Index

Flight Sim

FlightGear setup, simulator lessons, Cessna 172 beginner missions, club rules.

Free, friendly, and the best way to learn before you burn avgas.

Setup (15 min)

  1. Install FlightGear (free, Win/Mac/Linux)
  2. Pick aircraft: Cessna 172P
  3. Airport: KCEF (Westover) — wide runways, easy pattern
  4. Weather: clear, winds calm. Controls: keyboard ok, yoke better.

Beginner missions

  • Mission 1: Straight-and-level + gentle turns (10 min)
  • Mission 2: Climbs/descents at 500 fpm, trim for hands-off
  • Mission 3: Pattern: takeoff → crosswind → downwind → base → final → go-around
  • Mission 4: Full-stop landing, checklist aloud

Club sim rules: 15-min slots on busy nights · briefing before engine start · crash = pause, debrief, retry · log your landings in the paper log.

Bring a laptop + mouse. Club yoke + checklist binder stay at the desk.

Sim Challenge video nights

Follow along with FlightInsight's four-part simulated IFR flight, then try each leg yourself in FlightGear. Tap a card to play it right here.

Part 1 · FlightInsight

IFR Flight Planning

Watch an instructor plan the whole flight — route, charts, and weather minimums — before ever touching the throttle.

Part 2 · FlightInsight

IFR Clearance Practice and Departure Planning

How to copy an IFR clearance and set up the departure. Great radio-call practice even for VFR beginners.

Part 3 · FlightInsight

IFR Departure and Enroute Flight

Fly the departure and manage the enroute segment: headings, altitudes, and staying ahead of the airplane.

Part 4 · FlightInsight

How to Fly an ILS Approach

The finale: intercept the localizer, ride the glideslope, and land on instruments. Try it in the sim after.

Full Sim Challenge playlist ↗

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