Get ready to take flight as two certified flight instructors guide you through the pilot ratings as it is done in the real world, starting with Sport Pilot training, then Private Pilot, followed by the Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot, and Air Transport Pilot. They cover the skills of flight, how to master Flight Simulator, and how to use the software as a learning tool towards your pilot's license. More advanced topics demonstrate how Flight Simulator X can be used as a continuing learning tool and how to simulate real-world emergencies.
Table of Contents
About the Authors.Credits.Acknowledgments.PART I: PREFLIGHT.Intro: Why Use Flight Simulator for Real-World Flying?Why We Fly.How to Use This Book.Procedure training vs. Scenario-Based Training.What's on the Website.Chapter 1. Flight School Setup.Installing FSX.Looking At What's New In FSX.Getting the Right Hardware.Processor, Memory, Video Cards.Monitors.Flight Controls and Headsets.Adjusting Performance Settings.Organizing Your Cockpit.Key Flight SIM Commands.Use of Slew For Practice.Using the FSX Built-In Flight Lessons.Selecting a Real-World Flight School.Aircraft Types.Environment.Instructor.Costs.Introductory Flight.Working with Your Flight Instructor.FSX as Part of a Lesson.Shared Cockpit.Using the Practical Test Standards.Plugging in the Pilot Communities.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 2. First Flight in the Piper J-3 CUB.Flight Fundamentals for the Pilot.We All Have Our Limits.The Four Fundamental Gaits of Flight.Visualize Your Control Surfaces.Trim.First Flight in the CUB.Start the Engine.Taxi.Takeoff.Practice the First Three Gaits and Trim.Make Turns.The Tail's Balancing Act.Fly Once Around the Lake.Approach the Airport.Land.Rollout.Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds.Key Points for real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.PART II: SPORT PILOT.Chapter 3. Ground Reference Maneuvers.The Effects of Wind.A River of Ai.Heading, Course, and Track.Ground Reference Maneuvers with Wind.Coordinated and Uncoordinated Flight.Ground Reference Maneuvers Flight.Rectangular Course.Turns Around a Point.S-Turns.Steep Turns.Crosswind Takeoffs.Forward Slip.Sideslip and Crosswind Landings.Ridiculous Winds.Maximum Demonstrated Crosswind.Worst Crosswinds-Kona, Hawaii.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 4. Airport Operations.Uncontrolled and Controlled Airport Operations.Airport Procedures.Radio Communications.Other Aircraft.Airport Weather and Notices.Post Mills to Lebanon Municipal.StartUp.Taxi and Takeoff.Approach and Landing.Depart for Lebanon.Approaching Lebanon.Land and Taxi.Take the Cub to Beantown.Key Point for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 5. Old-Fashioned Navigation.Planning a Trip.Reading Charts.A Route From A to B.Dead Reckoning.Pilotage.The FSX Flight Planner.How High to Fly.Fly Left, Look Right.Who Owns This Airspace?Moving Loads, Burning Gas.A Multileg Flight Using Pilotage.Take Off and Turn South.Seriously Dead Reckoning.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 6. Emergencies.In-Flight Emergencies.Immediate-Action Emergencies.Urgent Situations.Emergency Training.Power-Off Descent.Rapid Descent.Oddball Emergencies.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 7. Performance Takeoffs and Landings.Aerodynamics of Performance.Takeoff and Landing Calculations.Rate and Angle of Climb and Descent.Short-Field and Soft-Field Procedures.Short Runways.Off-Airport Operations.Yet Another Runway Surface.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 8. Slow Flight, Stalls, and Spins.Taking It Slowly.The Aerodynamics of Slow Flight.The Separation Begins.Stalls with a Twist: Spins.Taking the Cub For a Spin.Slow Down.Power-Off, or Arrival, Stalls.Departure, or Power-On, Stalls.Now for Some Spin.Catching the Bus.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Inst.PART III: PRIVATE PILOT.Chapter 9. First Flight in the Cessna 172SP.Transition to the Cessna 172SP.Modern Aircraft Instruments.The Flap About Flaps.Other System Differences.Checkout Flight in the CESSNA 172SP.Engine Start.Radios Use.Taxiing and Runup.Takeoff and Climb.Basic Maneuvers.Approach and Landing.Advanced Maneuvers.Performance Takeoffs and Landings.Emergency Procedures.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 10. Radio Navigation with Tradional Avionics.Follow the Invisible Road.Finding the Beacon.Flying a Radial.But How Far Away Are You?Flying with GPS.Flying Cross-Country with Radio Navigation.Off You Go.The First Turn.North to Duluth.Giving George the Controls.Direct with GPS.Getting Unlost and Going Elsewhere.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 11. First Flight with the G1000.Welcome to the Age of Glass.A Distributed System.The Primary Flight Display.The Radios.The Multifunction Flight Display.G1000 Cross-Country.Getting Set Up.Taking Off.Staying on Top of Things.Using VORs.Try It with a Crosswind.No Wind Vector?Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 12. Night Flight.When Darkness Falls.Vision and Illusions.Night Flying Techniques.Lights.Emergencies.Night Flight in the Cessna 172SP.Departure.On Course.Arrival At Flying Cloud.Night Flight in the G1000.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 13. Weather.Weather Theory and Data.Weather Hazards.Weather Controls and Effects.The Joy of Scud Running.Scud Run In Cessna 172 With G1000.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 14. Maximizing Performance.Quick, Clean, and Cool.No Replacement for Displacement.A New, Blue Control.Stuff Hanging Down and Sticking Out.Introducing Flight Profiles.Fly Fast In a Mooney.Getting Everything in Position.Pouring on the Colas.Climb, Clean, Cool, Communicate.Picking Up Speed.Coming Downhill.Combinations Count.Going Down and Slowing Down.Arriving at the Airport.Approaching for Landing.Landing.Mooney Under Glass.Key Points for real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.PART IV: INSTRUMENT RATING.Chapter 15. Basic Attitude Instrument Flying.Fly in the Clouds.IFR Ground Checks.The IFR Scan: Attitude Is Everything.The Autopilot.IFR Weather.IMC Flight in Mooney Bravo.Basic IFR Maneuvers.Advanced IFR Maneuvers.Heading Home.IFR Flight With Garmin G1000.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 16. IFR Flight.Flight Plan Creation.ATC and Flight Plans.Instrument Charts.Departure Procedures.En Route Operations.Arrival Procedures.IFR Flight to a Visual Approach.Preflight.Flight.Departures, Holds, and Arrivals.Flight Plan.Departure.Hold(No Wind).Hold (Wind).Arrival.Garmin G1000.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 17. Instrument Approaches.The Final Miles Between Heaven and Earth.The Instrument Approach Plate.VOR Approaches.Localizer Approaches.The Big Kahuna: ILS Approaches.Down Through the Muck: Flying Approaches.A VOR at KPAE.A LOC at KAWO.An ILS at KPAE.String PAE AWO BFI Together.Do it With Wind.Key Points for r45eal Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 18. GPS Approaches.No Ground Station Needed.A Basic GPS Approach.Overlay Approaches.RNAV Approaches.GPS Sensitivity.Using the GPS.Fly Some GPS with a Six-Pack.KSHN GPS Rwy 23.RNAV Rwy 34 Approach at KFHR.The VOR or GPS Rwy 6 at KHQM.Instrument Approaches on the G1000.GPS Rwy 1 at KPWT.ILS 17 at KTIW.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 19. Additional Instrument Approaches.More Ways to Get Around and Down.NDB Approaches.DME Arcs.Localizer Back-Course Approaches.Visual and Contact Approaches.Circle to Land.Multiple Approaches-Calm Wind.An NDB at KTIW.A DME Arc at KOLM.A Back Course at KSLE.A Contact Approach at KBFI.Multiple Approaches-with Wind.NDB Approach with Wind.DME Arc with Wind.LOC BC Approach with Wind.Combo with a Side of Wind.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 20. IFR Emergencies.IFR Emergencies in Theory.Partial-Panel Flying.Other AIMC Emergencies.Recovery From Unusual Attitudes.Lost Communication.IFR Emergencies in Practice.Partial Panel.Electrical Failure.Unusual Attitude Recovery.Unexpected Emergencies.Key Point for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.PART V: COMMERCIAL LICENSE.Chapter 21. Multiengine Flying in the Beechcraft Baron.Flying Multiengine Airplanes.Redline and Blueline.Some Other Baron Points.Getting Up to Speed in the Baron.Taxi the Twin.A Lean Machine.The Takeoff Briefing.Patience, Patience.Flight Profiles for the Baron.Baron on the Gauges.Doing Performance Takeoffs and Landings.What Makes the Field Short?Crosswind Approaches.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 22. Commercial Flight Maneuvers.Loading and Performance.Weight.CG and Aircraft Performance.Flight Maneuvers-Flight on Pylons.Commercial Flight Maneuvers.Steep Turns.Slow Flight and Stalls.Weight and Balance Flight Testing.Single Engine-Only Maneuvers.Steep Spiral.Emergency Approach and Landing.Chandelles.Lazy Eights.Eights on Pylons.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 23. Flying with one Feathered.One Engine Down.Single-Engine Aerodynamics.Engine-Out Procedures.Single-Engine Approaches and Landings.What's Happening Here?Single-Engine ILS. Chapter 23. Flying with One Feathered.One Engine Down.Single-Engine Aerodynamics.Engine-Out Procedures.Single-Engine Approaches and Landings.What's Happening Here?Single-Engine ILS.Single-Engine GPS Approach.Single-Engine Crosswind Landings.Additional Single-Engine Work.Engine Failure on Takeoff.VMC Demo.Drag Demo.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.PART VI: ATP AND BEYOND.Chapter 24. Multiplayer.Sharing the Virtual Skies.How Multiplayer Works.Getting Into Multiplayer.Hosting a Multiplayer Session.Setting Up Shared Aircraft.Joining a Multiplayer Session.Playing Well with Others.Let's Chat.Radio Chatter.Flying with Other Airplanes.Flying with Another Pilot.Climbing into the Tower.Your World, Their World.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 25. Virtual Airlines and Online Flying.Virtual Airlines.Finding a Virtual Airline.Hubs and Pilot Bases.Moving Up the Ranks.Multiplayer.Online Flying.Starting Out.Communication.Training and Experience.Real (Virtual) Controllers.Events.Key Point for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 26. Virtual Air Traffic Control.Pushing Tin.Software requirements.Becoming a Controller.The Radar Screen.Communication.Working With Other Controllers.ATC Positions from the Ground Up.Clearance Delivery.Ground Control.Tower (Local) Control.Approach (and Departure) Control.En Route (Center) Control.Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-Ins.Chapter 27. Conclusion.Pelican's Perspective.Index.
Author Biography
Jeff Van West is a certified flight instructor in both single and multi-engine aircraft and editor of the professional pilot magazine IFR. He has written training curricula for both computer simulation and general aviation programs. Kevin Lane-Cummings is a pilot, flight instructor, educator, and technical communication professional. He has worked for aerospace megacorporations, science museums, flight schools, public TV stations, and Internet publishers.
