FES Fleet
FAA-certified advanced aviation training device. Log real instrument hours, build cockpit confidence, and practice emergency procedures — all on the ground.
The Redbird LD is an FAA-certified Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD) — and that matters. Unlike consumer-grade home simulators, an AATD certification means the hours you log here count toward your certificate requirements. It's not practice time. It's loggable training time.
For Instrument Rating students, this is one of the most efficient investments you can make. You can log up to 20 hours of simulator time toward your instrument rating with an authorized CFI — at $70/hr versus $140/hr in the aircraft. Every hour in the Redbird is a direct cost reduction on the path to your rating. You can work through approaches, holds, and unusual attitude recovery at a fraction of what those maneuvers would cost in the Remos GX.
Beyond instrument training, the Redbird LD is a powerful tool for reinforcing cockpit procedures, practicing radio communications, and getting comfortable with modern avionics and EFB tools like ForeFlight before you're in an actual aircraft. Students consistently report that simulator time translates directly to more efficient training flights.
After an initial checkout, a CFI is not required for solo simulator sessions — making it easy to log self-study time, maintain currency, or work through specific procedures on your own schedule. Membership options are available for students who want regular access at a reduced effective rate.
First time in the Redbird? Your initial checkout is a one-hour session with an FES instructor. We'll cover the aircraft systems, controls, and get you comfortable in the cockpit before you fly solo sessions. Contact us to schedule your checkout.
Phoenix summers regularly push density altitudes to 5,000–7,000 feet at field level. Aircraft climb performance drops, engine power decreases, and the risk profile for certain maneuvers increases during the hottest hours of the day. Rather than losing training momentum between 10am and 3pm in July and August, our students use that time in the Redbird — logging hours that count, staying sharp, and arriving at their next flight lesson more prepared than if they'd waited. The simulator doesn't care about the temperature outside. Your progress doesn't have to stop when the heat index does.
When wind, weather, or visibility grounds your scheduled lesson, we'll offer you the same time slot in the Redbird. Work through the maneuvers you were going to practice in the aircraft, fly the approach you've been building toward, or use the time for radio comms and ForeFlight proficiency. Same time slot. Same momentum. No wasted day.
Log up to 2.5 hours of AATD time toward your Private Pilot Certificate. Ideal for instrument flight training, holding patterns, and radio navigation procedures early in your training.
Log up to 20 hours toward your Instrument Rating when flying with an authorized CFI. This is where the Redbird delivers the highest value — replace expensive aircraft hours with loggable simulator time.
The FAA allows up to 50 cumulative AATD hours to count toward your Commercial Pilot Certificate — and that 50-hour total includes the simulator time already logged for your Private Pilot (2.5 hrs) and Instrument Rating (20 hrs). That means roughly 27.5 additional simulator hours are available during your commercial phase. At $70/hr vs. $200/hr in the aircraft, the savings add up quickly.
One-Time Purchase — No Subscription
10-Hour Simulator Block $400
$40/hr effective rate · Valid for 1 year from purchase · Non-refundable · No CFI required after checkout
Cost Comparison
The FAA allows up to 20 hours of AATD time toward your Instrument Rating with a CFI. Here's what that means in dollars.
Remos GX + CFI
Aircraft ($140) + Senior CFI ($60). For instrument approach practice, holds, and IFR procedures.
Redbird LD + CFI
Simulator ($70) + Senior CFI ($60). Same loggable training, fraction of the cost.
20-Hour Savings
Replace 20 aircraft hours with 20 simulator hours ($200 × 20 vs. $120 × 20) and put $1,600 back in your pocket.
Practice ILS, GPS, VOR, and RNAV approaches repeatedly without weather constraints, ATC delays, or the cost of burning fuel. Master the procedure before you fly it for real.
Holding pattern entry and execution is one of the most common stumbling blocks in instrument training. Work through all three entry types at your own pace until they're second nature.
Practice recovery from unusual attitudes in a safe, controlled environment — an essential skill for instrument pilots and one you simply can't safely over-practice in a real aircraft.
Build ATC communication confidence with realistic radio scenarios. New students can work through clearances, read-backs, and frequency changes before their first training flight.
Get comfortable with EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) tools before you're in the cockpit. Learn ForeFlight workflows, flight planning, and in-flight use in a no-pressure environment.
Rated pilots can use the Redbird to maintain instrument currency and proficiency. Six approaches, holds, and intercepting/tracking courses — done affordably, on your schedule.
Practice engine-out scenarios, forced landings, and system failures in a controlled environment — repetition you simply can't get safely in a real aircraft. Build the muscle memory that matters when it counts.
Who Uses the Redbird
Reinforce every lesson between flights. Practice approaches, radio calls, and emergency procedures on your own schedule — without waiting for your CFI or burning aircraft time.
Feeling nervous before your first solo? One session in the Redbird doing pattern work and emergency procedures can be the difference between hesitant and ready. We see it every time.
Six approaches, holds, and tracking in the sim counts toward your instrument currency. Use the Redbird to prep for your Instrument Proficiency Check or stay sharp between actual IFR flights — at $70/hr instead of $200.
Curious what flying actually feels like? Want your spouse to understand what you're learning? A one-hour sim session is a fun, safe, no-pressure way to experience the cockpit — no medical, no commitment.
Not sure if flying is for you? A sim session at $70/hr plus instruction is a lower-stakes way to find out before booking a Discovery Flight. Get in the cockpit, try the controls, and see how it feels — zero pressure.
The Redbird LD supports iPad and EFB tools. Use it to get fluent with ForeFlight flight planning, in-flight navigation, and glass cockpit workflows before you need to use them in the actual aircraft.
Redbird GIFT Program
Redbird GIFT (Guided Independent Flight Training) is software that runs directly on the Redbird LD and acts as an AI flight instructor — giving you real-time coaching and objective scoring against FAA Airmen Certification Standards for every maneuver. It's not a video game. It's structured, scored simulator training you can do solo, on your own schedule, after your initial checkout.
GIFT for Private Pilot
33 modules — from taxi and takeoff to emergency procedures and cross-country. Each session includes a pre-flight briefing, AI coaching, and a scored debrief. Lifetime license: $249 (purchased from Redbird).
GIFT for Instrument Rating
10 modules covering basic instrument flying through ILS and RNAV precision approaches. Pair with your loggable CFI sim hours for maximum progress. Lifetime license: $249.
GIFT licenses are purchased directly from Redbird at gift.redbirdflight.com. Once activated, use your license on our Redbird LD any time you book a solo sim session.
Get Started
Whether you're deep into instrument training, building hours for commercial, or just want a low-pressure way to get comfortable in a cockpit — the Redbird LD is here. Contact us to schedule your first session or ask about membership options.
