No amount of simulator training conveyed what it really felt like, to have a living, breathing ship wrapped around you.
It has also changed its training program to include high altitude operations in ground school and simulator training.
"I've been told it's like the military training tapes, the ones used before simulator training."
His desire for simulator training meant that he had to look elsewhere.
This included in class time, simulator training and in-flight training.
His simulator training had indicated control difficulties in high-speed flight, and possible techniques for handling them.
While a little knowledge may be a dangerous thing, in this case proper simulator training can and does save lives.
Many smaller airlines still train in their own planes because they consider that method cheaper than simulator training.
Besides simulator training, astronauts must fly at least 15 hours a month in the T-38, including slightly more than an hour at night.
Theory lessons and simulator training was conducted by Ground School.