brucew@bruceair.com
Seattle, WA
Every seat's a window seat on BruceAir
brucew@bruceair.com
Seattle, WA
Every seat's a window seat on BruceAir
Microsoft Flight Simulator has found a place in real-world aviation training, and it’s being used in many roles.
If you have questions about the features in Flight Simulator that relate to real-world aviation, see Information for Real-World Pilots on the FS Insider Web site.
To learn more about my book, Microsoft® Flight Simulator as a Training Aid: A Guide for Pilots, Instructors, and Virtual Aviators, visit its page here at BruceAir.
The following links take you to information about how Flight Simulator is being used in a variety of training environments:
AOPA has created a special page for pilots of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Even if you’re not a member of AOPA, you’ll find much useful information and guidance there, including information about the aircraft in Flight Simulator.If you have questions about Microsoft Flight Simulator (e.g., system requirements, sources of technical support, improving performance on your system, updates, add-ons, etc.) please see Related Links on this page, the Flight Simulator page here at BruceAir, and the official Flight Simulator Insider site at Microsoft. You can also watch a product demo at the Flight Simulator X marketing Web site.
Questions about FAA approval of Microsoft Flight Simulator pop up as often as, say, inquiries about logging flight time (see below).
As noted above, the experiences of many individuals and organizations over the years demonstrate that PC-based simulations, including Microsoft Flight Simulator, can make your training or proficiency flying more efficient and less costly, even if time spent using the tools doesn’t count toward the minimum logged flight or simulator time required for a certificate, rating, or currency. As I often say, "It’s about learning, not logging."
No one doubts the utility and value of many training aids, such as GPS simulators, online courses, and training DVDs, none of which are "FAA approved" (with the exception of some courses that may be used to meet requirements for the FAA pilot proficiency program or the flight instructor renewal process).
Using PC-based simulations effectively is all about learning, not logging.
But to the main point: As I explain in detail in my book, the FAA doesn’t approve flight simulation software. It approves flight training devices (FTDs) and simulators, devices that include software plus displays, controls, and other features.
To learn more about joysticks, yokes, rudder pedals, and other accessories for Flight Simulator, visit the Flight Simulator page here at BruceAir.
One of the most common misconceptions about Flight Training Devices (not simulators, which is another category) is that FAA (or other agency) approval is based primarily on flight models.
In fact, the FAA approves several levels of Flight Training Devices, and in most cases, a generic flight model--even one based on fictitious aerodynamic data--is sufficient. (For example, according to the FAA, “Levels 2 and 5 need control forces and control travel only of sufficient precision to manually fly an instrument approach.”)
The FAA is much more concerned about whether an FTD has controls such as flap and landing gear levers—no point-and-click mice allowed—than it is about the fidelity of a flight model.
To learn more about FAA approval of flight training devices and simulators, visit the Web site of the FAA National Simulator Programs, where you can find all the details under Flight Simulation Training Device Qualification Guidance.
If you’re interested in a technical details about the flight model used in Microsoft Flight Simulator, see the article “Aircraft Simulation Techniques” on the FSInsider Web site. The document, written by one of the aeronautical engineers on the Flight Simulator team, is available as a .pdf file.
That said, Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane, and other products have been included in approved FTDs in the U.S. and other countries.
Speaking of logging, you can log simulated flight time—regardless of the type of training device or simulator you’re using—only when you are under the direct supervision of an instructor. See FAR §61.51:
...(4) A flight simulator or approved flight training device may be used by a person to log instrument time, provided an authorized instructor is present during the simulated flight.
To quote myself from Postflight Briefing 1-1 (.pdf) in Rod Machado’s Instrument Pilot’s Handbook:
In the end, whether you can enter the hours spent “flying” a PC simulation as “simulator time” has little to do with the value that such experience adds to the quality and efficiency of your training. An hour in an airplane isn’t always an hour well-spent, especially if the goal of a lesson is frustrated by traffic-saturated ATC, weather, or other factors.
If you and your instructor want to keep track of “dual” time spent using a PC-simulation as a training aid, log those hours as ground instruction. After all, “flying” Microsoft Flight Simulator with your instructor to learn about holding patterns is a great way to visualize and “chair-fly”—better than a white board and static diagrams. Even if you’re “flying” solo at home, enjoy and benefit from the experience. It’s no different (and probably more fun) than other solo (and not-loggable) “training” such as poring over books and taking practice tests.
With proper guidance, time spent “virtual flying” will help you climb over learning plateaus and make the time you spend in a real airplane more efficient and effective if you remember that earning a new certificate or rating ultimately is about learning, not logging.
For more information about PC-based simulations (not simulators), see The PCATD Safety Advisor (.pdf) from the AOPA Air Safety Founation.
Tom Gilmore has also written a new book, Teaching Confidence in the Clouds, published by ASA, that offers additional guidance about using PC-based simulations in flight training. Gilmore’s book focuses on purpose-built PCATDs and Basic ATDs.
In late 2007, the Flight Simulator team announced Microsoft ESP, a development platform for companies that want to create products that use the technology in Flight Simulator. Microsoft ESP is a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) platform designed for government and commercial organizations.
For more information about Microsoft ESP, visit the product Web site at Microsoft. The Resources page includes links to overviews, white papers, case studies, and other details.
