This is your resource for simulator flight training in Reno, Carson City, and Lake Tahoe. Besides providing flight training in real airplanes and trikes, we are industry leaders in simulation flight training for sport and private pilots.
We use both Microsoft “Flight Simulator X” and the Laminar Research “X-Plane” simulator. I was able to find two of the airplanes I actually fly to gain experience and understand how these airplanes operate for these flight simulator programs. Actually flying the real airplanes plus being able to fly the same airplanes with flight simulators has allowed me to compare the performance and handling of the two different airplanes and software packages. Overall, these flight simulators were amazingly similar to the real airplanes handling and performance.
We also use Google Flight Simulator because it provides the best actual terrain from from satellite images allowing roads and specific landmarks to be utilized for ground reference and pilotage.
Overall, the Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) is a more popular mainstream game program but X-Plane is gaining ground every day. Both are approved by the FAA with specific hardware as “Flight Training Devices”. For both programs, no light-sport airplanes are included with the original install. I found an add on Flight Design CTSW with and old instrument panel I was able to download and install. It flies great but the CTLS I fly has a glass cockpit which is a completely different panel. No simple modifications are allowed to the panel with the Microsoft FSX program. This is OK for those who fly more common airplanes such as a Cessna 172 which we use for flight simulator training
where they have a couple of versions with different cockpits for common Cessna 172 airplanes, but no customization for the new LSA and the various instrument panels. There is an ICON A5 and a Seamax LSA both which are amphibious for use with Microsoft Flight Simulator X. A very good “paid add on” model of the Cessna 162 Skycatcher is now available. LSA models are popping up all the time.
Unfortunately, because of the lack of LSA and the inability to modify the instrument panels, the Microsoft FSX program is not as useful for the quickly developing light-sport aircraft.
The flight simulator that is gaining ground on the FSX is made by Laminar Research and is called X-Plane. This is where you can build your own plane, modify an existing planes performance and handling, or change an instrument panel to be what you want. This is more adaptable for building a fleet of LSA and there are a variety of models becoming available all the time. Overall, the program is a little more challenging to set up and figure out, but we have a good representation of our Zodiac 601 X-Plane airplane model for integrated training with our actual airplane.
All the basic airplane maneuvers can be accomplished with the flight simulator with required throttle settings, performance maneuvers, approaches/landings and flights to new airports.
We have the following airplanes are available for each program.
Microsoft Flight Simulator X Airplanes
- Cessna 162 SkyCatcher
- Tecnam Sierra
- Icon A5
- Flight Designs CTSW
- Piper J3 Cub
Laminar Research X-Plane Airplanes
- Zodiac 601/650
- Flight Designs CTLS
- PiperSport
- Van’s Aiorcraft RV-12
- Remos
- SeaMax M-22
- Tecnam
- Cub Crafters Sport Cub
- Sonex
You should try and get your airplane up on X-Plane or FSX. Both programs are good. It really depends on the quality of the airplane visual model and it’s flight dynamics. I expect more and better LSA to be made for X-Plane and FSX over time. I will try and keep you up to date here on the latest developments. Even if I have to buy them, I will let you know what I think and save you the money of buying and hassle of installing.
Here is a video that compares our actual training airplane and X-Plane for cockpit layout, taxi and takeoff.
Here is our trike simulator that is the only one in the country used by a flight school for flight training:
We will do our best to keep you updated on the latest flight simulator LSA airplane models for both X-Plane and Microsoft Flight Simulator X. We will also keep at the leading edge of using flight simulators for flight training you up to date on the most efficient and moderm tools for flight training and ground school.
For an in depth look at flight simulation we have a special web site specificly for this at Simulator Flight Training.