Microsoft Flight Simulator X For Pilots

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.

"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)

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