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Aircraft-Based Flight Training vs. Simulator-Based Flight Training

There are numerous benefits to training in an actual aircraft as opposed to a simulator. As a value to our clients Florida Flight Center provides only aircraft-based training making our clients more prepared for receiving their certifications, but more importantly best preparing them for emergency situations.
What is the Difference?
During the simulator based training, pilots are exposed to a variety of emergency scenarios, some very realistic, some not so much. During aircraft based training, the pilots are exposed to realistic scenarios. In addition clients experience real flying, in most cases under ATC guidance.
Benefits of Aircraft-Based Training

  • Training in aircraft not only teaches how to perform maneuver to pass a check ride but it also develops coordination and confidence to properly exercise the privileges of pilot in command after completing your training.
  • Confidence that best prepares pilots for all types of situations including emergency situations.
  • Efficiency in obtaining certifications including non-restricted pilot certification
  • Ability to immediately exercise PIC Privileges as pilot in command for first time pilots
  • Courses completed in less time with less costs associated

Learn more below:
First time pilots obtaining a Type Rating
Obtaining your first Type Rating in a Simulator does not allow you to exercise PIC privileges right away, in these cases your Type Rating will have a limitation and you will have to log a certain amount of hours and a visit to the FSDO to remove the limitation  prior to being able to act as pilot in command.
Obtaining your first Type Rating in an actual aircraft yields a non-restricted Type  Rating,  allowing pilots to exercise pilot in command privileges immediately.
Time to Completion
At Florida Flight Center our courses are completed in 3-5 days. Applicants are rewarded for previous experience and conducting a Home Study Course prior to start date.
Simulator-Based Training requires 14-16 days to completion, most days are long and tiresome.
Adding a CE-500 Single Pilot Exemption
Florida Flight Center is an approved training provider of Single Pilot Exemption 9917. This exemption allows for single pilot operation of the CE-500 Series airplanes certified under FAA Part 25. At Florida Flight Center we conduct back-to-back training on pilots looking to add the CE-500 Single Pilot Exemption, in most cases not incurring additional training days. We also eliminate a second checkride by conducting your initial checkride to single pilot standards. This offers not only great savings on the overall cost but in time as well.
In a simulator-based training facility, pilots are not allowed to add the SPE to an initial CE-500 training, pilots desiring to obtain the CE-500 SPE must return for an additional 5-7 days and take an additional checkride to obtain the Single Pilot Exemption on the CE-500 Series airplanes. The Single Pilot Exemption requires pilot to pass a checkride to single pilot standards to demonstrate single pilot proficiency.
In conclusion
Although we at Florida Flight Center do not discourage Simulator-Based Training, we find conducting tour training in a real airplane, especially in the one you intend to fly offers much more benefit to the pilot.
Come Train With us!

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