In Short
- $249 for two hours with an instructor: ground school, cockpit setup, about 70 minutes in the Redbird, and a debrief.
- It's its own program, booked separately from the airplane lessons, and credited in full if you enroll within 24 hours.
- It isn't the $189 simulator session. That one is a single guided hour in the simulator.
How The Two Hours Go
- 0:00 · 30 minGround school and briefing. The same desk session as the airplane lesson: how a wing makes lift, the controls, the six instruments and today's maneuvers.
- 0:30 · 10 minCockpit setup. Instead of walking around an airplane on the ramp, you set up the cockpit with your instructor and run the checklist.
- 0:40 · ~70 minFly the Redbird. Straight and level, climbs, descents, turns and trim. Your instructor can pause, reposition and repeat anything, and you can try takeoffs and landings too.
- 1:50 · 10 minDebrief. What went well, what to work on, and your logbook entry.
Why Start In A Simulator
- No weather to wait for. The simulator flies whatever the sky is doing outside.
- Pause and repeat. Your instructor can freeze the simulator mid-turn, talk it through and run it again, which an airplane can't do.
- It moves. The Redbird MCX sits on a 3-axis electric motion platform with pitch, roll, yaw and acceleration cues, inside a 210° wraparound view.
- It's on the ground. If being in a small airplane is the thing that's stopping you, this is the gentlest way to start.
What The Redbird MCX Is
The Redbird MCX is an FAA-approved Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD). It has an enclosed cockpit with dual controls, so your instructor sits beside you exactly as in an airplane, and a real Garmin G430 in the panel. It can be set up as a single-engine trainer or as a twin. More about our simulator.
Does It Count Toward A License?
Yes. Your instructor logs the session as training-device time. Up to 2.5 hours of approved simulator time can count toward the 40 hours the FAA requires for a private pilot certificate (14 CFR 61.109(k)), and our Private Pilot programs include 2, 5 or 10 hours in the Redbird, depending on the program.
Simulator Lesson Vs Airplane Lesson
| Simulator First Lesson | Airplane First Lesson | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249 | $349 to $749 |
| Ground school | 30 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Before you fly | Cockpit setup and checklist | Your preflight on the ramp |
| Flying | About 70 minutes in the Redbird | About 70 minutes over Malibu |
| Weather | Never a factor | Rescheduled free if we cancel |
| Logged as | Training-device time | Dual instruction |
| Credit if you enroll in 24 hours | 100% | 100% |
Not The Same As The $189 Simulator Session
We also offer a $189 simulator session: one guided hour in the Redbird with an instructor, a good taste of the machine. The Simulator First Lesson is a complete lesson, with 30 minutes of ground school, the cockpit setup, about 70 minutes of structured flying and a debrief. If you want to start training, book the lesson.
Then Fly It For Real
Our private pilot training combines the simulator and the airplane: you rehearse a lesson in the Redbird, then fly it for real. Your simulator first lesson fits straight into that. When you're ready, book an airplane first lesson and fly the same maneuvers over the Malibu coast.
Questions
Will I feel the motion?
Yes. The Redbird MCX moves in pitch, roll and yaw, with acceleration cues, so turns and climbs feel like turns and climbs.
Do I need any experience?
None. Ground school comes first, and your instructor sits beside you with a full set of controls.
Can I do the airplane lesson afterwards?
Yes, and it's a natural next step. You'll already know the maneuvers.
Is the simulator lesson credited if I enroll?
Yes. 100% of the $249 comes off any program if you enroll within 24 hours.