AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2019 - 81

a former U.S. Navy pilot, for help starting
the airplane. Following instructions over
the phone he was able to get the Cessna
172 started, which showed Forelli just how
realistic the software was-and how useful
a tool the simulator could be. From there he
discovered PilotEdge, a live ATC simulator
service that brings together controllers and
pilots in a simulated environment, but with
real radio calls.
"My first time ever on the radio was to
get a VFR clearance out of John Wayne on
my discovery flight," he said. "I look over
and the instructor's eyes were huge. He
couldn't believe it." Soon after, Forelli was
handling radios for Class B transitions, traffic pattern operations, and everything else
that was thrown at him.
During his training he developed a regimented simulator training program to help
supplement his in-airplane training. Every
lesson involved a week of preparation, flying the lesson multiple times with and
without simulated live communications.
After every lesson Forelli would spend
half a week debriefing the same lesson
on X-Plane. Over time he learned exactly
what to take away from the simulator and
what to ignore. Things such as exact control forces and airplane dynamics didn't
translate well, but procedures, flows, and
communication were exact replicas. "You
have to be disciplined," he said. "The discipline is what saved me money."
Home simulator setups can be as basic
as a Costco computer with X-Plane and a
cheap joystick, or as realistic as full controls, physical instrument panels, and
wraparound visuals. Redbird sells a ready
desktop option called the Jay, and there are
other options on the market. If you want to
really up the level of realism, PilotEdge is
a great tool that integrates seamlessly into
a home simulation set-up.
Try it: If you want to save money in
training and keep your skills sharp
after.
Skip it: If you are more interested in
gaming than training.
Money saved: Forelli estimates he's
saved thousands of dollars.
AOPA
EMAIL ian.twombly@aopa.org

aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 81

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2019

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