IP Trainer

Instrument Procedures Trainer

IP Trainer, On Top, and IPC are a family of Instrument Procedures training software packages. Each has it's own purpose in preparing pilots for IFR flight. Check the following link for additional information on the different focus of each package:

Differences Info: IP Trainer, On Top, and IPC

Aviation Consumer magazine said this is "the most elaborately organized IFR simulator course we've ever seen!"

IP Trainer^TM is the only IFR Windows-PC-simulator that can show you, teach you and then test you on instrument flight procedures. It is designed primarily for pilots learning standard IFR procedures, as well as VFR pilots who want to learn IFR-related topics such as VFR-On-Top, or VFR night flying. IP Trainer^TM is available with a wide range of sturdy control yoke , rudder pedal, and throttle quadrants suitable for use in home-based IFR training. It's the first IFR simulator that actually teaches the official IFR procedures that the IFR Practical Test Standards are built on. These FAA/ICAO procedures are the same for any country in the world.

When Private Pilot Magazine called IP Trainer^TM "a landmark step forward in IFR procedures training", it wasn't just because IP Trainer^TM was the first computerized tool to teach IFR air work. More importantly, it was because IP Trainer^TM was the first program to simulate the key facet of instrument flight training - the instructor.

IP Trainer^TM is recognized by the FAA as an FAA/FITS training package.

It's About Instruction

The danger in non-rated pilots shooting their first approaches on a simulator is when there isn't an instructor looking over their shoulders, demonstrating the right way to do things and looking out for the formation of "bad habits." Unless you have that guidance and instruction, there's no guarantee of what you're learning and how you're learning it.

IP Trainer's 133 built-in lessons are assembled on a foundation of artificial intelligence and presented by a Virtual Flight Instructor in the Cessna 172 aircraft. The instructor briefs you on each maneuver, demonstrates it, verbally prompts you through your own attempt at it, lets you practice under its guidance, and finally tests you on it. Since the instructor knows your precise flight profile at any given time, it can stop you if you stray outside the lesson parameters. Then IP Trainer^TM will explain what the error was, and offer to either back up to a point before the error occurred or even practice the lesson again-unless you're in the Test Mode, where you and your newfound skills must fly the procedure from start to finish. When you've completed a lesson test, IP Trainer^TM evaluates you to exacting standards (the same standards as on any FAA or ICAO Practical Test) and graphically displays your rating in the different elements of that lesson. Just like a real flight instructor, IP Trainer^TM compares its knowledge of how the procedure should be flown with your execution of it, then examines your performance.

It's About The Lessons

The IP Trainer^TM syllabus covers every aspect of instrument flight, in a comprehensive format that The Aviation Consumer called "the most elaborately organized IFR simulator course we've ever seen... This Herculean software package can do the job with an awesome pyramid of instructional building blocks." Lesson Blocks cover their own areas of training, and build on the elements learned earlier. IP Trainer^TM records every lesson you've taken and knows how well you've done on it, and recommends the next lessons to take or when to go back for further review.

The Lesson Blocks:

"Instrument Flying" covers both basic and advanced attitude flying.
"Scan Trainer" (new in Version 7) teaches proper scan techniques
"Radio Navigation" teaches intercepts, holding patterns and more.
"Instrument Approaches" will teach you all precision (e.g. ILS) and non-precision approaches (e.g. NDB or VOR), all at real airports.
"Enroute IFR" covers clearances, SIDs and STARs.

Every lesson has actual digitized controller voice: for ATIS, clearance delivery, ground control, tower, approach and departure control, center, FSS and Flight Watch. Along with guiding your lesson, these voices prepare you for the real world of IFR flight. The built-in trainer aircraft is a Cessna 172 with a standard basic IFR panel, so you're learning single-engine IFR. This is a logical IFR progresssion in that the elements of IFR are best learned in a basic aircraft, before progressing to more complex multi-engine aircraft. All instruments are accurate models of standard flight instruments, incorporating indicated airspeed errors, DG precession, and magnetic compass errors.

If you're not up to a lesson, go to the Free Flight mode, where you can fly the Cessna 172 basic trainer into any IFR airport in the world, with every navaid at your disposal, to practice your newfound skills. Review your flight on a map, and preset wind, ceilings and visibility. Practice unfamiliar approaches anywhere in the world, before you ever get there. You can even use IP Trainer^TM to brief yourself for real flights to unfamiliar or foreign airports. In this respect, IP Trainer^TM is identical to the On Top ^TM simulator.

It Talks to You!

Real-world ATC and CFII interactive voices talk to you and guide you. The CFII even gives you advice on sequencing your instruction, and gives hints on mastering lessons.

It's About Saving Time and Money

While IP Trainer^TM will never replace your real instructor, you'll fly with that CFII carrying a thorough understanding of IFR procedures with you. You'll be able to spend more time on fine-tuning technique, instead of learning frustrating concepts. IP Trainer^TM has helped thousands of IFR students with their ratings, in less time and with less money spent overall, and given them the most solid foundation of skills an Instrument Pilot can possess. IP Trainer^TM lessons make the best use of scarce time resource since lessons can be paused and resumed (without starting the lesson from the beginning).

It's About the Details

Running in a native Windows environment, all versions of On Top/IP Trainer have full support for digital and USB hardware such as yokes and rudder pedals. IP Trainer^TM brings complex systems, weather, aircraft, and instrumentation into IFR simulation, creating a much higher level of quality and efficiency in IFR training. World-wide airports and navaids are included, and database editor is included to allow you to update or add/edit any part of the airport/airspace data. IP Trainer^TM includes a copy of ASA's excellent Instrument Flying text. All required enroute and terminal (approach) charts are included.

Yoke:

A joystick or yoke is required, but it's hard to fly IFR with a game-type joystick (it's too wiggly); various game controllers (such as the Saitek Model P220 Gamepad) can be used, too. These little controllers are also useful for laptop flyers. Force-feedback yokes are not recommended (this is IFR, not combat dog-fighting!) After all, you're going to be flying with the trim most of the time.

Demo Version:

You can familiarize yourself with IP Trainer's On Top simulator (without the IP Trainer teaching engine) by trying a demo version. First, review the How-To Demo file . If the demo runs, you'll be able to see how the actual flight sim works on your computer (the On Top demo only has one airport), and you'll be able to install and run IP Trainer with no problem.