At Sky X Flight Simulator, our training program is designed to help you develop the practical skills and confidence needed for your next airline simulator evaluation. 

Train with a professional airline pilot from the Canadian airline you are applying to, subject to instructor availability. This provides valuable insight into that airline's operational environment, procedures, and simulator assessment expectations.

This package is designed for pilots with previous experience operating transport-category aircraft, including turboprop and jet aircraft, who are preparing for airline simulator evaluations.

If your flying experience is primarily in piston-engine general aviation aircraft, particularly in VFR operations, we recommend our 5-Hour Airline Simulator Preparation Program, which provides more comprehensive training to help you transition into a multi-crew airline cockpit environment.

Stage 1 — Dash 8 Q400 Flight Training Device (FTD)

Your training begins in our Dash 8 Q400 Flight Training Device (FTD), a ground-based simulator environment used to introduce airline cockpit procedures, instrument flying, cockpit flows, and normal and abnormal operations.

You'll focus on understanding the multi-crew environment, developing effective cockpit communication, applying SOP principles, and managing the workload associated with airline operations.

Stage 2 — Airbus A320 Fixed-Base Simulator

Next, you'll transition to our full-size Airbus A320 fixed-base flight simulator, where the emphasis shifts to one of the most important skills assessed during airline simulator evaluations: manual aircraft handling and raw-data instrument flying.

Our simulator allows us to recreate a wide range of weather conditions, visibility limitations, and aircraft system failures to help you prepare for challenging assessment scenarios.

You'll practise:

• Hand-flying in a modern glass cockpit with minimal automation

• Maintaining accurate heading, altitude, airspeed, and flight path control

• Raw-data instrument flying without relying on the Flight Director

• Managing aircraft energy during climbs, descents, and approaches

• Flying ILS approaches and executing go-arounds

• Responding to simulated aircraft failures and challenging weather conditions

• Demonstrating effective Crew Resource Management (CRM), communication, and situational awareness

Airline simulator assessments often place significant emphasis on fundamental flying skills, instrument scanning, workload management, and the ability to operate effectively in a multi-crew environment.

Our goal is to help you demonstrate those skills confidently, professionally, and consistently when it matters most.

Training is conducted in fixed-base simulation environments and does not provide a Transport Canada licence, rating, PPC, IPC, or other regulatory qualification.

STEP 1. AIRLINE COCKPIT & SIM ASSESSMENT BRIEFING

20-Minutes

Get familiar with the airline environment before entering the simulator.

• Transitioning from flight-school flying to airline operations
• What to expect during an airline simulator assessment
• What evaluators are typically looking for
• Introduction to airline SOP philosophy
• Pilot Flying (PF) and Pilot Monitoring (PM) roles
• Crew Resource Management (CRM)
• Professional cockpit communication
• Checklist and briefing techniques
• Common simulator assessment mistakes
• Workload and situational awareness

STEP 2. HANDS-ON SIMULATOR TRAINING

Dash 8 Q400 Flight Training Device (FTD)

1.5 Hours

Put your knowledge into practice in our Dash 8 Q400 Flight Training Device (FTD), focusing on airline cockpit procedures, multi-crew coordination, and fundamental instrument flying skills.

The objective: Build a strong foundation in airline-style cockpit operations before transitioning to our Airbus A320 simulator for advanced hand-flying and raw-data instrument practice.

You'll practise:

• Cockpit familiarization and aircraft setup

• Airline-standard cockpit flows and checklists

• Pilot Flying (PF) and Pilot Monitoring (PM) responsibilities

• Standard callouts and cockpit communication

• Normal takeoff and departure procedures

• Instrument scanning and flight path management

• Speed, heading, and altitude control

• Basic instrument approaches

• Crew Resource Management (CRM)

• Workload management and situational awareness

• Normal and abnormal procedures

STEP 3. HANDS-ON SIMULATOR TRAINING

Airbus A320neo Fixed-Base Flight Simulator

1-Hour 

Transition to our Airbus A320neo Fixed-Base Flight Simulator, where the primary focus is on manual aircraft handling, raw-data instrument flying, and multi-crew operations in a modern glass cockpit.

The objective: Develop the hand-flying skills, instrument proficiency, and cockpit discipline that airlines commonly assess during simulator evaluations.

You'll practise:

• Manual flying with minimal automation

• Raw-data instrument flying without Flight Director guidance

• Maintaining precise airspeed, altitude, and heading

• Instrument scanning and situational awareness

• Aircraft energy and configuration management

• ILS approaches and manual landings

• Go-around procedures

• Flying in challenging weather and low-visibility conditions

• Managing simulated aircraft system failures

• Crew Resource Management (CRM) and decision-making

• Airline-style simulator evaluation scenarios

3. DEBRIEF & PERFORMANCE REVIEW

10 Minutes

Finish the session with an individual review of your performance.

• Overall simulator performance
• Aircraft handling and instrument scan
• Automation and mode awareness
• CRM and cockpit communication
• Strengths and areas for improvement
• Common airline assessment considerations
• Recommendations for further practice

WHAT YOU'LL DEVELOP

By the end of the program, participants should have a stronger understanding of:

✓ Airline cockpit procedures
✓ Multi-crew operations and CRM
✓ Jet aircraft handling fundamentals
✓ Automation and flight-mode awareness
✓ Raw-data and instrument flying
✓ ILS approaches and go-arounds
✓ Energy and workload management
✓ Professional cockpit communication
✓ Airline simulator assessment expectations

This program is not a Transport Canada-approved flight training course and does not provide or replace an MCC, type rating, PPC, IPC, licence, rating, or other regulatory qualification.