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Says who you can't? Don't let anyone tell you this challenge doesn't improve actual flying skills until they fly it better than you do. There's an old joke about the [...]

Many experienced mountain pilots say there's no such thing as 'Mountain IFR' in light GA airplanes. This is why. For this sim challenge, we're back in the mountains because it's [...]

Instrument flying is difficult when the hazards lie below the clouds--which are at minimums. Let's make it more difficult by doing it in the dark. Today's Sim Challenge is just [...]

We think about ceilings when reviewing minimums for an approach, but in the U.S., it's visibility that determines if you land. Visibility? We don't need no stinkin' visibility. The weather [...]

Today's sim challenge is a race from Riverside, CA (KRAL) to Santa Monica, CA (KSMO), with stops along the way at Hawthorne (KHHR) and Fullerton (KFUL). It's a quick trip--and [...]

Do you use the bearing pointers on your glass? You should. Not only do they give you something to do on those quiet enroute sections, they could save the day [...]

We usually make these so you can fly them with or without a GPS in your sim, but that's getting more difficult every day. It's a GPS world out there. [...]

They say a rough dress rehearsal means a great opening night So, if you can make the final stage check before an IFR checkride a doozy, why not? Some people [...]

Dynon's STC'd version of the SkyView HDX system was introduced a couple of years ago (we covered it in the September 2017 Aviation Consumer), but it hasn't been retrofitted in [...]

Flying professionally around Idaho combines airline flying with bush flying. Take your turn at the controls and see if you have a second career under Part 135. Ever wish you [...]

One departure, five approaches, no en-route chart needed. Just for fun, add a GPS outage for the last third. Sound like fun? Yeah, we thought so, too. Back when I [...]

Single-engine IFR always has the potential of becoming no-engine IFR. You tell your passengers you'd just spiral down using that moving map, but have you tried it? The old HBO [...]

No desktop sim can do any real justice to flying in Alaska. But we won't let that stop us from trying. Here's a taste of how GPS makes it easier, [...]

Some places get the best names. Take Yakima, WA, for instance: Gromo, Naches, Zilla--that last one is worthy of a Japanese movie monster. Maybe even 'Gromo versus 'Zilla' as Tokyo [...]

Pilots read the notes and take them as gospel. But as approaches get more complex, summing it up in a few words can mean summing it up wrong.We pilots trust [...]

Poor planning leads to extreme situations. These are words to live by, as well as the jumping off point for our 'choose your own misadventure' sim challenge. We've done our [...]

Who cares if it's legal? This is the sim. Yet a few of these techniques could pay off nicely in the real world. Good luck with this one ... Feedback [...]

Serious mountain IFR is something few of us get to do--or would even attempt--in the real world. But the sim lets you fly the stuff of legend. It had to [...]

One of the major announcements from AirVenture 2016 was ForeFlight's version 8. At least it was major in the eyes of the company. ForeFlight CEO Tyson Weihs told us it [...]

Departures are one of the most overlooked parts of instrument flying. That's unfortunate because screwing them up is a good way to have a bad day. Instrument approaches are designed [...]

It started with a reader question about the RNAV (GPS) Y Rwy 28L at Monterey, CA (KMRY). The question seems simple on the surface: 'There is a feeder from the [...]

Understanding key IFR regulations isn't just about keeping the inspectors happy. It's what allows maximum utility without compromising legality or safety ... too much. I'm voting this regulation as the [...]

When you need to drop like the Dow after the bubble bursts, you'd best have a plan. Practice now, and you won't get caught with your pants equally down. Keeping [...]

When talking about your GPS navigation, you want to say, 'I know' and 'It will,' rather than 'I think' and 'It should.' Know how your navigator behaves on the edge [...]

You can have ADS-B weather and traffic on your iPad for as little as $61. Some assembly is required. Get pilots talking about ADS-B and they start griping about money. [...]

It's not a crutch, cheat, or gimmick. GPS lets you be equally successful with far less effort--or an even better pilot if you use it to advantage. Just learn how [...]

Glass panels spread a big, beautiful attitude display across your vision--which makes it virtually impossible to ignore if it's wrong. Think it'll politely vanish or X out? Think again. You're [...]