The Benefits Of Scenario-Based Simulation

You bought the fancy new airplane with the glass cockpit... or, you upgraded to a Garmin GPS unit in your current plane. What do you do now? Read the manual, you'll retain about 10% of the information but probably cure your insomnia. Listen to a training DVD, you'll hold on to about 5% of what you listen to.

Why not try scenario-based, guided simulation? Studies have shown With this method, you'll keep about 75% of what you learn under your belt.

Pegasus Interactive, which started in 1997, has your GPS solution in their Vflite GNS 530/430 training Discs. These computer based training programs guide your learning with realistic emulators, detailed narration and feedback helping you get more value out of your investment. The GPS discs cover over 40 topics including screen layout, page options, creating user waypoints, airspace information and much more. IFR procedures for the GNS 530/430 are included as well.

Two discs are available Vflite GNS 530/430 Interactive Guide and Vflite GNS 530/430 Advanced Training Series. The FAA has adopted the use of both discs to assist in training FAA Inspectors at FSDO offices around the country. Since the Garmin GNS 530 and 430 systems are used by many Part 135 operation the FAA inspectors benefit from additional knowledge while giving checkrides.

Also available is software for Lowrance AirMap 2000c, 1000 and 500... and Garmin GPSMap 196, 296, 396 and 496. The discs are Mac and Windows compatible.

Pegasus Interactive's acquisition of Momentum in April 2006 expanded the Vflite line to include Weight and Balance and CFI tools. Pegasus added their own ingredients to the discs for improvement.

The Weight and Balance Visualizer almost makes weight and balance fun. The discs are available for most light single engine piston airplanes, like Cessna, Piper and Cirrus. On initial set up the pilot will enter her aircraft's actual weight, which is then saved for future uses. You can also load frequent passenger weight information.

Loading your airplane properly is critical to safety. The Vflite program visually shows the Center of Gravity limits of the aircraft and where the CG lies with the people and fuel you have entered. The program will tell you when you are out of CG range. No more long hand calculations with the possibility of error.

The other disc is CFI iTools, topics include navigation, holding and lighting with more topics planned for the future. Once again the interactivity will help the student retain more of what they see. The navigation topic had the ability to show the aircraft position as the user sets various radials on the VOR but an even better tool was the ability to hide the aircraft, set a VOR radial and allow the student to show where the aircraft should be located. Displaying the aircraft will show the student whether they are correct or not.

What's next on the line for Vflite? They take on the Garmin G1000. No date has been set yet for the release... but it will be some time in the new year.

FMI: www.vflite.com