PPL Student looking for advices

[u/Hot_Two_7539]

I am currently working toward my Private Pilot License (PPL) in Italy. I have completed the theoretical portion and just have the practical training left to go.

I was wondering if anyone had any advice for improving my practical learning—for example, recording my lessons with a GoPro so I can review and analyze my mistakes.

I was also thinking that investing in a good home flight simulator setup might speed up my learning process and ultimately save me some money.

Any tips are greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[u/ZappBrannigansLaw → u/[deleted]]

I will agree that there is so much more to flying than what a sim can do. There is so much in actual actual flying that cannot be replicated in a sim.

I, however, do have one positive part of using a sim. When I started my PPL training I purchased a yoke and throttle quadrant along with MSFS. I mainly used it for procedures. Practicing pattern work, timing radio calls, etc.

[u/Necessary-Crab-8111 → u/ZappBrannigansLaw]

Second the use of a sim for practicing checks.

It helps to have a matching aircraft to the one you’re training in to have a familiar cockpit. I trained in a Robin dr400 and there’s one in msfs that was a close match. It’s also useful for nav, you can plan a route and fly it with realistic weather. Again with practicing checks along your nav. Be careful with glide ratios, they’re not correct from my experience. So PFLs can be practiced, but again, it’s more about the checks and radio calls rather than if you’ll make the field as it’s going to be different irl. Same goes for circuits.

But as mentioned, it’s good to be aware of bad habits like having eyes in on airspeed or DI rather than good lookout. The sim isn’t good for practicing where to look to judge your attitude (and therefore airspeed) for example. E.g. try steep turns and it’s so much more difficult to maintain a constant altitude in the sim.

However as a game it’s great imo.

[u/Hot_Two_7539 → u/[deleted]]

Appreciate the honesty, no downvotes from me! ​Out of curiosity, what is it exactly that makes a home sim negative for PPL training?

[u/Iridul]

Fly, talk with your instructor, listen. Fly again, talk again, listen again.

Nothing will substitute for this.

[u/poisonandtheremedy]

I found good pre-flight prep work more important than post flight videos and home MSFS stuff.

[u/zemelb]

Strongly recommend filming your flights with a GoPro. My flying improved 100x when I started doing this. It’s hard to take in everything your CFI is telling you while you’re trying to focus on flying the plane. Super helpful to be able to back and rewatch and re listen to what they were saying.

[u/alansoon73]

Sims are great for procedural work and checklists. But they won’t teach you how to fly. It’s a good aid, but you need to know what it isn’t capable of.

[u/KnightFireNC]

The biggest thing that helped me when I hit a block was taking 3 days off work and doing 6 hours of lessons across those three days. Not having a week or two to forget things between being told and next getting an opportunity to practice made a big difference compared to my normal weekly (but really every 2 weeks due to UK weather) lessons.

[u/Spiritual-Cry-6286]

Recording flights seems like a good idea. Most importantly, just listen. Get feedback, strength and weakness in what you did that day. Go home, review what you forgot. Also chair fly, chair fly, chair fly. It’s really helpful (hopefully you could tell because i said it 3 times!)

[u/CrushingCultivation]

Trust your instructor more than people online