01
Train in less time
Repeat a maneuver five times in the time one airborne circuit takes. Repositioning is instant — no taxi, no run-up, no waiting for the pattern.
FAA-Approved Full-Motion Redbird MCX · Van Nuys
Full-motion flight simulator at Van Nuys Airport
The Redbird MCX is an FAA-approved Advanced Aviation Training Device with a 3-axis motion platform, 210° wraparound visuals and dual controls — so the hours you fly on the ground are hours that actually count in your logbook.
- AATD FAA-approved device
- Loggable toward PPL, IR, CPL, ATP
- Single & multi-engine configurable
Max creditable toward Commercial
50 hrs
The single largest FAA credit available in an AATD — §61.129(i)(1)(i).
Wraparound visual field
210°
True peripheral vision, enclosed cockpit, complete visual immersion.
Axes of electric motion
3
Pitch, roll, yaw and acceleration cues — not a fixed-base box.
1-hour full-motion demo
$189
Guided session with a certified instructor. No experience required.
Google rating · 500+ reviews
4.9
4.9 on Yelp. Verified students, real training, Van Nuys Airport.
Training at KVNY since
2017
One of the busiest general aviation airports in the country.
Redbird MCX Full-Motion Simulator at Van Nuys Airport
Flight School Van Nuys: The Benefits of a Full-Motion FAA-Approved Flight Simulator with Dual Controls
Flight training is an exciting journey that demands the highest quality tools and technologies. One of the most advanced and versatile tools available today is the Redbird MCX Full-Motion Flight Simulator with Dual Controls. Designed with realism and immersive training in mind, the Redbird MCX is an FAA-approved Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD) capable of simulating both single-engine and multi-engine aircraft. The simulator is used by our certified flight instructors to deliver comprehensive, structured training — ensuring excellent instruction and an enriching learning environment.
Whether you’re pursuing your Private Pilot License, Sport Pilot Certificate, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot License or Multi-Engine Rating, the Redbird MCX provides a powerful, cost-effective and safe training platform. Located at Van Nuys Airport — one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country — our flight school pairs the simulator with real aircraft time so every hour of your training moves you forward.
The machine, in one paragraph
An enclosed cockpit on a 3-axis electric motion platform, wrapped in a 210° visual system, flown through dual controls with a real Garmin G430 in the panel — configurable as a single or a twin, in any weather you or your instructor care to dial in.
The numbers that matter
FAA loggable credit — how many simulator hours actually count
Perhaps the most important feature of the Redbird MCX is that it is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration as an Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD). That approval means the hours you fly in the simulator aren’t just practice — they are credited toward your certificate or rating, saving both time and money while raising the safety of your training.
Loggable credit, itemized
Redbird MCX · FAA-approved AATD · Van Nuys Airport (KVNY)
Running total
0 hrs
✓Private Pilot Certificate
Simulator time credited toward the 40-hour total flight time requirement for the Private Pilot Certificate.
§61.109(k)(1)
✓Instrument Rating
Instrument time in an AATD credited toward the aeronautical experience required for the Instrument Rating.
§61.65(h)(2)
✓Commercial Certificate
The single largest credit available — up to 50 hours of the total time required for the Commercial Pilot Certificate.
§61.129(i)(1)(i)
✓Airline Transport Pilot
Credit toward the total flight time required for the Airline Transport Pilot certificate.
§61.159(a)(3)(i)
Total loggable credit
87.5 hrs
Across the four certificates and ratings above — every hour flown on the ground at a fraction of aircraft cost.
4 FAA citations
§61.109(k)(1) · §61.65(h)(2) · §61.129(i)(1)(i) · §61.159(a)(3)(i)
Credit limits reflect current FAA regulations for an approved Advanced Aviation Training Device. Your instructor will confirm exactly how the hours apply to your certificate or rating.
4.9
★★★★★
4.9 Google · 4.9 Yelp · 500+ verified reviews
Verified · Van Nuys Airport (KVNY)
Verified · Van Nuys Airport (KVNY)
2017
Flying since
7 days
Open weekly
1-on-1
Instruction
KVNY
Home base
Try it before you commit
One hour in the full-motion Redbird MCX with a certified flight instructor beside you. Take the controls, fly a realistic scenario, and see exactly how loggable simulator time works.
$189
1-hour simulator demo · no experience required
Book the 1-Hour Demo| Certificate / Rating | Redbird MCX credit | FAA regulation |
|---|---|---|
| Private Pilot Certificate | up to 2.5 hrs | §61.109(k)(1) |
| Instrument Rating | up to 10 hrs | §61.65(h)(2) |
| Commercial Certificate | up to 50 hrs | §61.129(i)(1)(i) |
| Airline Transport Pilot | up to 25 hrs | §61.159(a)(3)(i) |
Loggable hours by certificate
2.5 · 10 · 50 · 25 — to scale
Gold = the largest credit available in an AATD
Read the gold bar again: up to 50 hours toward the Commercial Pilot Certificate can be flown in the Redbird MCX. At $120/hr for enrolled students against wet-rate aircraft time, that is the largest single saving available anywhere in your training — and every one of those hours is flown with an instructor beside you, in weather you chose.
Beyond the credit table
Logging, currency and your IPC
Three more regulations that make an approved AATD one of the most useful hours in aviation.
§61.51(b)(3)(h)
Loggable flight experience
Time flown in the Redbird MCX is recorded as training-device time in your logbook.
§61.57(c)
Instrument currency
Maintain your six approaches, holding and course-intercepting/tracking currency in the simulator.
§61.57(d)(1)(ii)
Instrument Proficiency Check
An IPC may be completed in an approved AATD with an authorized instructor.
Simple rates
Simulator pricing
No packages, no minimums. Book an hour, or fold simulator time into any course — enrolled students always pay the reduced rate.
1-Hour Simulator Demo
Guided session in the FAA-approved Redbird MCX with a certified instructor. No experience required.
$189
- ✓Hands-on at the controls in the full-motion cockpit
- ✓Practice takeoffs, landings and basic maneuvers
- ✓Great for first-timers and nervous flyers — all on the ground
- ✓An ideal first step before a real Discovery Flight or full training
Redbird MCX Full-motion AATD
Regular rate$200/hr
Enrolled students$120/hr
Redbird TD2 FAA-approved BATD
Regular rate$90/hr
Our studentsFREE
Instructor time is billed separately for dual instruction. Simulator hours booked inside a course package are already included at the package price. Every simulator hour is an hour you don’t pay wet-rate for in the airplane.
Why train in it
Six reasons the simulator makes you a better pilot, faster
02
Save money on training
Simulator time costs a fraction of aircraft time and burns no fuel. Fly the first repetitions on the ground, then take a sharper version of yourself to the airplane.
03
Become more proficient
Motion cues build genuine muscle memory and spatial orientation, so stalls, steep turns, approaches and landings feel familiar the first time you fly them for real.
04
Practice emergencies safely
Engine fires, electrical failures, instrument malfunctions and icing — rehearsed to the point of confidence, with none of the real-world consequences.
05
A fully controlled lab
Your instructor sets the weather, the winds, the failure and the moment it happens — then freezes the scenario mid-air to debrief and run it again.
06
Scenario-based by design
Fly complete, realistic missions rather than isolated drills, and build the decision-making the FAA and the airlines actually test you on.
Scenario library
Engine failure
Hard IFR
System failures
Weather
Go-arounds
Single-engine
Multi-engine
The motion platform
Full-motion platform for realistic sensations
Unlike fixed-base simulators, the Redbird MCX rides on a full-motion platform that reproduces the sensations of pitch, roll, yaw and acceleration — giving pilots a genuine feel of flight rather than a video game.
- ✓Develops muscle memory and body awareness
- ✓Improves spatial orientation and situational awareness
- ✓Sharpens responses during stalls, turns and landings
- ✓Safely simulates turbulence and weather conditions
- ✓Reinforces emergency procedure training
The visual system
Fully immersive 210° wraparound visual system
The Redbird MCX is equipped with a 210-degree wraparound visual display, offering panoramic visibility and a true-to-life cockpit experience. Complete visual immersion helps pilots acclimate to realistic cockpit environments and exterior visuals.
- ✓Replicates peripheral vision like a real cockpit
- ✓Enables accurate runway alignment and approach path visualization
- ✓Enhances spatial judgment during maneuvers
- ✓Improves realism in low-visibility and night operations
The cockpit
Dual controls for instructor interaction
Dual controls allow the flight instructor to sit alongside the student, providing immediate feedback and intervention when necessary. This setup closely mimics the dynamic of a real aircraft and is critical for effective training.
- ✓Facilitates better instructor–student communication
- ✓Allows shared control inputs during maneuvers
- ✓Provides safer, more collaborative learning
- ✓Enables hands-on demonstrations of procedures
Free to enrolled students
The Redbird TD2 — at home, between lessons
Enrolled students get the Redbird TD2 free. It’s an FAA-approved Basic Aviation Training Device, so the hours are loggable — and it’s the cheapest way in aviation to stay sharp between flights.
FAA-approved BATDLoggable training-device time, not a toy.
Garmin G1000 glass or analog six-packSwitch panels to match whatever you fly.
Complex & high-performance configurationsRetractable gear, constant-speed prop, higher horsepower.
Professional yokeReal control feel, not a desktop joystick.
Vernier throttle quadrantThrottle, prop and mixture exactly where they live in the airplane.
Alloy RD1 rudder pedalsProper rudder and differential braking inputs.
Fly approaches, brief a cross-country, rehearse a checkride profile, or simply stay instrument current — on your own schedule.
Regular $90/hr
Our students FREE
Simulator demo
$189
One hour in the full-motion Redbird MCX with a certified flight instructor. The fastest way to feel what real training is like.
Book the 1-Hour Demo
Level by level
Benefits for each level of pilot training
The simulator is built to help students reach their own aviation goals — whether they are learning to fly for leisure, pursuing a professional airline career, or chasing a specific certificate or rating.
Private Pilot Training
Getting a Private Pilot License is the first major step in a pilot’s journey, and the Redbird MCX accelerates the process.
- ✓Practice basic maneuvers — steep turns, climbs, descents
- ✓Simulate engine failures, emergencies and unusual attitudes
- ✓Improve radio work through realistic ATC simulation
- ✓Learn VFR navigation with real maps and weather
Sport Pilot Training
For students pursuing a Sport Pilot Certificate, the MCX offers a flexible, economical training platform.
- ✓Focus on core airmanship without high hourly aircraft costs
- ✓Practice takeoffs, landings and cross-country procedures
- ✓Simulate wind gusts and weather avoidance
- ✓Build good habits early in training
Instrument Rating
The rating where simulator time pays off hardest — up to 10 hours are creditable under §61.65(h)(2).
- ✓Fly approaches, holds and partial-panel work on the real Garmin G430
- ✓Train in hard IFR without waiting for the weather
- ✓Maintain instrument currency under §61.57(c)
- ✓Complete an IPC under §61.57(d)(1)(ii)
Commercial Pilot Training
At the commercial level, pilots must demonstrate refined skill, precision and judgment — and up to 50 hours can be logged in the MCX.
- ✓Practice chandelles, lazy eights and steep spirals
- ✓Simulate instrument failures and in-flight emergencies
- ✓Train in both single- and multi-engine configurations
- ✓Reinforce IFR procedures and navigation
Multi-Engine Training
Multi-engine aircraft add complexity to flight operations, which makes simulator practice even more important.
- ✓Engine-out procedures and Vmc awareness
- ✓Feathering and restarting an engine
- ✓Multi-engine takeoffs and landings
- ✓Crosswind approaches with one engine inoperative
Airline Transport Pilot
Building toward the airlines? Up to 25 hours count toward ATP total time under §61.159(a)(3)(i).
- ✓Crew-style scenario flying and checklist discipline
- ✓High-workload IFR in busy Los Angeles airspace
- ✓Repeatable abnormal and emergency procedures
- ✓Consistent, measurable performance debriefs
Also worth knowing
Additional training benefits of the Redbird MCX
01
Cost-effective learning
Using the simulator reduces reliance on the aircraft for early repetitions and emergency training. That saves fuel, wear and tear, and instructor time — while still providing high-quality practice.
02
Environmentally friendly
Simulators burn no fossil fuels and produce no emissions. It’s a sustainable way to reduce your carbon footprint while continuing high-quality aviation training.
03
Weather-independent
Rain, wind, fog or extreme heat won’t stop your training. The Redbird MCX keeps you progressing regardless of what the Los Angeles basin is doing that morning.
04
Risk-free emergency training
Practice engine fires, electrical failures, instrument malfunctions and icing conditions without the danger of real-life consequences. It builds confidence and preparedness.
Financing & getting started
Simulator hours fold into every course we run. Financing is available up to 15 years, from $2,500 down, with a soft credit check and no co-signer required. And 100% of a discovery flight credits toward your training when you enroll within 24 hours — discovery flights start at $229.
$2,500
Typical down
15 yrs
Max term
Soft pull
No co-signer
Book simulator time your way
Enrolled or not, the machine is available seven days a week at Van Nuys Airport.
- ✓$189 guided 1-hour demo with a certified instructor
- ✓$200/hr Redbird MCX regular rate — open to anyone
- ✓$120/hr Redbird MCX for students enrolled in a course
- ✓$90/hr Redbird TD2 regular rate — free to our students
- ✓No packages, no minimums, no membership
- ✓Never weather-cancelled — sessions fly rain or shine
Loved On Google & Yelp
G★★★★★4.9 · 496 Google reviews
Y★★★★★4.9 · 73 Yelp reviews
Questions, answered
Flight simulator FAQ
Yes. The Redbird MCX is an FAA-approved Advanced Aviation Training Device, so time is loggable as flight experience under §61.51(b)(3)(h) and creditable up to 2.5 hours toward the Private Pilot Certificate (§61.109(k)(1)), 10 hours toward the Instrument Rating (§61.65(h)(2)), 50 hours toward the Commercial Certificate (§61.129(i)(1)(i)) and 25 hours toward the ATP (§61.159(a)(3)(i)).
The Redbird MCX is $200/hr at the regular rate and $120/hr for students enrolled in one of our courses. The Redbird TD2 is $90/hr regular and free to our students. A guided 1-hour simulator demo with an instructor is $189.
Yes. Instrument recency-of-experience under §61.57(c) may be accomplished in an approved training device, and an Instrument Proficiency Check may be completed under §61.57(d)(1)(ii) with an authorized instructor.
Absolutely. The $189 demo is designed for complete first-timers and for nervous flyers. You’ll take the controls with a certified instructor beside you, fly a realistic scenario over familiar scenery, and practice takeoffs and landings — all from the safety and comfort of the ground.
Yes. The MCX configures as both single-engine (Cessna-type) and multi-engine (Piper-type) aircraft, which makes it ideal for engine-out procedures, feathering and restarts, Vmc awareness and single-engine approaches before you ever start a real twin.
No. Anyone can book the MCX at the regular $200/hr rate or the $189 guided demo. Enrolled students get the $120/hr rate on the MCX and unlimited free access to the Redbird TD2.
Never. That’s one of the biggest advantages — rain, wind, fog and heat don’t stop simulator training. In fact your instructor can dial that weather in deliberately so you learn to handle it.
Los Angeles Flight School, 7900 Balboa Blvd. Suite 108A, Van Nuys, CA 91406 — on Van Nuys Airport (KVNY). Call (818) 290-8249 and we’ll get you scheduled.
Ready when you are
Take the controls of a full-motion Redbird MCX
One hour, a certified instructor, and an FAA-approved simulator that pitches, rolls and responds like the real thing. Questions first? Talk to a real instructor — no pressure, just answers.
Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) · Open 7 days · The hours you fly here count in your logbook.