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Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 2)

February 15, 2023/in Tips and technique/by Chris McGonegle

Welcome to the second of a three part series on instrument flying with a home simulator. Instrument flying can be intimidating for many pilots, yet a simulator can build confidence as well as understanding when it comes to the IFR realm. Part two will cover useful tasks to practice in a simulator as well as […]

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 1)

February 13, 2023/in Tips and technique/by Chris McGonegle

Welcome to the first of a three part series on instrument flying with a home simulator. Instrument flying can be intimidating for many pilots, yet a simulator can build confidence as well as understanding when it comes to the IFR realm. Part one will cover why you should consider an at home simulator for instrument […]

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 2)

February 15, 2023/in Tips and technique/by Chris McGonegle

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 1)

February 13, 2023/in Tips and technique/by Chris McGonegle

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 2)

February 15, 2023/in Tips and technique/by Chris McGonegle

Instrument Flight Useful Scenarios / Maneuvers

Flight simulators today are leagues ahead of where they were just a decade ago. The computing power of an average PC paired with readily available graphics cards and simulator programs make it a great time to enjoy at-home training. One of the best categories of simulator that has enjoyed recent upgrades is the weather emulator. We can now control types of clouds, bases and ceilings of these clouds, wind speeds, direction and gust factors. We can control the barometric pressure setting and temperature at our airport (great for density A=altitude experiments) as well as visibility and precipitation. Never has there been such a detailed meteorological simulator for the general public, and we have the ability to critique our instrument flying habits in any situation we would like. Here are a few scenarios or tasks that we like to practice.

Basic Tasks

Instrument Scan – This may seem like a monotonous task but it’s the bedrock of a proficient instrument pilot’s flying. Having a steady technique and understanding what those instruments are indicating, as well as picking up on slight changes before they become significant differences is what keeps you safe. Try flying in the clouds without the autopilot and strengthen the instrument scan muscle. Reduce the workload with a transition to a glass panel from steam gauges.

Avionics Operations – Learning the ins and outs of a computer’s operating logic can be challenging in itself. Trying to learn an operating system while flying an airplane, that’s like reading a book while juggling. Get a better sense of what a GPS unit can do while using a simulator and watch how “Direct To” commands or “Nearest” selections change as your flight progresses. Move on to loading approaches and activating them at the appropriate time, just as you would in the aircraft. The many different aircraft available in today’s simulators provide a wide variety of avionics packages, so you’ll be hard pressed to not find something similar to your airplane.
Autopilot Operations – Proficiency with an autopilot allows a pilot to focus on other aspects of a flight and reduce our workload… but only if they are accustomed to autopilot operations. Better acquaint yourself with the features of an autopilot and how they can assist in flying approaches, entering holds, or assisting on climbs. Dust off the old pilot’s operating handbook supplements. How far into an approach can we use the autopilot? Can we use it on a go-around? Enjoy practicing those legal minimums in the simulator.
Approach Brief – An approach brief helps us to prepare and verify the important facets of a landing prior to descending towards terra firma. Repetition is our friend here and getting to the point where it’s fast and succinct is the goal. Your confidence will improve with a reduction in perspiration when you can quickly brief an approach into unique / new airports, as well as the aircraft’s performance and contingency plans.

Maneuvers to Practice

0/0 Takeoff – Those previously mentioned rudder pedals will come in handy when you need to hold centerline on takeoff and can only see the next 20 feet of the centerline. This maneuver is not an everyday event, but it’s a great one to practice as a student. Speed control, heading control, and lack of reference to the ground is a high pucker factor maneuver when single pilot IFR. This is a good one to practice a few times before real life application.

Course Intercepts – Professional pilots need to be great navigators. Passengers may not notice it but fellow pilots will pick up on the full dot course deflection indication when rolling out on a new heading if you don’t know what you’re doing. Practice this maneuver in a slow flight configuration as well as a fast pace. Next try the maneuver with a paltry 10 degree intercept angle, then take it to the advised limit of a 45 degree intercept. Add another layer by intercepting a VOR radial 30 NMs away and then 3 NMs away.

Holding Entries – With improvements in the Air Traffic Control system, we hope to never enter a hold… But sometimes Mother Nature requires it if our fuel tanks allow it. Critique holding proficiency by entering the circuit with a direct entry, a teardrop entry, and a parallel entry. Once you have the entries down pat, connect ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot to your simulator and review your consistency in creating a symmetrical race track pattern when viewed from above. For a final challenge, throw a 20 knot wind perpendicular to the inbound leg and work on the wind correction technique.

Approach Down to Minimums – One of the greatest features of using a simulator for instrument flying is we can precisely set cloud profiles as well as flight visibility for our next mission. Fly a familiar approach with no clouds but the visibility down to the absolute minimum range. Next fly the same approach with unlimited visibility but take the overcast cloud layer down to the minimums for that approach. Lastly, layer both challenges into a single flight and see what it’s like to fly the approach on the worst advisable weather scenario for that airport. It’ll raise your heartbeat a little bit.

Missed Approach – When executing a missed approach in VFR conditions it is usually due to a bad approach, gusty wind, or a vehicle/animal that makes its way onto the runway. We have a view of the horizon and we’ll comfortably climb out while retracting flaps for either another lap in the pattern or another airport. When flying IFR it’s a little different: when reaching the missed approach point and having no reference to the airport outside the windscreen, we have to fly a go-around with reference only to instruments, while flying a missed approach route that usually concludes in a hold (hopefully you practiced those entry procedures), also while operating the radios and communicating your intentions. The Aviate, Navigate, Communicate hierarchy is important to remember in these scenarios.

Challenging Approaches! – When factoring in approach fixes and terrain, I feel confident saying that no two instrument approaches are the same. Each one will require different briefings, missed approach procedures, comm frequencies, etc. Additionally when transitioning to the approach from the south at altitude X, then flying the same approach from the north at altitude X+2000’, it’s a different start to the procedure. Whether pulling from Flying Magazine’s Chart Wise category or online articles highlighting challenging approaches, there is no lack of challenges for the digital instrument pilot.

For more instrument content, check out Sporty’s IFR month landing page. Part three of this series will focus on emergencies to practice in a simulator.

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 1)

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 3)

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 1)

February 13, 2023/in Tips and technique/by Chris McGonegle

One of the most common questions Sporty’s flight simulation department receives from active pilots is, “How can I log my flights at home”? The short answer is “very expensively.” Yes, it is legal to log the necessary maneuvers outlined in FAR 61.57(c)(1) – six approaches, holding procedures, course intercept and track – in the comfort of your home or office, but only when using a “full flight simulator, flight training device, or aviation training device.” These devices price out at just under $10,000 and require a lot of area to operate. They’re appealing to flight schools or museums but a very expensive way for individual pilots to add ink to their logbook, especially when factoring in per hour price of renting a trainer aircraft with an instructor.

For this article we will focus on the non-loggable flight simulator and how we can get the most out of them for instrument flying. We’ll discuss what flight sim hardware options are useful for IFR flying and a few best practices. We will not discuss computer configurations or a specific flight simulator program, as all scenarios and practices will be eligible for the big three programs (Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, X-Plane, Prepar3D).

There are a lot of hardware options available to the simulator community, ranging from basic flight sticks around $40 all the way up to uber precise yokes with force feedback features costing north of a grand. I’ve learned the lesson in life that when buying a motor vehicle, you never want to go for the cheapest option, nor the most expensive option for your budget. The feature rich middle ground is where I find the most value in cars, as well as many other areas of life. We’ll apply that focus on a brief coverage of the hardware pieces we like to recommend to flight simmers.

Yokes

The Logitech Flight Simulator Yoke with Throttle Quadrant is a great starting option for anyone committed to using a yoke with their simulator and will get you flying sooner. The included throttle quadrant takes care of engine management and the yoke will allow pitch and roll control of the aircraft (review video here).

Honeycomb Alpha Yoke The Honeycomb Alpha Flight Simulator Yoke is a noticeable upgrade from good to great and our most popular yoke here at Sporty’s. The internal cables for tension and ball bearings housing the metal shaft make this a frontrunner for someone who wants precision. The Alpha is one of the best yokes out there for under $1,000 and at a quarter of that price, it’s a heck of a deal (review video here).

Throttles

One of the negatives of the Honeycomb Alpha yoke is that it doesn’t offer engine controls. To fill that void Honeycomb created… wait for it… the Bravo Throttle Quadrant, with a similar chassis to the Honeycomb Alpha. The Honeycomb Bravo is one of the most feature rich flight sim products here at Sporty’s and for that reason, it’s referred to as the Swiss army knife of hardware. Out of the box it includes levers for five different aircraft configurations (GA non complex through commercial four engine), a trim wheel, gear lever, flaps lever, annunciator panel, and a very helpful autopilot (review video here).

If you’re used to the Vernier levers associated with a Cessna 172, then it’s worth researching the Redbird Alloy Single Throttle in Vernier. This is one of the few throttle controls on the market that incorporates the unique “push/pull” or vernier style of controls, while also incorporating a landing gear control and a flaps lever control. Constructed of mainly metal, these controls fall into the professional realm when it comes to hardware but they’re a great way to bring your simulator closer to the real thing.

Pedals

Flight simulator pedals may be the least used of your hardware layout, but they’re essential for using a simulator as a training device rather than a toy. Turn coordination, crosswind crabs, and controlled turns are all situations that require pedal control as well as periodic practice to keep each maneuver sharp. Our most popular pedals are the Thrustmaster Flight Rudder Pedals with counter-sliding pedals and toe brakes. They offer the basics of what you’ll need in pedals at the lowest price.

The pedals we recommend for anyone who is serious about keeping that ball centered at all times would be the Thrustmaster TPR pedals. They weigh fifteen pounds once assembled, feature customizable footwell resting angles and tension, and they incorporate a rare pedal movement/sway due to a pivot point above the pedals rather than below. They’re the highest rated pedals we offer here at Sporty’s and for their higher price, the shining reviews should say a bit about the quality (review video here).

Noteworthy IFR Accessories

Flight Simulator Headset – The headset is a great step towards digitally flying like you would in real life, and is a great complement to a simulator when practicing communication skills. Pair these with PilotEdge or VATSIM to up the ante and talk to real people acting as ATC as you fly your digital aircraft.
Radio Panel – Rotating the COM and NAV dial in the digital aircraft is quite challenging and commonly required when flying in IMC. The Pro Flight Radio Panel brings the radio stack onto your physical desk and streamlines the tunning process.
Flight Simulator EFB Desk Mount – Using a tablet while flying is quickly becoming the norm these days as software eases chart management, backup AHRS, and moving maps. Using your EFB with a simulator allows you to practice scenarios or explore features on your tablet that you may not have experienced yet in the real aircraft (review video here).
RealSimGear Avionics – Building off bringing the radio stack into the physical world, we can now do that with the avionics stack as well. Inner and outer knobs react as they would in the aircraft and the tactile silicone buttons make it as if you’re using the real thing. Select, load, or activate anapproach in the RSG GNS430 on your desk and watch the magenta line appear in your digital aircraft’s panel.

For more instrument content, check out Sporty’s IFR month landing page. Part two of this series will focus on helpful instrument tasks and maneuvers to practice in a simulator.

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 2)

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 3)

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 2)

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 1)

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 2)

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 1)

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 2)

Instrument Flight Useful Scenarios / Maneuvers

Basic Tasks

Maneuvers to Practice

Using Flight Simulators for IFR Training (Part 1)

Yokes

Throttles

Pedals

Noteworthy IFR Accessories

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