You Can Easily Master Any Complex Airbus A320 Add-on for Flight Simulator 2004 or FSX … and Learn to Fly it in the Context of Real-world Airline Operations

Dear Simulation Enthusiast:

Obviously, I don’t know who you are. Maybe you’re a hardcore flight simmer who likes to fly complex jets on VATSIM or IVAO. Maybe you fly for a virtual airline, or have a home cockpit that you’ve assembled piece by piece over the years. Maybe you’re a long-time Airbus fan who’s just getting started in flight simming. Or maybe you’re a casual simmer who would like to finally master that complicated Airbus add-on you dabble with from time to time.

What I do know is that if you’re reading this, you probably love aviation as much as I do. And if you found your way to this page, then I think you’ll be interested in a course I’ve created called the Airbus A320 Training Program. I’ve spent more than two years creating this, and I’m really excited about it. I’m pretty sure you will be too!

I’ll tell you more about the course itself in a moment. First though, let me explain how it came to be.

My name is Ray Bédard, and I have one of the greatest jobs in the world: I teach aviation university students classes in Basic Navigation, Domestic and International Navigation, and Electronic Flight Management Systems.

My students are some of the most excited, most curious, and most intelligent people I’ve ever met. They love learning about airplanes and aviation more than anything else.

When I first started teaching, I found that in spite of their incredible passion for aviation, most of the students were really bored. They came to an aviation university because they dreamed of being pilots, yet they viewed many of their classes as a necessary evil that they had to endure!

If you can remember that sense of dread you may have had in school, that sinking feeling in your stomach as you walked into the classroom for yet another agonizing hour of mind-numbing “learning” … then you know how many of these kids felt. It was sad, really.

The problem wasn’t the subject matter. The problem was how the subject matter was being taught: via textbooks written by engineers, and via lectures delivered by well-intentioned yet uninspiring professors. I was one of them!

I decided to shake things up. I went on a quest to discover the most compelling ways to teach complex aviation material to college students. I reflected on my own experiences training to be a Navigator in the Canadian Air Force. I talked to students. I talked to other professors. I visited a major airline training center and talked to pilots.

What I discovered was that the best way to teach this material wasn’t to teach it at all! It was to provide students with opportunities to learn the material by experiencing it.

I began using Microsoft® Flight Simulator 2004 in my classroom, and the difference was extraordinary. Suddenly my students were engaged. They were excited. They actually looked forward to coming to class every day … because they began to see the connections between what they were learning in books, and what they would someday be doing in the cockpit.

They started to find classes on radio navigation and flight management systems fun—not just prerequisites for a degree. Instead of only reading about international navigation, or hearing me lecture to them, my students actually planned and executed complete flights using the LevelD Sim 767-300ER add-on for Flight Simulator. They learned more, and had fun doing it.

Today I only give about five “micro lectures” per class. The rest is simulation. Perhaps not surprisingly, my classes soon became some of the most popular at the university. I received an award for using technology in the classroom, and I was named Faculty of the Year four times.

As I became more familiar with the complex aircraft add-ons available for Flight Simulator, I realized that just like my students, simmers face a big challenge. New aviation technology keeps coming and the complexity of add-ons is growing exponentially as a result. Yet the training material that the add-on developers provide just hasn’t kept pace.

I can’t tell you the number of stories I’ve heard from people who have excitedly bought complex jet add-ons for Flight Simulator, but never really learned to do anything with them other than fly around a bit. As a friend of mine put it:

“I buy these add-ons because I love airplanes and I love learning how complex things work. Yet every time I install a new one, I don’t know where to begin. There are just too many things to learn. Eventually, I can get from point A to point B, but I never really have the feeling that I’m flying the jet like a real airline pilot would.”

If you’ve ever felt like this, I have good news for you. There is a better way to learn this stuff, and I know it works.

At the beginning of each semester my students look like deer caught in headlights. They’re more than a little stressed out at the prospect of learning so much information.

At the end of the semester they not only understand the subject matter, they also understand how to apply what they’ve learned. It’s exciting to see. There’s a big difference between mere “knowledge acquisition” and true mastery.

You paid a lot of money for all those add-ons, and I have no doubt that you really did aspire to mastering them. To that end, you may have spent even more money printing out the huge PDF manuals (most likely just copied verbatim from the even bigger real manuals), or getting them printed for you at a copy shop. You probably told your spouse, kids, or roommate that you’d be “busy” for a while (like the next few hundred hours …), and then you set to work trying to absorb all that written material. If you emerged just a few hours later looking for some aspirin to ease a nasty eyestrain headache, you’re not alone.

Here’s the thing … to master these add-ons you don’t need better reading glasses. What you need is an experienced teacher who has a proven method for teaching complex aviation material.

My motto is, “It’s not about the teaching, it’s about the learning.” Next to aviation, my biggest passion is helping people learn. Especially coming up with new ways to help them do so. My approach has done wonders for my students, and now I want to help you too. The best part is, you don’t need to travel to my classroom to learn from me. I’m bringing my classroom to you!

For two years, I’ve been quietly creating an Airbus A320 training course for simmers. As a professor I have a busy schedule, so I worked on this project whenever I could find time: at night, on the weekends, during vacations, and during my summer breaks.

What is the Airbus A320 Training Program? It’s a unique, interactive online course for serious flight simulation enthusiasts who want to take their knowledge and mastery of the A320 to a whole new level.

It’s been a long time coming, and the course has gone through many iterations. Check out what one of my Electronic Flight Management Systems students had to say after reviewing an early version:

The course is a modular, self-directed learning experience delivered via interactive streaming video over the web. It features the A320 add-on created by AirSimmer, yet the knowledge you’ll acquire and the skills you’ll learn are applicable to any A320 add-on. In fact, much of what you’ll learn about airline operations can be applied to any complex jet add-on for Flight Simulator.

You can take a peek at some of the course content in this short video:

Since the course itself is interactive it’s tough to really get a feel for it from just watching a video. I thought it might be useful to let you experience some of the course for yourself before you invest in it. So, the first 5 sections (about 3 hours of training) are free! Spend some time learning about the Airbus, and see what you think of my approach. All you need to do to get started is sign up …

Module 1 follows a typical airline revenue flight from Boston Logan International Airport (KBOS) to John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK). Throughout the course you’ll observe, listen to, and interact with the Captain, the First Officer, flight attendants, the marshaller (ground crew), and air traffic controllers.

As part of your free course materials, you’ll receive …

Here’s what you’ll learn …

After completing Section 5 you can purchase access to the rest of Module 1, as well as Modules 2, 3, and 4.

If you decide to continue on, you’ll also learn …

In Module 2 you’ll be asked to participate more actively in the learning process: you’ll press buttons, flick switches, turn knobs, and look up information in the flight documents. Visual clues will assist you in completing the First Officer’s duties as you make the same airline revenue flight from Boston Logan International Airport (KBOS) to John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK). This time you’ll be performing the duties of the First Officer.

In Module 3 you’ll deepen your understanding of the procedures learned in the previous modules: you’ll have to locate individual buttons, switches, and knobs on your own … without the benefit of visual cues. This time, you’ll complete the First Officer’s duties on the flight from KBOS to KJFK without as much help. As a result, you’ll start to really know your way around the A320 cockpit.

In Module 4 you’ll be tested on your knowledge of everything you’ve learned in Modules 1-3. You’ll take 19 interactive tests while assuming the role of the First Officer on the return flight from KJFK to KBOS. You’ll click around the cockpit to demonstrate your mastery of the First Officer’s tasks, and you’ll answer questions to demonstrate your knowledge. This module will feel like a checkride … and it’s a challenging one!

You’ll need to achieve an overall score of 80% to pass this module. Once you do, you’ll earn the Virtual A320 First Officer’s Qualification, and you’ll receive a certificate via email.

The Airbus A320 Training Program is highly interactive and self-directed, so you can learn at your own pace. If you’ve ever watched aviation or simulation training videos on DVD, you know how frustrating it can be to have important information whiz right by. In this course, you’ll be “drinking from a firehose” to be sure … but you’ll control the flow.

Completing the entire course will probably take you 20-30 hours. I encourage you to take your time, and to repeat sections as necessary until you’ve really mastered the skills I’ll teach you. Once you’ve completed the course, you’ll probably want to return to various sections again and again as you begin to put what you learn into practice using your favorite A320 add-on.

The course is delivered via Moodle, a “best of class” course management system used by universities, schools, companies, and independent teachers all over the world. I chose this platform because I feel strongly that if you’re serious about learning, you deserve a serious learning platform. I have years of experience designing courses using learning management systems like this, so I know what works and what doesn’t.

I’ve taken what I’ve learned teaching students in classrooms over many years, and designed this interactive course to keep you engaged:

The course features realistic visuals, audio, and documents:

The course is delivered via interactive streaming video:

Private forums provide you with support:

I’m a tenured Associate Professor of Aeronautical Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Prescott, Arizona. I’ve been teaching classes in Basic Navigation, Domestic and International Navigation, and Electronic Flight Management Systems for 11 years. I love aviation, and I love teaching it.

I have a B. Eng. from the Royal Military College of Canada in Electrical Engineering, and two Masters Degrees: one in Engineering Acoustics (sound propagation in the ocean), and another in Electrical Engineering (both from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California).

I’m also a graduate of the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College. I have 20 years of experience as a Navigator in the Canadian Air Force, with more than 3,000 hours flying in the CP-140 Aurora (many of them spent chasing Russian subs). I retired as a Major.

When you purchase access to the remaining sections of Module 1, you’ll receive three bonuses:

If you’ve purchased a complex Airbus A320 add-on for Flight Simulator yet never really understood how it works or how to fly it realistically, then this is an opportunity to finally get a return on your investment.

Add-ons are only going to get more complex as aviation and simulation technology evolves. You need a proven system for mastering them! If you’re an Airbus fan (or if you just like great learning experiences), I encourage you to join me in my online classroom.

You may never become a real A320 Pilot … yet that doesn’t mean you can’t learn to think and sim like one! You can get started right now, for free.

All you need to do is choose a user name and a password and you’re in. Work your way through the first 5 sections of Module 1. Learn about the A320 Flight Deck, the Preflight Briefing, Programming the MCDU, and the External Preflight.

If you like what you’ve learned and decide you want to complete the entire course (more than 16 hours of interactive video training) …

Whether you’re up for the challenge of completing the entire course or not, it won’t cost you a cent to begin.

Yes! I want FREE instant access now.

I understand that as soon as I create an account I’ll receive free access to:

• The first 5 sections of Module 1 of the Airbus A320 Training Program (3 hours of training)
• The “A320 Acronyms” and “Flight Documents” PDF files

I understand that after I complete these free sections I can purchase additional training if I choose to, but that I have no obligation to do so.

 

Every now and then I get emails from former students who now fly for a living. They tell me that what they learned from me has made them better, safer pilots. Nothing makes me happier than hearing this.

One day soon I hope to get an email from you, explaining how my Airbus A320 Training Program has helped you become a better, more confident simmer.

I’m really looking forward to having you in my class.

Ray Bédard
President, Precision Approach Simulations

P.S. There’s no risk at all to get started, so if what you’ve read here sounds interesting to you, check it out. Especially the free section on programming the MCDU!

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