Boise, ID 83705
M-F: 8:00am - 9:00pm
Idaho Summers Are Hot. The Simulator Is Not.
Boise summers are no joke. When temperatures push past 100 degrees, flying gets complicated. Heat affects aircraft performance. It pushes density altitude up in ways that matter for takeoff and climb. And spending an hour in a small cockpit baking under the Idaho sun loses its appeal fast.
Our Redbird LD non-motion flight simulator sits inside at a comfortable 77 degrees year-round. While the tarmac is cooking outside, you can be logging meaningful practice time in a controlled environment without sweating through your kneeboard.
What Is the Redbird LD?
The Redbird LD is a non-motion, fixed-base flight simulator designed for flight training. It replicates the cockpit environment of a light single-engine aircraft with realistic controls, instrument displays, and flight modeling. It is not a video game. It responds to control inputs, reacts to weather and systems failures, and puts you through the same procedures you would practice in the actual aircraft.
For student pilots, it is a place to repeat procedures until they are automatic before burning through aircraft time doing the same thing. For certificated pilots who want to stay sharp, it is one of the most cost-effective ways to maintain currency.
Who Is It For?
The simulator serves several different needs depending on where you are in your training or flying life.
Student pilots use it to drill procedures, practice approaches, and work through scenarios that are difficult or impractical to set up in a real aircraft. The more you can automate the basics in the sim, the more mental capacity you have for actual flying.
Instrument students get particular value from the simulator. Flying approaches by instruments only, in simulated IMC, over and over, in a safe environment is exactly what builds the kind of scan and discipline the instrument rating requires.
Current pilots staying sharp can use the simulator to stay current between flights without the cost of aircraft rental. Procedure work, approach practice, and systems review are all well-suited to the sim environment.
Pilots returning after a break will find the simulator a lower-stakes way to shake off rust before getting back into a real aircraft. Getting reoriented on procedures and flows in the sim first is a smart use of an hour.
Pricing and Checkout
The simulator is available at $50 per hour. Before flying it solo, you will need a minimum one-hour checkout with a Carmel Aviation flight instructor. The checkout ensures you know how to operate the simulator properly and get the most out of your time.
After your initial checkout, you can schedule simulator time directly. We can discuss availability when you reach out.
How to Schedule
Call us at 208-616-2148 or use the contact form and select "Flight Simulator" from the topic dropdown. We will get you set up with your checkout and answer any questions about how to structure your sim sessions for maximum benefit.
If you are a student already training with us, ask your instructor about incorporating simulator time into your training plan. It is one of the most efficient tools available to move through your certificate faster.
