FREE X-PLANE SIMULATOR FOR STUDENTS

The simulator that we offer at Active Pilot is free to use for all students. As a student you will be able to log onto the simulator and use it as a training supplement for VFR and IFR flows. Instead of chair flying at home you can come to active pilot and use the simulator to improve you instrument scan.

Note:

• The cost of the simulator is free for active students. (if using the simulator with a CFI the cost is $90/hr)

Using X-Plane as a practice tool can sharpen your instrument scan because it lets you develop the core habits of IFR flying in a focused, repeatable environment. One of the biggest benefits is how it trains your eyes. Since the simulator accurately reproduces a six-pack or glass-panel layout, your eye movements, scan rhythm, and instrument cross-checks build the same kind of “muscle memory” that you use in the airplane. Over time, this repetitive visual pattern becomes automatic, which makes it much harder to get stuck staring at a single gauge or chasing the needles.

Another major advantage is repetition. In the real aircraft you only get so many climbs, descents, turns, level-offs, or approach segments per hour. X-Plane lets you repeat these situations endlessly. You can immediately reset a botched maneuver or an unstable approach and try again, which compresses the learning cycle and accelerates your improvement. Because the simulator removes most of the real-world workload—ATC, turbulence, passengers, checklists—you can focus purely on refining your interpretation of the instruments. Once your scan becomes solid under low stress, it holds up much better when the workload ramps up in an actual cockpit.

X-Plane is also valuable because of how easily it allows you to practice failures and partial-panel situations. You can disable a gyro, simulate a vacuum failure, or knock out pitot-static instruments instantly. This forces you to rely on secondary cues and reinforces disciplined scanning even when the panel doesn’t look normal. Over time, these scenarios build both confidence and resilience.

Finally, the ability to review your performance after the fact—looking at altitude traces, heading stability, or how well you tracked a localizer—helps you understand precisely where your scan is strong and where it needs work. In short, X-Plane improves your instrument scan by giving you a realistic, stress-free environment where you can build habits, repeat tasks rapidly, correct mistakes immediately, and gradually layer in complexity until your IFR flying feels smooth and controlled.