If you haven’t yet explored this sector of the flight sim world, there are some intriguing options for developing skills, such as communications and procedures, from home. Among them is PilotEdge, a company that aims to provide a virtual air traffic control (ATC) network that is accurate and professional enough to be used for real-world pilot training.

Origin and Expansion

Founded in 2008 by Keith Smith, PilotEdge officially launched in 2011, offering service for the area covered by the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). According to Smith, the platform drew on early work done by hobbyists, building it out to form a network of controllers who operate almost exactly like their real-world counterparts.

• READ MORE: Survey: Home Flight Sim Helps Prepare Real-World Pilots

PilotEdge added support for the Oakland, California, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Denver, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, ARTCCs in 2016. Over the past decade, it has also expanded its feature set with highlights such as an ATIS engine based on real-world weather (which correlates on PilotEdge’s ATC scopes), the ability to trigger remote failures in X-Plane, and high-fidelity controller pilot data link communications (CPDLC) for clearance delivery.

In addition, the company has developed a way to mimic VHF radio interference based on line of sight, terrain, and signal modulation. “Never has so much work been done to make a radio sound so bad,” Smith said.

Rules of Engagement

To get started on PilotEdge, users need a compatible flight simulator such as Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, Microsoft Flight Simulator X, Prepar3D, or X-Plane 11 or 12, a headset, and a broadband connection. A PilotEdge account is required—monthly plans run from $19.95 to $34.90—and once an account has been set up, there is software to download. From there, log in, set the real-world frequency for the facility you want to contact, and communicate your intentions just as you would for an actual flight.

When it comes to operating in the PilotEdge environment, there are some rules in place to keep the experience realistic. Smith emphasized that the company’s virtual airspace is not designed for inexperienced flight simmers to test out unfamiliar aircraft. It is, fundamentally, a space for those who are comfortable with their simulator and aircraft model they will be flying to build proficiency.

• READ MORE: Flight Sims for the Win: It’s All About Repetition and Drill

“Contrary to what a new client might think when signing up, PilotEdge is not…designed for pilots to give it a try and see how it goes,” Smith said. “Filing IFR from LA to [Las] Vegas, direct, in a Boeing 737 that you don’t know how to fly, without any working knowledge of IFR procedures, is going to work out about as well as it would in the real world.”

For those who don’t or can’t fly at a realistic level for the type of operations they are simulating, the company focuses on providing education. This includes encouraging the use of its library of training programs.

Training Scenarios and Benefits

By simulating real-world scenarios, PilotEdge seeks to address some common challenges faced by newer pilots, such as mastering the nuances of navigating different types of airspace and proper communication. It also provides an environment where more experienced pilots can improve their skills without the cost of fuel and aircraft rental.

Not getting into the myriad scenarios that are possible on the network, there are two main ways to make use of the space. First, you can just fly your own flight, be it VFR or IFR, communicating with appropriate ATC facilities or via CTAF frequencies as applicable. Again, the whole point is for it to follow the same flow as any similar real-world venture.

• READ MORE: Healthy Obsession: What Flight Sim Has Done for Me

Second, for those looking for a more structured challenge, PilotEdge offers a series of 31 graded training flights. Covering both VFR and IFR skills, each flight is designed to build upon the previous ones. For those looking for encouragement and support while attempting to grow their skills, there is an online community where training scenario results can be shared and discussed.

“PilotEdge’s IFR training programs are known to offer considerably more exposure to a wider range of procedures than is found in traditional real-world training,” said Smith. “Pilots who have completed their IFR training in the legal minimum time have reported to us that their CFII and DPE wanted to know ‘their secret’ as to how they managed to learn so much about IFR flying. These are not isolated incidents either. They are almost becoming the norm on the network. This speaks to the fundamental benefits of self-paced training that offers a high volume of exposure to flying in the system rather than any abilities of any specific pilots.”

That said, Smith acknowledges that those looking to use their simulator-learned skills in the air should pay close attention to where sim training shines—areas such as procedures and communications—and where it differs from real-world flying.

“The secret to getting the most benefit from a simulator is realizing that it’s not your airplane,” he said. “The controls will not feel the same since there isn’t 100-200 mph of wind blowing over the control surfaces, and the visuals are different in a number of ways. As such, even though flight models have come a very long way, and graphics are constantly improving, it’s important to realize what tasks are well practiced in a sim versus what is best left for the airplane.”

Controller Training

PilotEdge brings in its controllers from a variety of backgrounds. Their ranks include real-world controllers alongside those with virtual-only experience. Everyone controlling for the company goes through an 80-plus hour training program that pairs them with a trained PilotEdge controller. The purpose of the program is to refine any previous experience they might have, fill any gaps, and teach how to apply it all on the network. The company uses real-world FAA procedures and manuals as the basis for its controller training.

Unexpected Applications

Like all the best training environments, PilotEdge is far from being serious all the time. It regularly hosts workshops and events, not the least of which is its annual SimVenture. As the name might imply, SimVenture simulates arrivals to the yearly EAA AirVenture fly-in convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The experience allows pilots to practice event arrival procedures before attempting them in person and getting a feel for what’s in store when flying into the extremely busy airshow environment. Much like the real deal, the company reports that it has had more than 100 aircraft show up to fly into KOSH.

There have also been a few unexpected uses of the PilotEdge network, one of which involved a short field landing competition. It was won by a 737-200, which raises a whole host of questions perhaps best left for future exploration. Another is that the network has been used by an aerospace manufacturer for human-factors testing on new aircraft designs as part of FAA and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification processes.

“Of late, we’re even seeing applications within avionics manufacturers who are now able to more thoroughly test new designs before the real hardware has even been finalized,” said Smith. “We hope to be able to speak less generically about these events in the future.”

Looking to the Future

While it has expanded quite a bit since launch, PilotEdge isn’t done yet. The company is actively developing its services and hoping to announce its newest project later this year.

This feature first appeared in the April 2024/Issue 947 of FLYING’s print edition.

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The FAA bill initially passed the House in July, but the agency’s existing authorization has since been extended twice because of debates in the Senate ranging from aviation to global politics. December was a particularly chaotic time with senators using their valuable pre-holiday time to talk about border security and aid to Ukraine and Israel. They hoped to debate the list of FAA-related items over the past two weeks. However, the Boeing 737 Max 9 midair door plug incident and concerns over the FAA’s diversity and inclusion hiring plans have dominated the media and absorbed attention. Discussions around the FAA bill are now expected to take place in February. 

The overall aim of the bill is to help improve aviation technologies and the workforce by improving FAA efficiency and operations, growing the aviation workforce, upholding America’s gold standard in safety, and encouraging aviation innovation. More specifically, there has been debate around several key issues, including raising the mandatory pilot retirement age from 65 to 67 and increasing the simulator hours a pilot can log as part of the 1,500 hours needed to become an airline transport pilot. In November, Senator John Thune (R-S.D) put forth a compromise proposal to increase loggable simulator hours from 100 to 150.

As part of the National Flight Training Alliance (NFTA), made up of American leaders in the pilot training space, I believe that good will come from raising the simulator hours. 

The simulators of 2024 are not a 1990s DOS-run PC flight simulators with a joystick. The latest advanced simulators often contain an exact replica of a specific aircraft with the same avionics and controls you will find in a real airplane. This enables pilots to practice a whole range of skills, from teamwork and communication to aircraft systems and actual stick and rudder flying, if needed. Moreover, advancements in recent simulator technology, particularly in computer software and graphics, have pushed the immersion and data collection to a whole new level. The advanced data-driven training systems enable pilots and instructors to receive real-time insights and standardized evaluations for continuous pilot training improvement. This is important because efficient and economical performance evaluation is critical to the aviation industry.

These simulations promote the use of critical and evaluative thinking. Events in newer high-fidelity simulators enable students to enthusiastically contemplate the implications of a given scenario. This is vital, especially in recreating and practicing emergency procedures and scenarios, which you don’t want to do in the aircraft. Furthermore, scientific studies, including high-level, peer-reviewed journal articles on human factors, have shown that adding in unpredictability and variability into simulator training sessions improves pilot responses. It requires the pilot to apply the practiced skills and reinforces learning.

Another often overlooked benefit of simulators is teaching in one. The Roman philosopher Seneca said, “When we teach, we learn.” Scientific studies have proven this is true—teaching a topic to your student helps the teacher learn. It’s known as the “protégé effect.” NFTA board members, who include FAA Part 141/161 flight school owners and their CFIs, can attest to this. Many of us view the flight time while teaching, especially in a simulator, as superior compared to other more uneventful and repetitious methods allowed for logging flight experience. 

One can write a full-length book on this “flight training” topic, and if you did, it would be imperative to include the expertise and experience of the individuals involved in the day-to-day flight school world. This FAA bill shouldn’t be any different. It is these individuals who train the private pilots who eventually become commercial pilots who feed the airlines and other institutions. They know that time in an advanced flight simulator is highly beneficial to student pilots and instructors. They see raising the loggable simulator hours from 100 to 150 as a step in the right direction. 

Overall, now is the ideal time to modernize and update flight training in America. The pilot shortage, combined with often outdated and inefficient regulations, makes it vital that the final version of the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act allows for innovation in aircraft simulation and education. Aviation is critical to our country’s national infrastructure. This bill will provide industry and FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker with guidance on the next five years—and beyond. 

The post U.S. Senate Has Until Early March to Finalize FAA Reauthorization Bill appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Answer: Go-arounds aren’t terribly common under Part 121 commercial operations, and most airline pilots go a year or more between wave-offs. The most frequent cause is a lack of separation between landing traffic at busy airports, usually when air traffic control mistakenly vectors a heavier, faster aircraft behind a lighter, slower one. Unstabilized approaches are another common reason, either the result of being “slam-dunked” by ATC or simply misjudging a visual approach.

• READ MORE: What Do Pilots Need to Know About Temperature Inversions?

It’s quite rare to go missed on account of poor weather, since Part 121 requires reported visibility to be above minimums before starting an approach. Because go-arounds are both uncommon and easy to botch, they are practiced frequently during recurrent simulator training, and it is now common to review go-around procedures during the approach briefing.

• READ MORE: Can a CFI Applicant Teach Ground School?

Do you have a question about aviation that’s been bugging you? Ask us anything you’ve ever wanted to know about aviation. Our experts in general aviation, flight training, aircraft, avionics, and more may attempt to answer your question in a future article.

This article was originally published in the December 2022/January 2023 Issue 933 of FLYING.

The post How Often Do Airliners Go Around? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the old nursery rhyme goes like this: “There was a little girl, / who had a little curl, / right in the middle of her forehead. / When she was good, / she was very good indeed, / and when she was bad she was horrid.” This sums up three days in September 2020 that rocked my world.

I was hit in the eye with a ball at age 18, lost vision for a week, then recovered to enjoy 20/20 vision. At age 63, I was diagnosed with increased intraocular pressure in my left eye. This is called “narrow angle,” or traumatic, glaucoma. I was prescribed eyedrops that controlled the pressure for the next 10 years.

When the eye drops failed to control pressure, I underwent a surgical procedure to vent the pressure via a drainage tube. This is called a Baerveldt shunt. As a result, I lost any meaningful vision in my left eye.

Last year, I sought a Statement of Demonstrated Ability, or SODA, after I passed a medical flight test. During the test, I had to demonstrate my ability to identify objects from the air, traffic in the air, read aeronautical charts while flying, and identify a field for a forced landing. I wrote about this last year, describing my MFT, which was conducted in a simulator with an FAA examiner. A simulator was used because I fly a Cessna Citation CJ1, and you can’t safely do these things for real in a jet. I thought I had a SODA forever. There are airline pilots flying with just one eye—so-called monocular pilots, I am told.

I airlined from New Hampshire to Orlando, Florida, to do recurrent training in the CJ1 at SimCom in the fall. The night I got back, my wife, Cathy, greeted me with a registered letter from the FAA. Because my medical exam had been done months previously and I had been flying safely, I had no hint as to the imposing, frightening, even threatening words I was about to see.

“Dear Mr. (sic) Karl, we are withdrawing your Authorization for Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate Authorization dated March 10, 2016, in accordance with Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 67.401(f), due to glaucoma. You are requested to immediately return any previously issued unexpired medical certificates. We are enclosing a postage-paid business reply envelope for this purpose. If you do not return your medical certificate within 14 days, your file will be sent to FAA legal counsel for consideration of legal enforcement action.”

Pretty horrid, don’t you think? What prompted somebody in Oklahoma City to send such a letter? There had been no change in vision status, no accident or incident, no reason I could think of. But the FAA moves in mysterious ways, and rather than fantasize as to what kind of human being would want to inflict such pain on another, I resolved to follow the suggestion in the letter: get another MFT. (I did think unflattering thoughts about the doctor who signed the letter, but I imagine he’s used to that.)

Read More from Dick Karl: Gear Up

What happened next was the confluence of helpful people who work for the same FAA that caused the anguish. I called my regional flight surgeon, Dr. Susan Northrup; she’s the one who had arranged for my MFT last year. She expressed surprise that I had received the letter. She tried to extend my medical, but it had already been withdrawn in the FAA’s system, so no extension was possible. When I told her that I had just finished recurrent training at SimCom the day before, she asked that I send my training records to her. The SimCom CJ program director, Sarah Warner, immediately arranged for my records to be sent and attached a note exclaiming she had no idea I had a vision limitation when she supervised my 61.58 recurrent check ride. My wife pointed out that the forces working against me were men and those trying to help me were women.

Unfortunately, the records didn’t do the trick; another medical flight test was required. I remembered Steve Moore, the FAA examiner who had conducted last year’s MFT. I called his number, and another miracle, he answered his phone on the first ring. Sure, he remembered. Yes, his schedule had room. Yes, Dr. Northrup would authorize another medical flight test.

So, I rented an hour of simulator time at FlightSafety’s Class D CJ3 simulator ($1,600) and checked out round-trip tickets right back to Orlando ($1,000). By 5:30 p.m. two nights later, I was in the briefing room. My vision was just like it was last year. Steve was just as thorough (and nice) as last year.

By 7:30, I was out the door and in the arms of my flying buddy Bill Albert and his wife, who took me to dinner and put me up in their home. Steve sent the results to Dr. Northrup that night.

The next morning, I boarded a 0610 flight back north. That afternoon, as I was driving back home from the airport, I received an email from the regional air surgeon reinstating my medical. I think I even got a SODA this time, but I thought that last year. I’ll let you know.

To celebrate, I flew a short flight from Lebanon (KLEB), New Hampshire, to Albany (KALB), New York, and picked up close friends who had been stranded there. Over dinner, we reviewed the previous week. I had gone through the stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance), rallied and had some wonderful people help me. They came through. They were “very good indeed.”

This story appeared in the January-February 2021 issue of Flying Magazine

The post Sudden Surprise Trouble with a Medical Certificate appeared first on FLYING Magazine.