Like many of you, I spent two days installing the simulator, fiddling with controllers to get the rudder working right (which still doesn’t work), and trying to understand why my aircraft seems to bank uncontrollably, seemingly always on final. It feels nothing like the previous flight simulators. This is coming from a PPL and 30 year flight simmer, so I am not new by any means to either hobby.
Something different happened tonight.
I stepped into my Airbus and decided I would give another run at it. I departed KJFK gates and taxied down toward the runway. As I arrived I noticed another pilot operating a Heavy lined up for takeoff. I watched as he/she lined up for the departure and gently takeoff. I was amazed at how great it looked with the sunset in the background. I lined myself up and departed VIA IFR flightplan to KORD for a 2 hour flight. As I lifted off the runway I noticed a difference, stability (did they change the weather to clear all around?). Maybe I was just lucky.
As I cruised along, following my low altitude flightpath, I saw city after city just occupied with aircraft. Some in light aircraft, others in heavies. You guys looked great. I started thinking about how being in an airplane, headed somewhere doesn’t dismiss the “I wonder where they are going feeling”. Very cool.
Finally, my approach phase neared. I hate how I had to play around for 15 minutes to get the frequencies for the ILS approach and figure out how to make adjustments for the proper arrival. That computer really wants to do everything for you, which I am not used to. Lined myself up and pressed the approach button. Sure enough, I locked the localizer and made the glideslope, How sweet.
“N711 you are number 2, following aircraft on final”… Oh great… wait, did he say number 2? This wont end well, I know I will have to go missed… I watched as the aircraft in front of me gracefully landed with precision I was envious of and pull off via HS taxiway. “N711, you are cleared to land”. No way! he pulled off in time! I made my landing hard enough to probably open a few overhead bins", no problem, crash detection didn’t mind. Whew.
I pulled off the runway and taxied to the gate, shut it down, extended the jetway, called for services and just watch you all fly.
Some of you are outright awesome, some of you are putting in effort and it shows, 
some of you still have your rudder issues (just map it to something else until they figure it out). Some of you are outright troublemakers 
For the first time since I got this simulator, I had a pretty decent time.
If you take anything from my day 3 review, take this, NEVER EVER accept gate 70 at KJFK.
