Did you know a “startle response” that delays action or leads to the wrong action could turn fatal? Learn how training can reduce the startled response.

When the first consumer flight simulator came to market in 1979, there were very few (if any) takeaways for pilots. As most would assume, today’s simulators are helpful in showing how an airplane reacts in the air (and on the ground), but there are a few lesser known areas of airmanship a simulator can teach. 

What most pilots mean when they say “stick and rudder flying” is really energy management, the process of constantly adjusting your airspeed, altitude, and power to arrive at your intended destination under control. The basic concept is both simple and profound: every airplane flies because of some combination of potential energy (altitude) and kinetic energy (airspeed). Think of it as two buckets that have varying levels of water.