Being proficient

[Avi-Nation]

Hello,

I'm in a bit of a pickle and am interested in some insight to see if this is a good solution. I have about 350 hours and need to pass my Class 4 flight test but am financially not doing well at all... it's hard to stay current & proficient above a CPL standard if you can't fly everyday. I'm considering buying a new Xbox and getting the yoke mount and MS Flight Sim all for $1,000 thinking it will help with practice teaching/flying maneuvers/flows etc as an enhanced chair flying experience. Perhaps down the road it will help with instrument training as well. How customizable is the xbox version? The realism aspect isn't a big deal, I know how a 172 handles and feels, but I just can't stay consistent when flying is like +200/hr. How do you guys deal with this hurdle in training?

[Radaltalive]

4-5 hours in a plane at $1000 will be way more valuable then 1000 hours in the $1000 xbox sim. Save more money and do more real training.
If you know how a 172 handles and feels, why is it hard to stay consistent? At what interval are you flying? How much more time is needed for you to take the flight test?

[digits_]

If you have issues staying current or flying accurate, then an xbox won't help.

There might be some marginal benefit when practicing IFR procedures, but not for VFR flying.

[Big Pistons Forever]

The circuit reviews every fundamental pilot skill. 30-40 minutes of circuits once a week will keep you tuned up. But and this is a big but you have to work hard. You should have a target for every part of the circuit and you are either on target or correcting to the target.

My personal observation is that too many new CPL’s treat the very loose CPL speed, altitude, handling limits as an acceptable range instead of limits that should never be approached and if, so immediately corrected.

Accurate flying is a choice. Chose to be the best pilot on the field.

[Avi-Nation]

Thanks for the advice. I will book some flights instead. I've flown 3 hours since June. I'm thinking I have test anxiety and its causing me to freeze up and miss things. I figured if I just chair flew a lot more and did the reps it would go away and a sim would be a cheaper option. I already failed the test once over something silly. The book knowledge is all there it's just the flying portion.

[youhavecontrol]

I ran out of money right near the flight test prep for my commercial license. After working and saving for 3 years, I came back and finished my training. In 3 years, expected to forget a lot, but surprisingly didn't. I went solo again after only one dual review flight, and then moved smoothly back into flight test prep and never looked back. Think of it like riding a bicycle, it comes back pretty quick once you put your hands on the handlebars.