PPL Checkride Prep With Sim Training: Why Simulators Belong in Your Training Plan

Simulator training is one of the most effective — and most underused — tools available to student pilots preparing for the private pilot checkride. A recent episode of Pilot Institute’s Flying New Guy series follows student pilot Jason as he uses sim training to sharpen the procedures, maneuvers, and decision-making the FAA examiner will test on checkride day. The takeaway echoes what flight schools using immersive simulators have found: practicing a maneuver dozens of times in a simulator before you fly it means you show up to each lesson — and to the checkride — already ahead of the airplane. For Skyfarer readers ready to bring that capability to their own training or flight school, our partner True Course Simulations (TCS) offers an exclusive Skyfarer discount on its immersive VR and mixed-reality flight simulators.

Here’s why sim training works, what the Flying New Guy episode demonstrates, and how the Skyfarer–TCS partnership makes immersive simulation more accessible.

Watch: PPL Checkride Prep — Sim Training

Pilot Institute’s Flying New Guy series follows student pilot Jason (the “Flying New Guy”) as CFIs Greg and Tom run him through mock checkrides on specific topics each week. It’s one of the more genuinely useful checkride-prep resources on YouTube — a real student, real instructors, and real preparation for the practical test.

In the sim training episode, Jason works through checkride preparation in a simulator, demonstrating how procedural repetition in a low-pressure, low-cost environment translates to better performance in the actual aircraft.

Watch the episode here: PPL Checkride Prep: Sim Training | Flying New Guy

The episode is worth watching whether you’re weeks from your checkride or just starting to think about how to structure your training. The core lesson applies to every student pilot: the more you can practice before you fly, the more each expensive flight hour is spent refining rather than discovering.

Why Simulator Training Works for Checkride Prep

Flight training is expensive, weather-dependent, and time-constrained. A rented training aircraft runs $150–$200 per hour before you add instructor fees, and completing a private pilot license can exceed $16,500 (median) — with the full journey to a commercial certificate approaching $55,000–$70,000. Every hour spent “figuring it out” in the airplane is an expensive hour.

Simulator training changes that equation in several specific ways:

Procedural repetition without the meter running. In a simulator, you can practice the same steep turn, the same short-field landing, the same engine-failure procedure dozens of times in an hour. In the airplane, you might get three or four attempts before fuel, weather, or time forces you down. Repetition builds the muscle memory and mental checklists that hold up under checkride pressure.

Safe practice of dangerous scenarios. Engine failures, stalls, emergency descents, and unusual attitude recoveries can all be rehearsed in a simulator with zero risk. Practicing them until they’re automatic means you’re calmer and more competent when an examiner pulls the power on you.

Weather-proof, schedule-proof training. A simulator doesn’t care if it’s IMC, gusting 30 knots, or dark. You can train when the airplane can’t fly — keeping momentum between lessons instead of losing skills to scheduling gaps.

Data-driven feedback. Modern immersive simulators record and analyze every session, giving students and instructors objective feedback on where performance is strong and where it needs work — the kind of targeted practice that reduces total training time.

The research backs this up. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s published research showed a 30% reduction in time-to-solo when a VR simulator system was paired with traditional flight training. Fewer flight hours to reach milestones means lower costs and faster progress — exactly what every student pilot and flight school is looking for.

Meet True Course Simulations (TCS)

Skyfarer has partnered with True Course Simulations (TCS) — a company that has been bridging the gap between the textbook and the aircraft since 2011. TCS designs and manufactures VR and mixed-reality Immersive Training Devices (ITDs) paired with patented in-headset Virtual Flight Instructor Courseware.

TCS isn’t a consumer gaming setup. Its devices are used in serious flight training programs, including the United States Air Force Academy, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Massey University School of Aviation, and 20-plus high school aviation programs.

What sets the TCS approach apart:

Immersive VR and mixed-reality environments. VR simulators combine a physical cockpit with a headset to create a fully immersive 360-degree environment. Mixed-reality (MR) versions let students see and interact with real cockpit hardware — physical instruments, avionics, switches — while the world outside the windscreen is rendered virtually. MR is especially valuable for glass-cockpit and complex-aircraft training where interacting with physical controls matters.

Virtual Flight Instructor Courseware. TCS’s patented in-headset courseware guides students through maneuvers step by step, records every session, and provides detailed analysis. This structured, data-driven approach helps students and instructors target exactly what needs work.

Professional-grade controls. Yoke, center-stick, or side-stick configurations to match your training needs, with subtle motion to enhance realism. Advanced configurations add a D-BOX haptic motion platform with hand-coded flight sensations.

Proven efficiency gains. TCS’s devices have a documented track record of increasing training efficiency and reducing the hours required to reach licensing milestones at major flight training organizations.

Reduced instructor-to-student ratios. Because the courseware provides virtual instruction, a single CFI can effectively oversee multiple students training simultaneously — a meaningful operational advantage for flight schools.

The Skyfarer Exclusive Discount

Skyfarer readers and referred flight schools receive an exclusive partner discount on True Course Simulations systems. Schools referred through Skyfarer receive a partner discount on TCS immersive training devices — making it more affordable to bring VR and mixed-reality simulation into your training pipeline.

To access the Skyfarer–TCS partner discount:

Visit Skyfarer at skyfareracademy.com to learn more about the partnership and access the referral
Connect with the True Course Simulations team for a consultation about your program’s needs
Mention Skyfarer to unlock your exclusive partner pricing

TCS typically starts with a Zoom consultation to understand your program, followed by an on-site demonstration for qualified prospects if it’s the right fit. Whether you’re an individual serious about your training, a flight school evaluating fleet-wide simulation, or an aviation business building a new checkride-prep or recurrent-training revenue line, the Skyfarer partnership is the most cost-effective way to bring TCS immersive training into your operation.

A Note on Logging Simulator Time

One important consideration for schools and students planning to use simulator time toward certificate requirements: the FAA classifies approved training devices into tiers under Advisory Circular 61-136B.

Basic Aviation Training Device (BATD): Entry-level approved device with a generic cockpit and basic instruments. Suitable for foundational procedural training — up to 10 hours of instrument time toward an Instrument Rating and 2.5 hours toward a PPL.

Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD): Higher fidelity, representing a specific aircraft model with a full instrument panel and navigation systems — up to 20 hours of instrument time toward an IR, with broader credits toward CPL and ATP under Part 141.

Non-approved devices: Consumer-grade software that doesn’t carry an FAA Letter of Authorization (LOA) and can’t be logged toward requirements — though it can still be valuable for practice.

If your school is considering using TCS time toward loggable hours, confirm with TCS directly whether the specific device configuration you’re purchasing holds a current BATD or AATD Letter of Authorization, and verify the authorized uses listed in that letter before building it into your Part 61 or Part 141 curriculum. Ask TCS for their current LOA documentation as part of the purchase conversation.

Even where sim time isn’t loggable, the procedural practice, muscle memory, and decision-making rehearsal — exactly what the Flying New Guy sim episode demonstrates — deliver real value in reducing total training time and improving checkride readiness.

The Bottom Line

The Flying New Guy sim training episode illustrates a lesson that flight schools, universities, and military academies have already embraced: simulator training makes better-prepared, more confident, more efficient pilots. Procedural repetition, safe emergency practice, weather-proof scheduling, and data-driven feedback all combine to help students reach checkride readiness in fewer, better-spent flight hours.

For Skyfarer readers ready to bring that capability to their own training or flight school, True Course Simulations offers immersive VR and mixed-reality training devices with a proven track record — and an exclusive Skyfarer partner discount.

Watch the episode: PPL Checkride Prep: Sim Training | Flying New Guy

Explore the Skyfarer–TCS partnership: skyfareracademy.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Does simulator training help with checkride preparation? Yes. Simulator training lets student pilots practice maneuvers, procedures, and emergency scenarios repeatedly in a low-cost, low-pressure environment before performing them in the aircraft. This repetition builds muscle memory and confidence, so students arrive at the checkride better prepared. Research from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University showed a 30% reduction in time-to-solo when a VR simulator was paired with traditional flight training.

What is True Course Simulations (TCS)? True Course Simulations is a company that has designed and manufactured VR and mixed-reality Immersive Training Devices (ITDs) since 2011, paired with patented in-headset Virtual Flight Instructor Courseware. TCS devices are used by the United States Air Force Academy, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Massey University School of Aviation, and more than 20 high school aviation programs. Skyfarer has partnered with TCS to offer an exclusive discount to Skyfarer readers and referred flight schools.

How do I get the Skyfarer discount on True Course Simulations? Skyfarer readers and referred flight schools receive an exclusive partner discount on TCS systems. To access it, visit skyfareracademy.com to learn about the partnership, connect with the True Course Simulations team for a consultation, and mention Skyfarer to unlock your partner pricing. TCS typically begins with a Zoom consultation followed by an on-site demonstration for qualified prospects.

Can I log True Course Simulations time toward my pilot certificate? It depends on the specific device configuration. The FAA classifies approved training devices as Basic Aviation Training Devices (BATD, up to 2.5 hours toward a PPL and 10 hours toward an IR) or Advanced Aviation Training Devices (AATD, up to 20 hours toward an IR with broader Part 141 credits). Confirm with TCS whether your specific configuration holds a current BATD or AATD Letter of Authorization, and verify the authorized uses before building it into a Part 61 or Part 141 curriculum. Even non-loggable simulator time provides valuable procedural practice.

Where can I watch the Flying New Guy sim training episode? The PPL Checkride Prep: Sim Training episode is available on Pilot Institute’s Flying New Guy YouTube channel at youtube.com/watch?v=DPd6RKzwaYw. The Flying New Guy series follows student pilot Jason through weekly mock checkrides with CFIs Greg and Tom, covering the topics an FAA examiner tests on the private pilot practical exam.

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