Frequently Asked
Questions.

Accelerated Pilot is a mixed reality flight training program designed by an FAA-certified flight instructor. We deliver structured flight training in virtual reality — using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 as the training environment — with the same brief-fly-debrief-log discipline in-aircraft flight training uses. Our goal is to help you arrive at in-aircraft training already knowing how to fly.

Anyone serious about becoming a pilot — aspiring young pilots considering aviation careers, adult learners pursuing a lifelong dream, career switchers, and parents supporting someone's dream. The program assumes you're willing to treat VR as practice, not gaming.

No. Learn to Fly Solo is designed for absolute beginners. We start with hardware setup and the fundamentals of flight, and progress through the 10-module syllabus to solo-ready skills.

A VR headset (Quest 3 recommended), a PC capable of running Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 in VR, and ideally a yoke and rudder pedals. See our full hardware guide for details, or download our free VR Flight Training Setup Guide.

Most students complete the course in 3-6 months of regular practice, depending on how frequently they fly. The curriculum includes 65 lessons and is designed for roughly 40 hours of practice in the sim. Some students complete it faster; others take longer. There's no rush — deep practice works best when you progress at the pace your skill acquisition actually allows.

Most consumer flight simulation products are built for entertainment or hobbyist enthusiasts. Accelerated Pilot is flight training — designed by an FAA-certified flight instructor, structured around the same standards used in in-aircraft flight training, and built for students pursuing actual FAA certification. The deep practice methodology, the scenario-based missions, and the mission workbook format all reflect how CFIs actually teach.

No, and we wouldn't want it to be. A home VR setup isn't an FAA-approved training device. Learn to Fly Solo prepares you to excel when you do train in the aircraft — arriving with 40+ hours of structured practice already behind you.

Learn to Fly Cross Country, Learn to Fly In the Clouds, and Learn to be Paid to Fly each have their own prerequisites based on pilot certification level. Cross Country expects pre-solo proficiency (Learn to Fly Solo graduates, or equivalent). In the Clouds expects a Private Pilot certificate. Paid to Fly expects both a Private Pilot certificate and an Instrument Rating. The Accelerated Pilot curriculum is designed as a continuous path, but each course can also be entered at the appropriate level by qualified students.

Yes. See our Refund Policy for full details.

Yes. Contact us through the website contact form with your request — we'll set up the gift enrollment and coordinate delivery with the recipient.

Our Refund Policy provides a 14-day refund window. We encourage you to try at least one or two lessons before deciding, as the VR experience becomes familiar quickly for most students.

The Learn to Fly Solo course includes 65 video lessons taught by an FAA-certified flight instructor, 20 pre-built MSFS 2024 mission files covering every flight lesson, a custom aircraft checklist for the course aircraft, and a mission workbook for briefing, flying, debriefing, and logging every lesson. See the Learn to Fly Solo page for the full breakdown.

Mission files are pre-built scenarios that load into Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, putting you in the right aircraft, at the right airport, in the right conditions to practice a specific skill. Learn to Fly Solo includes 20 mission files covering every flight lesson in the curriculum. Some mission files are reused across multiple lessons because the same flight conditions support practicing different skills — for example, every lesson in the fundamentals module starts from the same practice area, because what matters is what you practice, not a new spawn location each time.

The FAA frames scenario-based training as the preferred way to teach pilots how to think — not just how to perform tasks. Every Learn to Fly Solo mission is built around that principle.

The mission workbook is your training record. For each lesson, it includes the brief (what you're practicing and why), the achievement standards (specific metrics for success), space to record your self-evaluation after each flight, and notes for what to work on next. By the end of the course, you've built a complete training record of your progression.

A printable, laminatable checklist for the course aircraft — covering preflight inspection, before-engine-start, runup, pre-takeoff, and shutdown procedures. Using a checklist from day one builds a habit that serious pilots carry with them throughout their flying careers.

Learn to Fly Solo includes 65 lessons organized into 10 progressive modules. Video lessons vary in length — most are 5-15 minutes of instruction, with corresponding VR practice sessions that can run from 10 minutes to an hour depending on the skill.

Learn to Fly Solo and Learn to Fly Cross Country are both taught in a round-dial trainer aircraft (conventional analog instruments — the same "six-pack" found in most training aircraft). Glass cockpit transition happens in Learn to Fly In the Clouds, where students move to a G1000-equipped aircraft for instrument training. Specific aircraft models are detailed on the respective course pages.

No. Learn to Fly Solo requires Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The scenarios and aircraft are built specifically for MSFS 2024's updated flight model and graphics engine.

Course materials (workbook PDFs, aircraft checklist, and MSFS 2024 mission files) are downloadable and yours to keep. Video lessons stream from the course platform during your 12-month access window.

Your enrollment includes 12 months of full access to the course platform from the date of enrollment. That window is designed to give you ample time to complete the curriculum at the pace of deep practice — most students finish in 3-6 months, leaving plenty of room for review.

Downloadable materials — your mission workbook, aircraft checklist, and mission files — are yours to keep permanently. They work with any copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on any PC, independent of our platform.

If you're actively progressing through the curriculum and need more time, contact us before your access expires and we'll work out an extension. Our goal is that every enrolled student finishes the course they paid for.

Cross Country is built around Private Pilot preparation — cross-country flight planning, navigation, night flight, and Basic Attitude Instrument (BAI) flying. In the Clouds focuses on the Instrument Rating — instrument approaches, IFR navigation, and IFR decision-making. Cross Country completes your Private Pilot preparation; In the Clouds is an additional rating beyond the Private Pilot certificate.

The Coached tier adds 8 hours of CFI coaching to the Learn to Fly Solo curriculum — delivered at key moments in the syllabus where direct feedback accelerates skill development. It includes three Phase Checks, a two-hour Graduation Phase Check, and three hours of flexible coaching. See the Coaching page for the full structure.

Self-Study includes the full course materials (65 video lessons, 20 MSFS 2024 mission files, custom aircraft checklist, and mission workbook) for you to work through on your own schedule. Coached adds 8 hours of CFI coaching — three Phase Checks, a two-hour Graduation Phase Check, and three hours of flexible coaching — along with a Certificate of Completion upon passing the Graduation Phase Check to FAA ACS standards. See the Learn to Fly Solo page for the full comparison.

Phase Checks are structured evaluation points in the syllabus where your CFI evaluates your performance against specific achievement standards. Learn to Fly Solo has four Phase Checks: VFR Maneuvers Phase Check (after Module 5), Pattern and Landing Phase Check (after Module 7), Performance Maneuvers Phase Check (after Module 9), and the Graduation Phase Check (after Module 10).

For each Phase Check or à la carte session: (1) fly the prescribed mission in VR, (2) record your flight with the flight recorder, (3) submit the recording through the contact form to schedule your live session, (4) your CFI reviews the recording before your session, (5) meet live by video call for a one-hour debrief, and (6) apply the feedback to your continuing practice.

The flight recorder is software that captures your flight as data — altitude, airspeed, heading, control inputs, and GPS position — so your CFI can review your performance afterward. Think of it as a flight data recorder for practice. Specific recorder recommendations are provided to enrolled students.

Coaching is delivered by FAA-certificated flight instructors affiliated with Accelerated Pilot. For courses requiring specific credentials (such as Learn to Fly In the Clouds, which requires CFII qualification), sessions are assigned to appropriately credentialed instructors.

Yes. À la carte coaching is available to any enrolled Accelerated Pilot student — useful for focused practice on specific skills or maneuvers. See the Coaching page for rates. À la carte coaching does not include Graduation Phase Checks or Certificates of Completion; those are available only to Coached tier students.

The Graduation Phase Check is the final evaluation in the Learn to Fly Solo curriculum — a two-hour session with one hour of ground review (FAA-loggable) and one hour of flight review. It is available only to Coached tier students and cannot be added à la carte. Students who pass the Graduation Phase Check to FAA Airman Certification Standards (ACS) receive a printable Certificate of Completion.

The ground review portion evaluates aeronautical knowledge — regulations, airspace, weather, aerodynamics, aircraft systems, emergency procedures, and decision-making. That knowledge is taught by a ground school, not by Accelerated Pilot. We focus exclusively on flight training. Several reputable providers offer comprehensive Private Pilot ground schools that pair well with Learn to Fly Solo.

If you don't pass on your first attempt, your CFI will identify specific areas that need work and recommend focused practice before your next attempt. Coached tier students can use their flexible coaching hours to prepare for and retake the Graduation Phase Check. If those hours are already used, additional preparation or a retake can be purchased at the à la carte rate. Most students who reach the Graduation Phase Check are ready to pass it — the structured progression through Phase Checks is designed to ensure you arrive prepared.

No. The Certificate of Completion is only available to Coached tier students who pass their Graduation Phase Check to FAA ACS standards. Self-Study students complete the course without formal evaluation, which means there's no way to verify completion against the ACS standard required for the Certificate.

Scheduled sessions may be rescheduled without penalty up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time. Sessions cancelled or missed with less than 24 hours' notice may be forfeited at our discretion.

All coaching sessions are scheduled in Eastern Time. Evening and weekend availability is provided to accommodate students across U.S. time zones.

All coaching sessions are conducted live over Zoom. Your CFI will share screen, replay specific moments of your flight recording, and walk through your workbook notes with you. Sessions are not summarized in written reports afterward — the live debrief is the deliverable, and your recording plus your own workbook notes are your ongoing record.

Yes. The one-hour ground review during the Graduation Phase Check qualifies as ground training under 14 CFR Part 61, delivered by an authorized instructor (your Accelerated Pilot CFI). Your CFI will endorse your logbook accordingly. Note that the flight review portion of the Graduation Phase Check and all milestone Phase Checks are not FAA-loggable because the home VR environment is not an FAA-approved training device.

The Meta Quest 3 is the recommended headset for Learn to Fly Solo. It offers excellent visual clarity, is affordable, and works well with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 either as a tethered headset or wirelessly via Virtual Desktop.

The course will work with most current VR headsets compatible with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, including Quest Pro, Quest 2 (with reduced visual quality), and PC VR headsets. Our free VR Flight Training Setup Guide covers specific hardware recommendations and compatibility notes.

Yes. MSFS 2024 in VR is computationally demanding. You need a PC capable of running MSFS 2024 at acceptable frame rates in VR. Minimum specs are in our Setup Guide.

Microsoft's recommended specs for MSFS 2024 include a modern 8-core CPU, 32GB RAM, and an NVIDIA RTX 3070 or equivalent GPU. For VR specifically, you'll want to be at or above these specs. Our Setup Guide has more detail on practical hardware choices at different budget levels.

For effective flight training, yes. Flying with a mouse and keyboard, or with just a joystick, doesn't build the physical habits of aircraft control. The basic setup includes a yoke, rudder pedals, a trim wheel, and a throttle quadrant. These are one-time hardware investments.

A joystick works for some simulation purposes but doesn't replicate the physical control input pattern of an aircraft yoke. For learning aircraft control skills that transfer to the cockpit, a yoke is strongly recommended.

Before purchasing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, follow the installation instructions in our VR Flight Training Setup Guide. Not all distribution channels are compatible with the custom content Accelerated Pilot courses use, and choosing the wrong channel can mean purchasing the software twice. The Setup Guide walks through the specific steps — please do not install on your own without reading it first.

Virtual Desktop is used for wireless VR connection between the Quest 3 and your PC. If you're using a Quest 3 and want wireless operation, yes. If you're using a tethered PC VR headset, Virtual Desktop isn't needed.

Depending on what you already have, a complete VR flight training setup can be built for anywhere from $1,500 (if you already have a capable computer) to $3,500 (if you're starting from scratch). Our Setup Guide provides budget-aware recommendations.

If you already have a PC that can run MSFS 2024 at decent frame rates — particularly one with a capable GPU like an RTX 3070 or better — you're most of the way there. You'll add a VR headset, yoke, rudder pedals, and possibly a throttle quadrant.

Deep practice is a concept from Daniel Coyle's book The Talent Code. It describes the specific kind of focused, feedback-rich practice that builds skill faster than ordinary practice. Three conditions make practice "deep": repetition at the edge of your ability, tight feedback, and the freedom to fail safely so you can correct. VR flight training is uniquely suited to deep practice because you can repeat maneuvers dozens of times, get immediate visual feedback, and fail without cost.

Daniel Coyle is the author of The Talent Code, a book on how expertise is built through specific types of practice. His work synthesizes research from psychology, neuroscience, and studies of elite performers. The book frames how skill acquisition actually works, and we use that framework explicitly in how our curriculum is designed.

Yes — and the difference is structural. Practicing on your own, you choose what to fly, there are no standards to meet, there's no feedback on what you did well or poorly, and there's no progression path. Learn to Fly Solo provides the structure, standards, scenarios, feedback loops, and progression that turn MSFS practice into actual skill acquisition.

This is the discipline of in-aircraft flight training. Before each lesson, you brief what you're about to practice and why. Then you fly the exercise. Afterward, you debrief — review what worked, what didn't, and what to adjust. Finally, you log the session in your workbook. Every Learn to Fly Solo lesson follows this rhythm, which is the same rhythm CFIs use with in-aircraft students.

Flight sim hobbyists fly for enjoyment, often choosing exotic aircraft in beautiful locations without a structured training goal. Accelerated Pilot uses the same underlying simulator but approaches it as training: specific aircraft, specific missions, specific standards, structured progression, and a clear outcome. The same tool, used very differently.

Immersion matters for skill transfer. When you're in VR, your brain processes the experience more like flight itself — you're turning your head to scan instruments, to check for traffic, to track the horizon. That kind of spatial awareness doesn't develop the same way on a 2D monitor. VR also provides immersion that genuinely engages the psychomotor skills flight requires.

The methodology is grounded in well-established research on expertise development (Ericsson on deliberate practice, Bjork on learning science, Coyle's synthesis in The Talent Code). The aviation training community has long recognized scenario-based training as effective — the FAA formally endorses it in its Advisory Circulars. What's new is applying these methods in a VR environment that makes the conditions of deep practice accessible at home, before a student pays for aircraft time.

Yes — in fact, teenagers 16 and up are a core audience for Learn to Fly Solo. The curriculum treats them as serious students pursuing a serious skill, not as kids playing games. Because purchases require an adult, a parent or legal guardian creates and maintains the account.

Yes, and genuinely useful. Learn to Fly Solo gives your teen a structured introduction to in-aircraft flight training methodology and an opportunity to build 40+ hours of practice before paying for aircraft time. Teens who complete the program arrive at their first in-aircraft lesson with preparation most new students don't have.

Plan for 3-6 hours per week of practice to complete the course in 3-6 months. Some teens will do more; some less. Consistent weekly practice produces better results than occasional long sessions.

Yes. The course platform shows completion status, and the mission workbook is a shared record of their training. For Coached tier students, Phase Check sessions provide structured evaluation moments where their CFI assesses performance against FAA achievement standards — those sessions are themselves a progress indicator. Parents are welcome to review the workbook with their teen at any time.

Modern VR headsets like the Quest 3 are designed for extended use, but we recommend following the standard guidance: 15-20 minute breaks every hour, good room lighting, a clean space with room to sit comfortably, and staying hydrated. Teens new to VR may experience some adjustment in the first few sessions — this is normal and resolves quickly.

Yes. MSFS as a game and MSFS as a flight training environment are very different. Learn to Fly Solo adds the structure, the standards, the scenarios, the workbook discipline, and the instructor voice that turn flight simulation from entertainment into training. Your teen may have hundreds of hours in MSFS already; Learn to Fly Solo will teach them how to use that time to actually learn to fly.

Learn to Fly Solo prepares your teen for the in-aircraft training that leads to their first solo. The next step is working with a CFI at a local flight school to complete the 40 hours of FAA-required in-aircraft flight time (of which 10 hours are solo). Learn to Fly Solo doesn't replace that in-aircraft training — it prepares your teen to excel at it, typically finishing closer to the 40-hour FAA minimum rather than the 60-70 hours most students take.

This varies significantly by region and flight school. In our area of northeastern New Jersey, Private Pilot training with a flight school typically runs $19,000-$28,000 when you include everything.

Here's a typical breakdown for a 70-hour training program:

• 60 hours dual instruction at ~$300/hour (aircraft + instructor): $18,000
• 10 hours solo at ~$215/hour (aircraft only): $2,150
• Ground school: ~$500
• DPE checkride fee: ~$1,000
• FAA medical exam (Class 3): ~$200
• Headset, logbook, iPad, ForeFlight subscription: ~$1,000
• Miscellaneous: ~$500

A typical student ends up around $23,000-$24,000. Costs scale up if training takes more hours — most students in our area finish between 55 and 85 flight hours — and down for students who finish efficiently.

The preparation Learn to Fly Solo provides can meaningfully reduce the hours spent relearning what faded between lessons. At $300 per hour of dual instruction in our area, even 5-10 hours saved across training more than covers the cost of the program.

Yes. Our Terms of Service require a parent or legal guardian to create and maintain the account, make the purchase, and accept the Terms on the teen's behalf. You're responsible for supervising their use of the program.

Use the contact form and select "Technical Support" as your subject. We respond within two business days. Enrolled students receive direct contact options in their welcome email.

For course platform issues affecting your access, contact us through the contact form with "Technical Support" as the subject. We'll work with you to restore access and, if the platform is down entirely, extend your access window to make up for the lost time.

Your course platform includes password reset functionality on the login page. If you have trouble, contact us through the contact form.

Yes. Your account allows access from any device where you log in — your VR PC, a mobile device for viewing lessons on the go, a tablet for working through the workbook, etc. Account credentials are for individual use only; sharing with others isn't permitted.

Yes. We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information. See our Privacy Policy for specifics on how your data is handled.

Contact us through the contact form before purchase to discuss any specific accommodation needs. We want the program to be accessible to all serious students, and we'll work with you on reasonable modifications where possible.

Flight recordings you submit for coaching review are retained for up to 24 months after your coaching engagement, then deleted. You can request earlier deletion at any time through the contact form. See our Privacy Policy for full details on recording handling.