This is the first version of the in-game flight lesson: "First Solo Traffic Pattern". These in-game tutorials have since been changed, modified, upgraded, etc. Sadly, many are bugged, lack needed information, are set on incorrect screens. They set the first-time flyer up for failure at the moment and you will need to know a LOT MORE going into the lessons to complete them! All I discovered with THIS lesson on FIRST SOLO TRAFFIC PATTERN is: If you don't land close to the numbers and then turn towards taxi after landing, instructor Jess will fail you. Land as close to the numbers as you can and stop the aircraft. Do not turn. I hope many of my MSFS videos help you learn the things you need to complete the 'BASIC' training at the moment in MSFS. LOL. In the forums there is a lot of heat coming from the community since launch. Not having PERFECT basic training lessons, you will quickly de-moralize the first-timers and they WILL not continue wanting more knowledge. The TRUST you and count on you to not let them fail in their first steps. They need to feel empowered. There is SOOOO much to learn beyond the baby steps and I was de-moralized for over a decade trying to learn from previous sims. I finally put my foot down and committed to learning from professional flight instructors on YouTube. Best of luck to you attempting to get through the tutorials. I was able to complete many because I have more knowledge than what is included in them. This allowed me to get to the proper CDI Navigation screens for VOR, etc. If you do not know these things you will never be able to pass the lesson. If you have any questions about this or ANY of the in-game training lessons please ask. HAPPY FLYING! - Tony Tuthill (Kinneas)

BASIC NAVIGATION IS EASY with just a COMPASS and TIME! After this you will be ready to take on ACTIVITIES and the BUSH TRIPS! The MOST IMPORTANT THING is after takeoff is flying over the center-point of the runways and turning to your first COMPASS HEADING and STARTING YOUR STOP-WATCH. You will be given a course of COMPASS Headings to follow with ESTIMATED TIME it takes to reach each one. Do this a few times and you'll get the hang of it!

Since the release of the sim, many of these In-Game Flight Lessons have been changed. My existing In-Game Tutorials are all FIRST VERSIONS of the Flight Training lessons. The most important thing in this SOLO (as with all navigation using a stop-watch and compass) is; after takeoff, flying over the CENTER-POINT of the RUNWAY. Then, turning to your first COMPASS heading, then starting the STOP-Watch. Small deviations add up over long distances. So being as precise as you can in your first step will allow you to follow the navigation-course they give you in this solo. Understanding this will give you the confidence you need to try the BUSH TRIPS and other ACTIVITIES. Happy Flying!

Hit those markers or Instructor Jess won't continue! Always imagine a rectangle that encompasses your runway, one MILE away. You want to be at about 1000 feet. Depending on the RUNWAY SPECIFIC information it may be a LEFT HANDED or RIGHT HANDED entry. Meaning, ALL TURNS IN THE PATTERN ARE LEFT TURNS or RIGHT TURNS, ONLY! Each side of the rectangle in the Traffic Pattern has a name. Those names are: CROSSWIND, DOWNWIND, BASE, UPWIND. In this Microsoft Flight Simulator In-Game lesson on the Traffic Pattern it is a LEFT HANDED Traffic Pattern nways are RIGHT handed. There are SEVERAL real-world ways to properly approach an airport and enter a traffic pattern that are not within the scope of the Microsoft Flight Simulator lessons. FORTNATELY! There are MANY Real-World pilots on YouTube who have created the PERFECT tutorials on how do that. TO FIND SPECIFIC AIRPORT AND SPECIFIC RUNWAY INFORMATION: I use SKYVECTOR.COM (FREE! AMAZING! MOST VALUABLE FLIGHT APP. DID I MENTION IT'S FREE!??) and click on Airport buttons to pull up SPECIFIC, AIRPORT and RUNWAY information.

I could not stick a good landing for about two years and almost gave up learning to fly. If you can't learn to become as adept as possible in the best and worst conditions you should never fly. Being able to practice in a sim like this is worth its weight in GOLD. I STILL don't know if I ever want to fly for real.

Taking off is EASY. Learning to use TRIM surfaces on your wings & rudder is a MUST! Learn this! Drill this! ZEN THIS! (my mantra). You should set TRIM keys of joy buttons for: Aileron Trim Left & Right - Elevator Trim Up & Down - Rudder Trim Left & Right.

Getting to know you!

First Look: Default Training Missions. If you have changed your key-binds and cleared some of the needed keys you will need to set them or Instructor, Jess won't continue.