I haven't posted anything for a while because things are just going well, and the more I use FSFS the more I get out of it.

I have been asked to give a Flightsim course for a school for gifted children.  They're very enthusiastic and bright, and I thought it would really be ideal to have them learn with the FSFS Cessna pack.  Its only a small group of 4 - 6 computers.  I'm trying to help them with the best deals for equipment and software, so how would it work for a site licence for these kids for FSFS?

Stan

Glad to hear you are enjoying FSFS - it means a great deal to us.

We routinely offer discounts and site licenses to schools and clubs and free items to charities and other organisations.

We will contact you privately to discuss the details of your school and the offers we can make to get your project "off the ground!"

Boy - this hobby is just made for making puns...

Squadron Leader
FSFlyingSchool - Fly like the Pros with Flight Simulator

I think it would be a great idea to use FSFS to evaluate a checkride for the kids, and then give them a certificate.  I would like to make it realistic and use locations in the BC area where I live, around Vancouver, which would be much more meaningful to them.  If I get it right, then it could be a useful, general application for FSFS - and probably more fun and practical than the FS9 version.

Can anybody contribute some pointers and criteria about the things I should build into this ride to make it a fair but realistic appraisal of the student's skill which could be evaluated by FSFS?  I would tentatively suggest the following:

1. Preflight checks
2. Taxiing to the runway
3. Communication with ATC
4. Take-off evaluation
5. Following a designated flight plan with specified waypoints, altitudes and speeds.
6. Intercepting the traffic pattern and landing.

FSFS will evaluate most of the criteria I think, but point 5. could be problematic.  I usually plan my flight plans with FSNavigator, which exports beautfiully into FS9, but the problem is that if I create waypoints, e.g. Lionsgate Bridge, it doesn't seem to appear in the flight plan in the GPS, and I'm not sure whether this will work properly in FSFS.  I need some advice here, since the checkride would be VFR and the pilots would be required to follow visual landmarks.

Also, how can we use FSFS to evaluate headings, speeds, altitudes as in the FS9 checkride, or is this not necessary?

What about steep turns and things like that?

And... how would we evaluate the final score?

Any ideas?

Stan

Marvelous ideas, sir!  Good luck with your course.

Blatant plug follows for which I receive no reimbursement, nor other imbursement....

As for a VFR flight planner have you tried the freeware Plan-G, found here - http://www.tasoftware.co.uk/?  I believe it's compatible with both 9 and X, and I know that you can create your own waypoints and Plan-G will store them in its own local database for easy reuse.  (The user waypoints load well into FSX, even from an FS9 plan.)

It uses Google Earth as an interface which in Terrain mode is wonderful for dodging molehills and mountains alike.

Regards,

-----

FS² v3.0 w/172 Detail - FSX SP2 - CH yoke & pedals - GoFlight / Saitek / MPanel - TrackIR 3 w/VE

i7-920 airclocked to 166, Vista 64 Prem, GTX 260, 9GB 1300 DRAM, 1TB OS / 200GB s/s FSX drive

"Geronimo"

Stan

Hi Stan

Fenric beat me to it. Plan G should solve your problem & it's free. Flight plans created using Plan G are saved to the same place as flight plans made using the flight planner in FSX, therefore should be ok with fsfs.

Also worth checking out the free "Study Guide" from Chris Palmer's Angle of Attack. It provides an excellent  introduction to aviation with the emphasis on keeping it "real" within the confines of a simulator. Video study guides are first rate. Check it out at http://www.flyaoamedia.com/blog/aviator-90/

Last but not least I presume that you have seen the USA Canada Pacific Northwest scenery form Orbx http://fullterrain.com/product_nablue.html 

Biggles

FSFS will certainly be watching for the pilot to pass each waypoint in sequence and within 1 nm in a light aircraft. See manual for more details.

FSFS does not look at anything beyond the lat and long of the waypoint at present, but it will report on current and next waypoints in some detail whilst flying.

Squadron Leader
FSFlyingSchool - Fly like the Pros with Flight Simulator

Stan