Fly this exercise twice in an FAA-approved sim, with variations, and you’ll be current. Fly it to checkride standards on any sim, and you’re definitely proficient, too.

Into the gritty night you go, sneering at the need for rest before further flight. But rather than reheated FBO coffee in your hand, you hold … a chocolate bar?

Today’s Sim Challenge begins on the ramp at Silver Springs, Nevada, (KSPZ). You can use real-world weather, but since it’s probably good VFR in this part of the country, set up an “under the hood” view in the sim that only shows the panel. We’ll tell you when to go under the hood and when […]

You’re the owner, operator, and chief (only) pilot of Totally Legal Charters, flying passengers between the Hawaiian Islands and making questionable decisions. Pick whatever single-engine sim plane you like and base it at Kalaupapa (PHLU). Today’s weather is good enough for some sightseeing, barely, but poor enough that you’ll fly IFR—you know, just for safety. […]

You can fly a lot of IFR these days without encountering anything but GPS approaches with LPV minimums. In this challenge, you’ll fly departures and approaches at two airports where the procedures required are anything but standard. Better brief them well so the gotchas don’t getcha. Use whatever airplane you like for this challenge, as […]

These Sim Challenges have been accused of creating “gotchas” to catch the unsuspecting—and rightly so. That’s part of the game. So we decided it was only fair to spool up a bit different challenge. The gotchas here are largely ones in the venn diagram of conflict where good ol’ fashion procedure design meets 21st-century execution. […]

There’s an old joke about the retired airline pilot who checks out in a Cessna 172 after years of flying heavy iron. The pilot calls Tower from the hold short line saying, “I’ve lost my first officer, have only basic functioning equipment, and I’m down to one engine … I’d like to declare an emergency […]

For this sim challenge, we’re back in the mountains because it’s just so much fun in the sim. You’ll fly two short hops over the Rocky Mountains. The trip begins at in Kremmling, Colorado (20V). Then, you’ll stop at Eagle (KEGE), on the way to the notorious LOC approach to Aspen (KASE). You’ll need a […]

Today’s Sim Challenge is just an out-and-back. You’ll start on the ramp at Santa Maria, California, (KSMX) and hop over the hills a scant 76 NM to Bakersfield Muni (L45). Leg Two is just the reverse. Simple … except you’ll set the outside visuals to deep nighttime with ceilings of 1000 feet at KSMX and […]

The weather tanked. Fuel is low. Your right arm even aches in homage to Jimmy Stewart’s plight from Strategic Air Command. The 1955 Hollywood controller stares into the scope and reports the field is 100-¼. He offers a hold at the marker, but you say, “I can’t hold. I’m committed. I don’t have enough fuel […]