You are very correct about the DOWNLOADS.  I think it is all in the Z MODEM.  
If I try to read a message to me before I download,  it will always wipe out 
everything.  But,  it also does it when I go to the download first.  I have 
had several supposedly experts look at my computer and they cann't give me an 
answer.  I thought it was just this new computer because when I went back to 
my old Epson 286 it didn't do it for a while, but then I found out it does 
the same as the new computer.  Oh Well,  I guess it is only a minor thing in 
life.
Now back to Simulators.  They are an excellent tool for procedures and they 
do simulate most things for pilot training.  I imagine I am a little more 
critical than the average line pilot because I have ran so many checks on 
them to try and get a close simulation to the aircraft.  We find that in many 
cases if we program it to as close to the Certification Document as possible 
it is
difficut to fly.  This is the reason many simulators are down graded from the 
document so as not to get to many complaints from line pilots coming in 
takeing Checks in the simulator.  If the simulator is easy to fly the line 
pilot will not complain.
Simulators are a great procedural trainer.  Without a doubt a great training 
device.  On the other side of the coin,  the simulator is no better than the 
Simulator Instructor.  A well qualified Simulator Instructor does make a 
difference.  A mediocre Simulator Instructor only gives the syllabus as he 
sees it and is only trying to finish on the time allowed.
Again,  there are just some things that cannot be programmed into them.  The 
six axis hyd. simulation of "G" force is by far not real,  but it satisfies 
the certification of the simulator,  which is what the Airline is after. An 
example of aircraft vs simulator which cannot be duplicated is the pylon 
wobble on the 747.  Any pilot who has flown the 747 knows that if he/she 
gives a sharp aileron input there will be a wobble of the pylons that can be 
felt through out the aircraft.  A person can mishandle the ailerons in the 
simulator and they will never talk back to you like in the aircraft.  Just 
one example, minor but true.  You may have seen where I refer to "riden the 
bull" in the 747 simulator.  Well this is caused by lack of aerodynamic feed 
back.
In the aircraft if a person where to be rough on the ailerons the airplane 
lets him know real quick. In the simulator being rough on the controls 
develops into "riden the bull" and sometimes takes some effort to get the 
initial pilots attention that this is not the way to FLY THE SIMULATOR.  
Differences is what we call it.  Many Airlines allow a warm up period prior 
to the Recurrent Training Period.  The reason being the simulator does have 
some differences and the pilot has to adapt to them.
Paralax for the visual has never been a thing that can be simulated but it 
has never been a thing to disqualify the simulator because the people 
certifying it don't have that much experience in looking at the end of the 
runway from the final fix in visual conditions.
You asked if I had been through Pax River or Edwards,  No, those are 
ilitary.
I went through both Piston and Jet Transport Category Test Pilot Training.
The first was on Certification of a Boeing 377 and the second was on the DC-8
Certification.  In each case it was to take known data and configuration for 
the aircraft,  an example of a test for data might be at a known wght. to set 
up a rate of descent at full flaps and a certain TIAS and then to slow the 
rate of descent to half the original and document the actual control force 
that was found.  Or, it might be just the opposite,  increase the rate to a 
certain amount and document the forces, etc.
The Certification Document is voluminous.  on each test, we would run what 
was known as a French Curve,  meaning the graph for the forces would fall on 
each side or all over the sheet.  By drawing a line through the average gave 
us the French Curve for forces found.  Same for the aircraft,  many attempts 
for each test.
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