Hi SirDeluxe,
im my very honest opinion:
In 1996, a preparation-software for the DLR cost some €400-500 (GPB 340-425 / USD 550-680). I'm not joking.
THAT was expensive - and compared to Skytest it wasn't even worth €5,-!
Today, Skytest is a rather good product for a reasonable price while the competitor with those unbelievable prices disappeared a long time ago; I think, the Skytest-Software is some €50-60,-. And: Nearly *everybody* uses it for training, so simply not having it *might* be an disadvantage.
I have trained mainly with Skytest, I did only the RMS-Test with the official DLR-CBTs some years ago, since with the RMS-Test even the voice and speed in the CBT is identical to the test at the DLR. I was told in the final interview for LH, that all results at the first stage of the application process (GU) were "very good", while the MIC-Test as only "good". No, I'm not showing off, but simply reporting if my preparation was useful or not.
I think, the investment in the software was reasonable.
I definitely agree with Raven1972, that without training the MIC is very difficult. Your IR-rating will *not* help you...
The MIC is *not* an aviation simulator (MIC="Monitoring and Instrument Coordination"), it's a test which just looks like a simulator but behaves rather different and checks abstract abilities which are only in a very limited way comparable to instrument flying. Yes, if you fly it like an aeroplane, you'll probably fail.
In contrast to Raven1972, I recommend training predominantly with Skytest; it's worth that little money (hey, your flight training wasn't free either, was it?!) and while all the DLR-CBTs are only *prerecorded*, Skytest will generate all the time new exercises randomly. Addtionally, Skytest presents all the tests pretty close to the real thing, while the DLR-CBTs DO NOT show important details! Partly, the DLR-CBTs are even misleading! The real thing is definitely pretty different to the CBTs - that might give you a very unpleasant surprise while you sit the DLR and realize that you don't know many of the details and you're not prepared for them.
That detail is the only thing, I really dislike about the DLR: Their information policy should be a bit more honest; but it isn't.
Just my opinion,
good luck to you all,
McFly
Last edited by Captain McFly; 15th Nov 2010 at 18:11.