PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Instrument Pilot is a comprehensive IFR procedures course. The program is recommended for VFR pilots that want to start IFR training, and IFR students with less than 20 hours of IFR instruction. It is the first PC-based, IFR flight simulator that actually teaches the IFR procedures that the FAA Practical Test Standards for the Instrument Rating are built on. This Windows™-based program is unique in the aviation flight simulation market.
New with version 6.0 is an updated US database including all public airports, airways, navaids, intersections, and fixes. There is now a worldwide database that includes many airports, navaids, intersections, and fixes outside the continental United States.
Flight simulation is conducted in a Cessna 172 with a "virtual CFII" in the right seat. The program contains 133 interactive lessons with realistic voice guidance from the virtual CFII. The Instrument Pilot Trainer package also includes, Book 3 of the Pilot's Manual Series, by Trevor Thom for reference. The program begins by having the instructor brief the "student pilot" on each maneuver, then demonstrating the maneuver, and finally verbally prompting the student pilot through an attempt of the maneuver on their own. The pilot then continues practice under guidance of the virtual CFII, and finally the pilot is tested. When a pilot is executing an approach the virtual instructor knows the precise flight profile at any given time, and can stop the simulation if the pilot strays from the lesson parameters. If an error is made, the CFII will explain the error, and offer to either back up to the point of error or practice the lesson again from the beginning. The program evaluates the flight, using the FAA Practical Test Standards, and graphically displays the pilot's ranking in the different elements of the lesson. Instrument Pilot records every lesson that the student has taken, how they have done, and recommends the next lesson, or where the student should go for further review.
Instrument Pilot is organized in a series of lesson blocks to take the student pilot from the basics of IFR flight, to the most complex approaches. The lesson blocks are designed to build on the elements learned earlier. The lesson blocks are:
Instrument Flight - These lessons cover both basic and advanced attitude flight.
Radio Navigation - These learning blocks work with pilots on clearances, SIDs, STARs, ATIS, approach/departure control, flight watch, and more.
Instrument Approaches - This series of lessons instruct the student IFR pilot on approaches such as ILS, NDB, VOR/DME, localizer, and "no gyro" at real airports.
Enroute IFR - These lesson blocks teach the instrument student about intercepts.
Every lesson has actual digitized controller voices. They cover all aspects of IFR flight beginning with ATIS, clearance delivery, ground control, tower, approach/departure control, center, FSS, and Flight Watch.
The student may also simulate flight in the "just fly" mode. This mode allows the pilot to execute any instrument approach in the United States with every navaid available without any instructor guidance. The pilot is also able to preset 12 different weather conditions such as winds, ceilings, and visibility. Once the flight is completed, the pilot can review the flight on a map for self-evaluation that depicts ground track and altitude profile. For more advanced practice the student may also simulate partial panel with instrument covers.
While the Instrument Pilot software can never replace a real CFII, it will aid any pilot in learning, and understanding IFR procedures. With this program, the pilot can practice concepts that may be frustrating without the expense of "in air" time and fine-tune technique. It is estimated that Instrument Pilot users achieve their rating in almost 30 hours less than the national average. This translates to a large amount of money saved! Of course, this program has the standard 30-day money back guarantee. Shipping weight is calculated at 3 lbs.
Minimum system requirements: PC running Windows 95/98/ME/XP, 166Mhz, 64MB RAM, 25MB free hard drive space, CD-ROM drive, 800 x 600 SVGA, mouse, and Windows Direct X compatible sound card.