Flight Simulator

CISS AL Aerospace Engineering

Introduction

In this aerospace course at Concordia International School Shanghai, taught by Dr. Peter Tong, we have so far learned about the history of our chosen topic which has to do with aerospace and aerospace engineering, basic aerodynamics through a lab involving paper airplanes, building an unpowered balsa glider according to given instructions, building an unpowered balsa glider with our own custom design applied to it, building a powered balsa airplane according to given instructions, building our own custom design for a powered balsa airplane, and designing our own airfoil. This assignment combines all the concepts learned in previous assignments by requiring us to fly an airplane on Microsoft Flight Simulator (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 — Microsoft Flight Simulator

Details

For this final assessment, we were required to complete a few modules from the flight training section of Microsoft Flight Simulator, and the letter grade that we got in the application would correspond to an actual academic score for our aerospace course.

Take-off

For the first module that I tested, I chose to take off. This consisted of taxiing the aircraft onto the runway and bringing the plane to takeoff, climbing to an altitude of 5500 ft. A challenge I faced for this module was keeping the plane on the centerline of the runway while taxiing, since the rudders were extremely sensitive and any small adjustment could completely send the aircraft off-course. To combat this, before takeoff, I would actually use the yoke to control the positioning of the aircraft since it was easier to maneuver the plane in small increments. I did this module multiple times, setting a high score of 8,946/10,000 points (at the time of completing the module), but I forgot to take a picture. So, I had to do the module again, still getting an A, but got a lower score (Figs. 2 & 3).

Left: Fig. 2— Total score, Right: Fig. 3— Separated scores

Landing

The next module I chose to test was landing, which was a combined landing that required the manipulation of the yoke and the throttle. A big challenge of this module for me was aligning with the runway since the pilot’s seat is on the left side of the aircraft, while also keeping airspeed at 65 knots for the whole landing. It was difficult to position the plane while in third-person view. However, going into cockpit view helped with alignment since it took multiple trials, but I realized that aligning the runway to certain parts of the cockpit can help with getting a decent alignment each time. Moreover, another helpful tip was that even before the wheels touched the runway, I’d step on the brakes. This helped with slowing the aircraft since combining the brakes with a pushed-down yoke seemed to help the aircraft slow down faster. At the time of completing this module, I had set yet another high score (Figs. 4 & 5).

Left: Fig. 4— Total score, Right: Fig. 5— Separated scores

Deadstick Landing

For my final module, I did a deadstick landing. This landing only required manipulation of the yoke. A challenge that I found while completing this module was not only aligning with the runway but also having a good flare as I approached the runway. Flaring is the gentle pull‑back on the yoke just before touchdown to reduce vertical speed. I had trouble with this since I kept instinctively pulling up on the yoke, causing the plane to “bounce” off the runway, which wasn’t good for a smooth landing. However, this could be fixed by pressing the brakes and pushing the yoke down as soon as the wheels of the aircraft get close to the runway, as I ended with an A and set a high score at the time of completing the module (Figs. 6 & 7).

Left: Fig. 6— Total score, Right: Fig. 7— Separated scores

Conclusion

Across all three modules, I learned several things. First, small control adjustments matter more than large ones — during takeoff, using the yoke instead of the rudder helped me stay on the centerline. Second, it’s important to know when to switch between views (cockpit & third-person). For example, it’s easier to align with the runway while in cockpit view, but it’s easier to see airspeed and altitude while in third-person. Third, for landing, applying brakes before the wheels touched the runway and pushing the yoke down helped slow the aircraft faster. Fourth, for deadstick landings, flaring too early caused the plane to bounce, so I learned to wait until the wheels were very close to the ground before pulling back. Finally, repeating each module multiple times helped a lot with noticing small tricks that could help improve my scores, as well as teaching me that with some things, you just have to put in the time. I ended with an A on every module, but more importantly, I understood why each technique worked instead of just memorizing steps (Fig. 8).

Fig. 8 — Flying the flight simulator

Extension

After completing this assessment, I looked into why deadstick landings matter in real aviation. Engine failures are not just theoretical. A famous deadstick landing in history is the 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson.” Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger landed a powerless Airbus A320 on the Hudson River after a bird strike destroyed both engines, saving all 155 people on board just 208 seconds after losing power. Sullenberger later revealed he had never trained for a water landing in a flight simulator. His success relied on the same principles I practiced: energy management, selecting a landing area, and maintaining control without power. If a professional pilot can execute a deadstick landing using fundamental judgment, then practicing these skills in a simulator is valuable for any aviator (Fig. 9).

Fig. 9 — Captain Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger