Microsoft Flight Simulator X For Pilots: Real World Training

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 iii Credits iv Acknowledgments v Part I: Preflight 1 Intro: Why Use Flight Simulator for Real-World Flying? 3 Why We Fly 4 How to Use This Book 4 Procedure Training vs. Scenario-Based Training 6 What’s on the Website 6 Chapter 1: Flight School Setup 9 Installing FSX 10 Looking at What’s New in FSX 10 Getting the Right Hardware 11 Processor, Memory, Video Cards 12 Monitors 13        Flight Controls and Headsets 13 Adjusting Performance Settings 14 Organizing Your Cockpit 16 Key Flight Sim Commands 17 Use of Slew for Practice 19 Using the FSX Built-in Flight Lessons 19 Selecting a Real-World Flight School 20 Aircraft Types 20 Environment 20 Instructor 21 Costs 21 Introductory Flight 23 Working with Your Flight Instructor 23 FSX as Part of a Lesson 23 Shared Cockpit 24 Using the Practical Test Standards 25 Plugging in to Pilot Communities 26 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 28 Chapter 2: First Flight in the Piper J-3 Cub 29 Flight Fundamentals for the Pilot 30 We All Have Our Limits 31 The Four Fundamental Gaits of Flight 32 Visualize Your Control Surfaces 33 Trim 36 First Flight in the Cub 38 Start the Engine 40 Taxi 42 Takeoff 44 Practice the First Three Gaits and Trim 46 Make Turns 47 The Tail’s Balancing Act 49 Fly Once Around the Lake 50 Approach the Airport 51 Land 52 Rollout 54 Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds 54 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 56 Part II: Sport Pilot 57 Chapter 3: Ground Reference Maneuvers 59 The Effects of Wind 60 A River of Air 60 Heading, Course, and Track 61 Ground Reference Maneuvers with Wind 63 Coordinated and Uncoordinated Flight 63 Ground Reference Maneuvers Flight 63 Rectangular Course 65 Turns Around a Point 68 S-Turns 70 Steep Turns 73 Crosswind Takeoffs 75 Forward Slip 77 Sideslip and Crosswind Landings 80 Ridiculous Winds 83 Maximum Demonstrated Crosswind 83 Worst Crosswinds—Kona, Hawaii 85 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 86 Chapter 4: Airport Operations 87 Uncontrolled and Controlled Airport Operations 88 Airport Procedures 88 Radio Communications 95 Other Aircraft 98 Airport Weather and Notices 99 Post Mills to Lebanon Municipal 102 Startup 103 Taxi and Takeoff 104 Approach and Landing 105 Depart for Lebanon 106 Approaching Lebanon 109 Land and Taxi 109 Take the Cub to Beantown 109 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 113 Chapter 5: Old-Fashioned Navigation 115 Planning a Trip 116 Reading Charts 117 A Route from A to B 118 Dead Reckoning 119 Pilotage 120 The FSX Flight Planner 121 How High to Fly 123 Fly Left, Look Right 125 Who Owns This Airspace? 125 Moving Loads, Burning Gas 130 A Multileg Flight Using Pilotage 132 Take Off and Turn South 132 Seriously Dead Reckoning 139 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 141 Chapter 6: Emergencies 143 In-Flight Emergencies 144 Immediate-Action Emergencies 145 Urgent Situations 148 Emergency Training 149 Power-Off Descent 150 Rapid Descent 153 Oddball Emergencies 155 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 157 Chapter 7: Performance Takeoffs and Landings 159 Aerodynamics of Performance 160 Takeoff and Landing Calculations 160 Rate and Angle of Climb and Descent 162 Short-Field and Soft-Field Procedures 163 Short Runways 164 Soft Runways 167 Off-Airport Operations 170 Yet Another Runway Surface 171 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 172 Chapter 8: Slow Flight, Stalls, and Spins 173 Taking it Slowly 174 The Aerodynamics of Slow Flight 174 The Separation Begins 175 Stalls with a Twist: Spins 176 Taking the Cub for a Spin 178 Slow Down 178 Power-off, or Arrival, Stalls 181 Departure, or Power-on, Stalls 182 Now for Some Spin 183 Catching the Bus 186 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 187 Part III: Private Pilot 189 Chapter 9: First Flight in the Cessna 172SP 191 Transition to the Cessna 172SP 192 Modern Aircraft Instruments 194 The Flap About Flaps 199 Other System Differences 201 Checkout Flight in the Cessna 172SP 206 Engine Start 207 Radios Use 207 Taxiing and Runup 208 Takeoff and Climb 209 Basic Maneuvers 210 Approach and Landing 214 Advanced Maneuvers 215 Performance Takeoffs and Landings 216 Emergency Procedures 217 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 220 Chapter 10: Radio Navigation with Tradional Avionics 221 Follow the Invisible Road 222 Finding the Beacon 222 Flying a Radial 224 But How Far Away are You? 232 Flying with GPS 233 Flying Cross-Country with Radio Navigation 235 Off You Go 237 The First Turn 238 North to Duluth 239 Giving George the Controls 239 Direct with GPS 242 Getting Unlost and Going Elsewhere 244 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 246 Chapter 11: First Flight with the G1000 247 Welcome to the Age of Glass 248 A Distributed System 249 The Primary Flight Display 249 The Radios 256 The Multifunction Flight Display 258 G1000 Cross-Country 263 Getting Set Up 263 Taking Off 266 Staying on Top of Things 267 Using VORs 268 Try it with a Crosswind 270 No Wind Vector!? 270 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 271 Chapter 12: Night Flight 273 When Darkness Falls 274 Vision and Illusions 274 Night Flying Techniques 278 Lights 280 Emergencies 284 Night Flight in the Cessna 172SP 285 Departure 285 On Course 287 Arrival at Flying Cloud 288 Night Flight in the G1000 289 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 290 Chapter 13: Weather 291 Weather Theory and Data 292 Weather Hazards Weather Controls and Effects The Joy of Scud Running 301 Scud Run in Cessna 172 with G1000 306 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 307 Chapter 14: Maximizing Performance 309 Quick, Clean, and Cool 310 No Replacement for Displacement 310 A New, Blue Control 311 Stuff Hanging Down and Sticking Out 312 Introducing Flight Profiles 314 Fly Fast in a Mooney 317 Getting Everything in Position 317 Pouring on the Coals 319 Climb, Clean, Cool, Communicate 319 Picking Up Speed 321 Coming Downhill 322 Combinations Count 322 Going Down and Slowing Down 323 Arriving at the Airport 324 Approaching for Landing 324 Landing 326 Mooney under Glass 328 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 330 Part IV: Instrument Rating 331 Chapter 15: Basic Attitude Instrument Flying 333 Fly in the Clouds 334 IFR Ground Checks 334 The IFR Scan: Attitude is Everything 336 The Autopilot 338 IFR Weather 339 IMC Flight in Mooney Bravo 340 Basic IFR Maneuvers 342 Advanced IFR Maneuvers Heading Home IFR Flight with Garmin G1000 347 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 349 Chapter 16: IFR Flight 351 Flight Plan Creation 352 ATC and Flight Plans 352 Instrument Charts 354 Departure Procedures 355 En Route Operations 360 Arrival Procedures 369 IFR Flight to a Visual Approach 370 Preflight 371 Flight 374 Departures, Holds, and Arrivals 378 Flight Plan 378 Departure 380 Hold (No Wind) 381 Hold (Wind) 383 Arrival 384 Garmin G1000 385           Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 386 Chapter 17: Instrument Approaches 387 The Final Miles Between Heaven and Earth 388 The Instrument Approach Plate 388 VOR Approaches 390 Localizer Approaches 403 The Big Kahuna: ILS Approaches 407  Down Through the Muck: Flying Approaches 409 A VOR at KPAE 409 A LOC at KAWO 423 An ILS at KPAE 429 String PAE AWO BFI Together 436 Do it with Wind 437 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 439 Chapter 18: GPS Approaches 441 No Ground Station Needed 442 A Basic GPS Approach 442 Overlay Approaches 444 RNAV Approaches 446 GPS Sensitivity 449 Using the GPS 450 Fly Some GPS with a Six-Pack 455 KSHN GPS Rwy 23 455 RNAV Rwy 34 Approach at KFHR 471 The VOR or GPS Rwy 6 at KHQM 480 Instrument Approaches on the G1000 489 GPS Rwy 1 at KPWT 490 ILS 17 at KTIW 498 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 503 Chapter 19: Additional Instrument Approaches 505 More Ways to Get Around and Down 506 NDB Approaches 506 DME Arcs 509 Localizer Back-Course Approaches 512 Visual and Contact Approaches 518 Circle to Land 523 Multiple Approaches—Calm Wind 526 An NDB at KTIW 527 A DME Arc at KOLM 531 A Back Course at KSLE 533 A Contact Approach at KBFI 535 Multiple Approaches—with Wind 537 NDB Approach with Wind 537 DME Arc with Wind 538 LOC BC Approach with Wind 539 Combo with a Side of Wind 539 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 541 Chapter 20: IFR Emergencies 543 IFR Emergencies in Theory 544 Partial-Panel Flying 544 Other IMC Emergencies 551 Recovery from Unusual Attitudes 555 Lost Communication 557 IFR Emergencies in Practice 562 Partial Panel 562 Electrical Failure 563 Unusual Attitude Recovery 564 Unexpected Emergencies 565 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 567 Part V: Commercial License 569 Chapter 21: Multiengine Flying in the Beechcraft Baron 571 Flying Multiengine Airplanes 572 Redline and Blueline 572 Some Other Baron Points 574 Getting Up to Speed in the Baron 577 Taxi the Twin 579 A Lean Machine 580 The Takeoff Briefing 581 Patience, Patience 581 Flight Profiles for the Baron 582 Baron on the Gauges 587 Doing Performance Takeoffs and Landings 591 What Makes the Field Short? 592 Crosswind Approaches 594 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 596 Chapter 22: Commercial Flight Maneuvers 597 Loading and Performance 598 Weight 598 CG and Aircraft Performance 600 Flight Maneuvers—Eights on Pylons 603 Commercial Flight Maneuvers 605 Steep Turns 606 Slow Flight and Stalls 607 Weight and Balance Flight Testing 609 Single Engine–Only Maneuvers 609 Steep Spiral 609 Emergency Approach and Landing 610 Chandelles 611 Lazy Eights 613 Eights on Pylons 615 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 616 Chapter 23: Flying with One Feathered 617 One Engine Down 618 Single-Engine Aerodynamics 618 Engine-out Procedures 624 Single-Engine Approaches and Landings 627 What’s Happening Here? 627 Single-Engine ILS 633 Single-Engine GPS Approach 634 Single-Engine Crosswind Landings 635 Additional Single-Engine Work 636 Engine Failure on Takeoff 636 VMC Demo 638 Drag Demo 639 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 641 Part VI: ATP and Beyond 643 Chapter 24: Multiplayer 645 Sharing the Virtual Skies 646 How Multiplayer Works 646 Getting into Multiplayer 647 Hosting a Multiplayer Session 649 Setting Up Shared Aircraft 653 Joining a Multiplayer Session 654 Playing Well with Others 657 Let’s Chat 658 Radio Chatter 658 Flying with Other Airplanes 661 Flying with Another Pilot 662 Climbing into the Tower 665 Your World, Their World 669 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 670 Chapter 25: Virtual Airlines and Online Flying 671 Virtual Airlines 672 Finding a Virtual Airline 673 Hubs and Pilot Bases 674 Moving Up the Ranks 674 Multiplayer 675 Online Flying 676 Starting Out 677 Communication 678 Training and Experience 679 Real (Virtual) Controllers 680 Events 684 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 685 Chapter 26: Virtual Air Traffic Control 687 Pushing Tin 688 Software Requirements 689 Becoming a Controller 690 The Radar Screen 691 Communication 695 Working with Other Controllers 696 ATC Positions from the Ground Up 698 Clearance Delivery 698 Ground Control 700 Tower (Local) Control 701 Approach (and Departure) Control 704 En Route (Center) Control 706 Key Points for Real Flying and FSX Built-ins 708 Chapter 27: Conclusion 709 Pelican’s Perspective 710 Index 711

About the Author :
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.

Review :
"I keep this book on visual at all times, as it’s destined to become a classic. THE book to read about serious flight-simulation". (fs-dev-support.com/jarn, Monday 17th September)