I have a Proficiency Flight Simulator in my home office. I call it the A-SIM.

Besides my personal use, I provide unofficial instruction and coaching. Although this type of training cannot be logged, it saves my learners a lot of money and helps them get the most valuable flight experience out of their formal training.

By the time my learners move on to FAA approved simulators and/or actual flight training, they are well-prepared to handle the demands of actual flight, with a solid foundation of knowledge and practical skills, which they first acquired in my A-SIM.

The A-SIM is not for rent. But its use is included in my hourly rates. We even use it in the classroom a as a visual aid, only when it is pertinent to the subjects being covered in Ground School.

The A-Sim travels with me to deliver classroom instruction to my students at their home airport or study facilities. Face 2 Face, on-site hourly rates apply.

The experience with the A-SIM is most vivid in my home office near Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles, across the street from the UCLA campus. Learners are welcome to make an appointment and drop by. hourly rates for instruction at Chuck’s home office apply.


Out of town learners can also benefit from the A-SIM in “multiplayer” mode, or by video-conference. My computer runs FSX-SE, MSFS, XP11 and XP12, and is capable of sustained video-conference while maintaining flight. For instructional and/or simulator coaching services online, the hourly rates for video-conference apply.

I’m always happy to assist with setting up home simulators. I have experience with choosing and using third-party plugins and services to make your simulator experience more representative of reality and to help you achieve your goals. I can assist in person or via video-conference, and the appropriate hourly rates apply.

The learner arranges the rental of the equipment in the facility of their choice.

I proudly recommend DCflightsimulation with their monthly subscription plan. $ 490 for 25 hrs in full motion Redbird, configured to represent a Cessna 172 Steam gauge with 530/430.

Not all 25 hrs need to be instructor led. Depending on the learner’s progress and goals, part of the 25 hrs in the plan may be assigned to the learner on their own, as self-guided practice, with the learner expected to show improvement in our next session. While this solo practice will not incur an instructor’s fee, it also can’t be logged.

Minimum booking:
3 hours, including pre-flight briefing, a 2 hr simulator session, and the post-flight briefing.

Regulations allow for certificate applicants to log a certain amount of simulator time towards the flight experience required for the certification practical test. The following are the times allowed by regulations when applying under parts 61 and 141.

As for Instrument Rated pilots, at any day in which they want to be able to start a flight under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), according to 14 CFR 61.57(c)(1), they need to have performed and logged within the 6 calendar months prior the following tasks, under actual or simulated Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC):

– 6 instrument approaches
– holding procedures and tasks
– intercepting and tracking courses through the use of navigational electronic systems

According to 14 CFR 61.57(c)(2), these tasks can be performed in a Flight Simulator that is approved by the FAA, as long as it is configured to represent Instrument Weather Conditions (IMC) and the appropriate aircraft for which the pilot is rated, except gliders.