Originally Posted by bongodriver (Post 502142)

Hi Oldschool61, I am a flight instructor but not FAA, based in the UK, I'm fairly confident that the FAA won't give any dispensation on the minimum hours on the basis of MSFS experience, the factors being that MSFS is not an approved FNPT system (flight navigation procedure trainer) and self teaching can not be accepted, you have to admit self teaching makes somewhat a mockery of the many hours of training and regulation that professional instructors have to go through in order to teach to the strict syllabus laid out by national authorities, as Nearmiss says, if you stroll into the flight school asking for dispensation because you play computer games you will instantly lose respect.

I will however say that your time spent on MSFS will almost certainly make the instrument flying side of the syllabus much easier, remember that the hours required in the syllabus are absolute 'minimum' and there is always a chance that if a student struggles along the way then the hours may overrun.

Originally Posted by redxfred (Post 502217)

I instructed in USAF and in civilian scenarios and personally have great respect for the training derived from FSX. If nothing else, it can eliminate those prospective pilots who have neither the discipline or "Air sense" to get through an FAA certified program. That's good, because not everyone can be a pilot (Or a Doctor, or a singer or a good sheet rock hanger...). It is a blessing to find out you really don't want to put up with flight school before you lay out gobs of dough.

FAA never accepted training from other than a certificated Instructor when I was doing it, but a call to any flight school listed in the yellow pages can confirm whether or not that policy has changed. Just ask to speak informally to an instructor. I'm sure they will be glad to answer your questions.

FSX is a good procedures trainer but can never replace the "seat of the pants" experience of the real thing. Practicing radio procedures as well as course intercepts and holding pattern type instruments is a great way to apply all the little instructions found in the Airman information Manual so that you will instinctively know which way to turn, when to start the clock and all that other stuff when you start paying big bucks to the flight school. Simply put, learn what to do in FSX so that you can quickly learn HOW to do it in the rental plane.

Learning to fly is only part of the challenge. After you are given the FAA blessing, you still must be committed and be able to afford to fly occasionally in order to remain legally and skillfully current. If you can't afford to practice after you're licensed, you've just wasted the money on a pilots certificate. Be committed to safe flying before you start spending on what can be a very expensive hobby, or else please don't fly over western Virginia, where I live.

Originally Posted by bongodriver (Post 502358)

No check ride, just 3 and 3 so you can take passengers, you only need a check ride every 2 years.

Originally Posted by bongodriver (Post 502361)

Here in Europe they have to be full stop, I can't say with confidence if the FAA is the same but I imagine it is, a long runway makes this less of a pain.

Originally Posted by bongodriver (Post 502367)

The minimum hours are for licensing, if during training your progress is really good and you have covered all lessons up to first solo then it is the instructors discretion as to when to send you solo, this can be achieved in as little as 10 hours approx.