Traditionally, FlightSafety Internationaloffered simulator-based recurrent training only for pilots of piston twins, turboprops and jets. In 1988, however, the company inaugurated a new series of programs for single-engine pilots. FlightSafety now has single-engine simulators for Beech Bonanza 33/35/36, Cessna 210/T210/P210, and Mooney 201/205/231/252/TLS/PFM/MSE. The Beech and Cessna sims are in Wichita, while the Mooney sim is in San Antonio.
The three single-engine simulators are non-motion, but have a full state-of-the-art visual system and duplicate the aircraft cockpit layout and functionality faithfully. Having flown many hours in the twin-Cessna simulator both with and without motion, my own opinion is that the availability of motion does not add all that much to training value received, whereas a good visual system is quite important.
The generic instrument/single-engine recurrent course takes two days and costs $975. A full IFR recurrent course including an aircraft-specific systems groundschool and additional simulator training in system failures takes three days and costs $1,775. Both courses include an instrument competancy check endorsement, and the three-day course tuition also covers two hours of training in the customer’s aircraft and a biennial flight review endorsement.
At the present time, FlightSafety does not offer a continuous annual subscription arrangement for single-engine recurrent training. I think that’s a shame.
