Hi everyone, I finished my RW VFR training and I got my PPL last week, now I will start soon with my RW instrument training, and I was wondering what I need as far of add ons, tools. software... etc to enhance my training on FSX. Thanks everyone.Evan Banalian.

Even the default Cessna is just fine for IFR training. Really, what you want is a weather program that'll throw in some good (effective clouds), and some printed charts. No payware necessary (and this is coming from a guy with plenty of it). Don't use larger aircraft, use smaller aircraft. The reason being, if you fly larger and faster aircraft and then jump into the plane for your instrument training, you're going to have the muscle memory and mental timing of the faster plane, when in a smaller and slower one. If you fly a Cessna, use the Cessna. If you fly a Piper, there are a few Piper payware models out there that could be useful.What I'd recommend, though, is that you make sure you have your cross country hours taken care of before adding a CFI back with you. That way, you can knock out the instrument procedures training and other requirements, and still have the 3 hours within so-many-days of the checkride taken care of. Spreading it out in between your XC flights is good for some, but I'd argue it could make you a victim of the learning curve.Here in the sim, though, fly some VOR approaches, fly some LOC approaches, fly some NDB approaches (if you can find any, just for giggles - you won't see anyone testing on them anymore really), and fly the small stuff in and out of small airports, using VATSIM or IVAO (otherwise, you're going to get used to the Flight Sim ATC and it's terrible - no program is going to behave like a real controller would and only a human can approximate it well).If you google "ZLA Pilot Certs," they have a syllabus that introduces you to some fundamental IFR concepts.If you're looking to pay for better ATC, look for PilotEdge.net. They have controllers on a schedule, so you're guaranteed service while flying (but it only covers southern California).

Unless you do it correctly, You can get into some very bad habits if you use FSX/Vatsim for IFR training. My suggestion is to ask your Instructor before you start using FSX to train for IFR.One thing FSX and any other sim is fantastic for, is helping practice your instrument scan. Set visibility globally to nothing and practice level flight, steep turns, climbs, dscents, basically all of your private pilot basic maneuvers. And by settin visability to nothing will simulate hood work.Again talk you your instructor first. Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkJB

Suggest you file a flight plan to and from the same airport-then go up and practice different approaches over and over-do a few on your own with the procedure turns and holds. If you are from the states-maybe make it a goal to fly every approach in your state to every airport with rw-should keep you busy for a while and excellent for training.

Actually first of all you need to get and read the Flight schools SOP on IFR flights and then read the rules, depends on if you fly under JAR or FAR rules. Then as one mentioned above take one thing at the time.Good way is start with ILS app, then LLZ/VOR app, and then NDB, to many this is the hardest way. Then there are holdings, how to do it and so on. But they flight school you're at will help you with all the things you need. :-) If you fly under JAR rules then DOC8168 is your best friend. ;-) It's the document of IFR Rules, it's in English, so happy reading. ;-)http://dcaa.slv.dk:8000/icaodocs/Doc%208168%20-%20Aircraft%20Operations/Volume%201%20-%20Flight%20Procedures,%20AMDT%20no.%203.pdf

Edited January 26, 201214 yr by JakobF

Agreed. Take a few flights with the instructor to build your scan while attitude flying. Only after you guys have started shooting full approaches would I start at home with FSX.As far as tools needed: Use the default C172. If the aircraft you're training in has a Garmin 430/530, RealityXP has that covered.

Only after you guys have started shooting full approaches would I start at home with FSX.

What's the rationale there? I had no trouble the opposite way around.

I think MSFS is a good tool for learning instrument scan and becoming familiar with the names and locations of fixes, navaids, ect.; however, the flight dynamics of any of the default aircraft is unrealistic and you don't want to learn the basics on a commercial jet. There is a decent simulator out there for $150 that is used by a lot of ground schools, take a look at On Top: http://www.asa2fly.com/On-Top-95--P1012_product1.aspx

What's the rationale there? I had no trouble the opposite way around.

The rationale is that not everyone can self teach themselves, at home, to shoot a full instrument approach the correctly. Obviously shooting approaches in FSX isn't detrimental. I'm only saying serious focus on training or practice with FSX should be avoided until after the basic approach structure is learned. On top of that, the instrument scan is very, very important. Technique is something learned, and correlation between the instruments (especially when one breaks...) is something I guarantee you didn't learn or look for in FSX.Until then, getting acquainted with the GNS430 (surely the training aircraft in the OP has one) and practicing nav tracking (ie VORs, GPS) should be the focus in the sim. More specifically learning basic attitude flying with reference only to instruments using correct scan methods.

I think MSFS is a good tool for learning instrument scan and becoming familiar with the names and locations of fixes, navaids, ect.; however, the flight dynamics of any of the default aircraft is unrealistic and you don't want to learn the basics on a commercial jet. There is a decent simulator out there for $150 that is used by a lot of ground schools, take a look at On Top: http://www.asa2fly.c...2_product1.aspx

Practicing instrument scan, procedures, and situational awareness should be just about the only thing you're using MSFS for. The defaults are more than adequate tools for an IFR rating as far as FSX goes.

Edited January 26, 201214 yr by ZachLW

Thanks guys, it seems I have a lot of reading to do, I also signed up for instrument ground school at a local college and I'm sure this will help a lot.Evan Banalian.

Use it to practice your instrument scan, leave the rest for the school. The best I've had though was the MU-2 for Xplane. It has a mode that you can switch on that will induce vertigo rather effectively. I have a YT link showing the NDB approach into FAWB, South Africa.

Wow, that is crazy. Thank goodness IMC is just gray, but then you have accelerations and you can't tell the difference between gravity and a turn-induced acceleration so you end up not knowing which way is up without vertigo. The AF guys call it the leans.

Thats a great tool..JB

Use it to practice your instrument scan, leave the rest for the school.The best I've had though was the MU-2 for Xplane. It has a mode that you can switch on that will induce vertigo rather effectively. I have a YT link showing the NDB approach into FAWB, South Africa.

Very neat! I was getting dizzy watching...I'm wondering why that Marquise is so unstable, though! No subject change, though.

Edited January 29, 201214 yr by ZachLW

Weather! Cannot remember the settings I used but there was a substancial wind blowing and some turbulence as well.