so be it.

i like to have a mix; i get bored easily. i'll often fly my small plane from a local airfield to a large airport to pick up my big plane. just a bit of fun

I'm still learning, but I tend to handfly little planes for practice and to get the hang of the basic principles, and then mess around in jetliners for light relief. I agree with the comment made above: some day I might get to do some real-world GA flying, but I doubt I will ever fly a real 747 or whatever.

On long flights, hell yeah, I use the AP. I'd be astonished to be told that a real-world ATP would handfly all the way from (for example) Paris to New York.

I'm for sure all about the GA right now. And I use autopilot because taking off and landing and approach and all that are the mosts exciting parts of the game. If I had some photorealistic scenery, I would spend some more time handflying the things around taking int he view. I would for sure if it were real life... but starting at generic Microsoft Scenery is not always that exciting and so there is not really any point. I'll set the plane up and stay within earshot (in case my co-pilot screams something about a birdstrike) and let the autopilot take over...

The only time I will handfly a 100nm+ flight is when I fly it at 16x speed or greater 😂

I fly heavies on most of my flights. I don't have a big thing for detailed scenery, so I don't buy lots of photorealistic scenery and then explore - it bores me. I prefer to figure out complex aircraft systems and keep learning about other aspects of aircraft systems. Now thats interesting to me 😉

Actually, the more I fly the more I find I prefer variety.

It isn't uncommon for me to fly a GA craft in one session and a C-5, the next and a Grumman OV-1D after that and a 747 after that.

Sorry if that ruins you theory that we all prefer heavy metal. 😉

Like most I fly a wide variety of aircraft on FS, and I fly each of them as realistically as I can, which means I hand-fly a Cessna and use autopilot on the bigger jets. 😉

I prefer fighters because they get anywhere fast and are so manouverable. Helicopters are also pretty challenging.

It depends on mood. If I had a hard day the last thing I want is to fight a little piece of floaty tin though the air. But there are good things to a challenge.

freedspeak wrote:

It seems that most of you prefer to fly the big airliners. Not only that, most prefer to use autopilot. And on top of that, auto rudder, auto brakes, auto etc. would seem to take the fun out of flying. Why not just fly an LMD (large mahogany desk). And why set the airplane on autopilot and then go watch a movie or go to bed? What's the point? Is it just to rack up flight time?

Now I prefer "hands on flying". To be in control all the time. I like to fly the plane, not have the plane fly me. I never use autopilot. I do however use GPS for navigation along with the flight planner. And I prefer to fly the smaller GA craft as well as some of the older military aircraft (P-47, P-51, B-25 etc).

Anyway, that's what I think, for what it's worth.

Respectfully,
freedspeak
aka Wing Nut

Well, thats your opinion, and many of us here are wannabe commercial pilots. its to help us.

Thanks for opening my eyes guys. I guess I can see the value of flying the jets as an educational tool. And also "because you wont likely be flying the airliners in real life" makes a lot of sense too. And I agree its fun to learn all the airplane's systems. Believe me I love making the flight as real as anyone else.

I still love flying the GA planes. And since I have Al Wheeler's wonderful scenery for my native California I fly locally the most. The topography here rivals the best in the world. You might find me flying fast and low through the mountains and valleys near my house. Or doing a round robin at all the local airports. I have plans to do a flight taking my SR-71 under the reflector at Aricibo, that giant 1000' dish in Puerto Rico. You can find scenery for it at Avsim. Very detailed.

Gawd, I'm rambling. Enough of that.

PS
mrtazzy, love your Super Connie.

you should try it out, you like hands on! The connie has many panels of buttons and knobs that all are very necessary! Set it up right and it flies itself without A/P.

Why I do that? Because it's realistic.

I'm with you Agus.
When I'm flying a commercial airliner on AP, I do believe I am in control of my aircraft.

I have flown smaller Cessnas in the real world and a little in the sim, but the excitement of handling the systems nessesary to fly airliners is just much more interesting to me.

freedspeak wrote:

It seems that most of you prefer to fly the big airliners. Not only that, most prefer to use autopilot. And on top of that, auto rudder, auto brakes, auto etc. would seem to take the fun out of flying. Why not just fly an LMD (large mahogany desk). And why set the airplane on autopilot and then go watch a movie or go to bed? What's the point? Is it just to rack up flight time?

Now I prefer "hands on flying". To be in control all the time. I like to fly the plane, not have the plane fly me. I never use autopilot. I do however use GPS for navigation along with the flight planner. And I prefer to fly the smaller GA craft as well as some of the older military aircraft (P-47, P-51, B-25 etc).

Anyway, that's what I think, for what it's worth.

Respectfully,
freedspeak
aka Wing Nut

i understand what you are saying about autopilot. there are some pilots that turn it on the minute after they take off. i don't use autopilot when i am flying short distances from town to town, but i do use it for long distances. i mean, could you imagine flying from los angles to auckland while keeping the plane level and making the turns for 26 hours. i know i can't and if i did. i would go psycho. i also believe what freedspeak said about flying the airplane instead of letting the plane fly you. when autopilot is engaged, you must always monitor the instruments to remain aware of your situation. i'm sorry if my post was too long

as for me I only make some long distance flights for the most part i am CRJ-200`s-900`s and choppers i fly choppers mostly i find it relaxing but occasionally i get the urge to fly a B767-400 from ATLANTA to SAL LAKE CITY or something like that but i too find variety.

on top of that I only use auto pilot to climb sometimes but if i do use it is so i can wipe the sweat from my hands or to eat or to use the bathroom or just cause.but my A-10 pilot brother sent me some flying gloves so my hands dont get sweaty these gloves are a cool olive drapgreen and a grey.

everyone has a different reason.

yeah.. that's a generalization if you ask me..

i love "heavy metal" .. my hopes and dreams are to be an airline captain after college.

however.. on some days i feel like just taking a Baron or Piper Cherokee out and flying VFR for miles and miles. No autopilot, no GPS, ...just me, the plane, and the ground below. ...it is truly and awesome and free feeling.. and i assume i will love it 100% more when i experience it in real life.. (which i have.. but only with an instructor telling me what to do, lol)

it really depends on my mood..

and yes.. i am willing to agree with you that autopilot does make today's pilots' job a LOT more boring.. trust me.. i have a friend who is an MD-80 Captain for American Airlines, and he told me "..i'd say about 90% of the flight, we're doing not much more than the passengers are doing"

...and that's what an actual pilot said, lol

but still.. what do you expect? everything is becoming computerized and automated in today's world.. and before you know it, the GA market will also be consumed by affordable 4-seaters whose cockpits consist of two joysticks and a few big computer screens .. kinda like the Cirrus..

..heh, i know i strayed way off topic here, lol.. but i'm just trying to point out that autopilot has become a way of flying.. especially for us younger ones.. who started into aviation just when everything was being transformed into "fly-by-wire"

personally.. i dont like flying the older jets in the sim.. like the 707 or 727. they're beautiful birds.. but i don't like the whole 3rd pilot idea.. and the fact that there's a seeming endless amount of guages everywhere.

...but that's my opinion.

😉