Excited to share something I’ve been building alongside Simple Flight Planner — meet Simple Flight Academy.
It started as a tool to help newer sim pilots understand what they’re actually doing in the cockpit, and grew into something much more complete. SFA is a free, browser-based flight training companion built specifically for MSFS sim pilots — no installation, no account, just open and fly.
What’s inside:
FLY — A live ADF/NDB simulator with real instrument physics. Six-pack gauges update in real time as you fly, complete with wind drift, holding pattern overlays, and 5 guided missions that walk you through homing, tracking, radial intercepts, and crosswind correction.
⊙ COCKPIT — Click any instrument on the interactive C172 panel to get a full explanation of how it works, its failure modes, and exactly how it behaves in MSFS. Includes the scan pattern, V-speeds, partial panel technique, and MSFS-specific tips.
◈ LEARN — 11 structured ground school lessons across 4 modules, from the four forces of flight all the way through ILS approaches. Every lesson ends with a sim exercise you can do immediately in MSFS.
WEATHER — Paste any real-world METAR and get it decoded field by field in plain English, with automatic flight category (VFR/MVFR/IFR/LIFR) and a density altitude calculator that shows you the performance penalty at high/hot airports.
RADIO — Seven real ATC scenario scripts covering VFR departure, flight following, IFR clearance (CRAFT format), ILS approach, and emergency 7700 declaration. Read the pilot lines out loud — it’s the fastest way to build the habit.
W&B — A Cessna 172S weight and balance calculator with a live CG envelope diagram. Load up your passengers and fuel, and instantly see if you’re within limits before you spawn on the runway.
✦ IFR — A full IFR procedure reference covering ILS anatomy, approach categories (CAT I/II/III), stabilised approach criteria, missed approach procedure, and a labelled glideslope diagram.
CHECKLISTS — Complete C172S flows from pre-flight inspection through shutdown, with checkboxes and a progress bar.
◇ QUIZ — 12 knowledge check questions across instruments, aerodynamics, navigation, weather, and IFR, with instant explanatory feedback on every answer.
There’s also a first-use guide that walks new pilots through the whole app on their first visit, and on-screen flight controls so it works on iPad as well as desktop.
SFA is aimed at the full beginner-to-intermediate range — the kind of pilots who are flying circuits in the C172 and wondering what all those needles actually mean, through to those working toward their first IFR approach in real weather conditions.
You can access it directly from Simple Flight Planner — look for the Academy link in the menu or access it directly at: https://simpleflightacademy.netlify.app/
Would love to hear what you think, and especially what you’d like to see added next. I am actively building on it.
Clear skies
— The Simple Flight Planner Family
UP NEXT card — always shows exactly what to do next. First lesson not yet completed becomes the recommended action with a BEGIN → button that takes you straight there. When all lessons are done it redirects to the full quiz instead.
SCAN — Instrument Scan Trainer
LEARN — Fully animated demo. Each instrument highlights in the correct scan order with a pulsing amber glow. The AI stays highlighted longest, other instruments briefly, and the sequence loops continuously. The sidebar shows which step you’re on. Pure passive learning — watch it until the pattern is instinctive.
BASIC T SCAN — Interactive game. The next instrument in the correct scan order is highlighted. Tap it — green flash and ✓. Tap the wrong one — red shake and the description tells you what you should have tapped. Score and streak tracked at the top.
FULL SCAN — A slightly different sequence order at faster pacing, building more advanced habit.
EMERGENCY — Unusual attitude recovery order: AI → ASI → ALT → AI → ASI → ALT → AI. Fastest sequence, highest pressure.
APPROACH PLATE and ◈ PROCEDURES.
HEADER — approach name, airport, runway heading, elevation. Explains what to check before even opening the plate and how it maps to the MSFS G1000 procedure loader.
FREQUENCIES — all six frequencies on the plate (LOC 110.30, GS 329.9, APP 119.325, Tower 118.7, ATIS 135.0) with an explanation of what each one is for, when to switch to it, and the MSFS-specific steps for setting NAV1.
PLAN VIEW — the top-down chart. Explains the IAF (TUCAN / 3000 ft), the IF (GESGO / 2500 ft), the FAF (NEPID / 1700 ft marked with the standard solid triangle), the LOC beam cone, the missed approach track, and the holding pattern.
PROFILE VIEW — the side-on altitude chart. Explains step-down altitudes at each fix, the 3° glideslope line (intercepting from below), the DA/DH line at 1100 ft MSL / 200 ft AGL, TCH 56 ft, and the missed approach climb-out arrow.
MINIMUMS TABLE — three rows: CAT I (DH 200 ft / RVR 1800), CAT II (DH 100 ft / RVR 1200), LOC-only (MDA 560 ft AGL). Explains the difference between DA and DH, and exactly what to do at decision height in MSFS.
Crosswind Calculator — in the W&B tab, below the CG envelope
Takeoff Performance Calculator — directly below crosswind in W&B
Pronunciation Drill — in the Radio tab, at the bottom
Home Dashboard & Course Pathway
Completion Certificate
Mobile / Tablet Responsive Layout
simpleflightacademy.netlify.app → LEARN → TRAINER