A practical preflight briefing for Microsoft Flight Simulator

Begin with the route and the aircraft

Confirm the departure and destination, your aircraft type and the approximate length of the flight. Check that the aerodromes and available runways are suitable for the simulated aircraft and current conditions.

Make sure your simulator navigation data and any external planning tool refer to compatible route information. A flight plan that looks plausible on a map can still contain an unsuitable procedure or a mismatch between simulator and planner data.

Check the conditions before selecting a runway

• Review reported or simulated wind, visibility, clouds and significant weather along the route.
• Compare plausible departure and arrival runways with the wind and aircraft limitations.
• Consider alternatives and what you will do if the planned approach is not suitable.
• Be explicit about whether you are using live weather, a preset or a historical scenario.

Plan fuel and load together

Use the performance tools and documentation appropriate to the simulated aircraft. Include a reasonable allowance for taxiing, the route, contingencies and a potential alternate where your chosen procedure requires one. Different aircraft and add-ons have different planning assumptions.

Passenger and cargo loading affect weight and balance, runway performance and range. Treat values generated by a game as simulations rather than substitutes for certified operational documents.

Set up the cockpit in an orderly sequence

• Verify power, avionics and flight controls according to your aircraft add-on documentation.
• Load the route and cross-check the first segment rather than blindly accepting imported data.
• Review initial altitude, navigation mode and expected departure procedure.
• Confirm that the aircraft is ready before moving from planning to taxi.

Keep the flight enjoyable

Not every flight has to be a full airline checkride. The value of a briefing is that it provides a dependable starting point for the level of realism you want. A short virtual flight can still have a sensible plan, a stable setup and an unhurried departure.

Inside PilotShift, complete the preparation before opening live-flight controls. The flight itself should remain free of advertising overlays and interruptions.