FAA approves low cost home simulators to maintain instrument currency
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FAA approves low cost home simulators to maintain instrument currency
In an article in the US Flying magazine October 2018 under the heading “Instrument currency at home” it states that the FAA has changed the regulations so the use of approved home simulators is available to maintain instrument rating currency.
Have the Aussie rules been updated? As we all know, in the USA instrument ratings do not have to be renewed. As long as you remain current, you have them forever. In the Flight Review there is no requirement to do any instrument flying at all. This keeps costs down and the industry growing.
“That’s right, you no longer need to have an instructor seated next to you or go fly with a safety pilot under the hood, and you never even need to leave the comfort of your living room. …You’ll need to purchase an approved aviation training device that includes actual physical knobs and switches or a touch screen that can replicate them. A few are available, one from FlyThisSim for about $5,400…”
$5400?
You can fly 25hrs of dual for that amount.
Which means about 12 years(!) worth of Instrument Proficiency Checks.
Makes almost as much sense as buying a new Tesla to save on gas.
You can fly 25hrs of dual for that amount.
Which means about 12 years(!) worth of Instrument Proficiency Checks.
Makes almost as much sense as buying a new Tesla to save on gas.
Sadly certainly not Dick. Don’t think it wil ever happen in Australia during my lifetime and I’m now 48!
The regs even require a CASA FOI to do a 12 monthly fidelity check to keep the sims CASA approved, even for the most basic PC based sim that most flying schools and GA operators use.
The regs even require a CASA FOI to do a 12 monthly fidelity check to keep the sims CASA approved, even for the most basic PC based sim that most flying schools and GA operators use.
Sadly not in this country for $216.
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It's not only good for Instrument Rating currency, but it also counts for up to 50 hours towards a Commercial Certificate. I've just ordered one for my flight school where it will certainly improve my customers' experience while reducing their costs. Safety should be enhanced because it will be much easier and cheaper for pilots to maintain proficiency.
Mike Smith
Mike Smith
Last edited by KRIU Aviator; 8th Jan 2019 at 00:55.
I spent 5 years instructing IFR in a helicopter school which had IFR B206 as well as CASA-certified IFR sims - no motion, but as realistic as you could get, with surround screens and real buttons and switches.
I allowed my IR to expire, as i intended to "retire" and just perform ground duties in the simulator, but CA$A declared I could no longer instruct in a sim. ...unle$$... I paid for a CA$$$$A per$on to come up to the $chool and check me a$ $uitable to in$truct in a $im. For a fee of cour$e. The fact that I had been using those sims for 5 years and held an instrument rating since 1972 mattered not a whit.
I allowed my IR to expire, as i intended to "retire" and just perform ground duties in the simulator, but CA$A declared I could no longer instruct in a sim. ...unle$$... I paid for a CA$$$$A per$on to come up to the $chool and check me a$ $uitable to in$truct in a $im. For a fee of cour$e. The fact that I had been using those sims for 5 years and held an instrument rating since 1972 mattered not a whit.
It is very easy to check out, on the FAA web site, what you can do with varying grades of Flight Training Devices, short of a simulator.
Indeed, this latest announcement is further linear progress ---- rather than a big breakthrough, in using economical modern electronics.
It is a great pity we do not see the same logical thinking and associated progress here --- and it is both the fault of the "industry" and CASA --- the Australia aviation kneejerk NO!
I wonder why it is that Australia has a reputation for being early adopters of new technology, except aviation ---- and is the answer why aviation is100% the opposite as simple as a bureaucracy and their subjects wedded to "approval" --- nothing can happen until "it" is officially approved by the officially approved approving authority ---- and the bureaucratically safe answer is ALWAYS to say NO!!
Under the various legislation, under which the DoT and FAA work, a kneejerk NO! is not an option. There is no such restraint in Australia.
Tootle pip!!
Last edited by LeadSled; 13th Jan 2019 at 13:10. Reason: typo
