X-Plane for Pilots

Pilots who train with X-Plane fly safer.

How do you keep current?

You’re a pilot, so if you’re like us, the biggest challenge you face is keeping your skills sharp. Whether you’re training for your private pilot’s license or just your next flight review, you know it’s important to:

  • keep up your stick-and-rudder skills,
  • practice navigating (using both NAVAIDs and GPS systems), and
  • shoot approaches to maintain proficiency.

Why flight train in X-Plane?

Our flight simulator is easy to use, and it provides a safe environment to practice tricky situations. How prepared are you to land in a 30 mph crosswind? In heavy rain?

Be better prepared for emergency situations

X-Plane lets you simulate a host of systems failures, from your avionics to your engines. It can also simulate flight in a heavy storm, or landings in a crosswind. By preparing in X-Plane for these situations, you’ll be more confident in your abilities in the air.

Shoot VFR and IFR approaches

Set up a final approach in X-Plane with just a few clicks. You choose the weather, the airplane, and the airport.

Coordinate with ATC

X-Plane’s artificially intelligent ATC governs runway operations just like a real controller. File a flight plan, request clearance, and more, just like in the real world.

Fly your home airport

X-Plane features virtually every airport on earth, with runways laid out just like in real life.

Fly your airplane!

With over 1,400 aircraft available, you’re almost guaranteed to find your airplane of choice available in X-Plane.

Train on the autopilot

The autopilot in our planes is modelled off the flight director in many real aircraft, so this skills you build here will transfer to your own airplane.

Connect with other pilots

Using the VATSIM plugin, you can share the skies of your simulator with pilots from around the world, coordinated by human air traffic controllers.

Ready to try it yourself?

Order the X-Plane flight sim now to get started with the world’s best flight training aid. Or, if you’d like to try it on your home computer before you buy, you can download the X-Plane demo.

I want to order my copy of X-Plane now

Don’t I need a motion simulator to really benefit?

Absolutely not. According to research conducted in cooperation with the FAA, using a full-motion simulator (otherwise known as a Full-Flight Simulator, or FFS) does not aid significantly in training:

This research did not find operationally relevant differences in performance or behavior of pilots tested in the FFS with motion after having been trained in the same FFS with the motion system turned on or off – despite selection of maneuvers that require motion cues, at least theoretically.


Can I log my hours in the simulator?

Sadly, at least in the US, the answer is no (unless you either purchase a pre-built simulator or go through the FAA certification process).

X-Plane will save you time and money in the air, since you’ll be better prepared for the situations you practice, but you’ll still have to fly in the real world to log your time.

Train with real-world avionics

Xavion, from the creator of X-Plane, is an EFIS for your real-world airplane, featuring:

  • Synthetic vision
  • Highway-in-the-sky GPS navigation
  • Standard-six instrument backups, and
  • Engine-out landing guidance.

This is the iPad’s answer to the G1000.

Learn more about Xavion, or find Xavion in the App Store.

Get your free report on training to become a better pilot!

We’d like to send you a free email course over the next four weeks to show you how X-Plane can make you a better pilot in the real world. These emails are packed with information on features that you, as a pilot, will benefit tremendously from. In this course, we’ll show you how you can:

  • shoot approaches to your favorite runways,
  • become an expert on the autopilot,
  • get a virtual version of the airplane you fly in the real world, and fly it in X-Plane,
  • practice procedures with the ATC, and more!

You’ll also receive our “tips & tricks” newsletter about once a month, jam packed with X-Plane news, add-ons, & more.

We promise to never spam you, and we will never sell or share your email address. Your email address will only be used to send you X-Plane-related emails. (See our privacy policy for more info.) If you ever change your mind, you can unsubscribe at any time.

Once again, this course on getting the most out of your home flight simulator is completely free.

Don’t want email? No problem. You can read the emails we send in the course here.