FAA training

I read this a while back, that the US Navy uses it as a training aid.
Here is an article that had links.

http://www.microsoft.com/games/flightsimulator/fs2000_articles_usnavy1.asp

OK. That was interesting.

Unless there is a recent change I am not aware of, no simulator time can be logged as any of the required time for ratings, recency of experience, or total time unless it meets the following criteria:

1. The simulator has been pre-approved by FAA for the type and model aircraft being simulated. Such approval will not be granted unless the simulator provides standards of visual reality, models the target aircraft realistically, and is equipped with an instructor position and the ability for the instructor to exercise failures and other flight conditions, all of which meet FAA requirements.
2. The time to be logged must be flown under the direct supervision of an instructor licensed and approved for such instruction.
3. The simulator is tested each day before use to ensure it is operating correctly by a qualified person.

Under these conditions, it is my understanding no time can be logged that is not simulated under an instructors direct supervision. There is nothing to say you cannot use a non-approved simulator to hone your skills, however, I would not rely on FS9 for much of that. It is fairly realistic but there are a number of tasks that must be performed in the real world that are not necessary in FS9 and you can develop lazy flight habits by relying on it too much.

At my flight school they have these two simulators and onetime I saw these two guys in there using it. The plane they had was some kind of Cessna.

I think one could assume any simulator in a flight school has the requisite approvals. I did much of my instrument flight training in an old Link simulator and I have used more modern simulators in other training facilities. These are all considerably more sophisticated and true to life than FS9 is. In each case, I also had an instructor overseeing and correcting my flight procedures.

Hello

Hmm when someone get hired by an airline what happens? Do they spend a few months, a few weeks being taught how to fly a certain airplane or what? A bit unfimilar with this.

Also what are the requirments for a ATP licenses

That's a good question. I am not familiar with that. How many hours do you have to have?

To qualify to begin ATP training in the USA, a pilot must have:

1 A commercial license for the type aircraft to be qualified in (single or multi-engine, land or sea) and an instrument rating.

2. 1500 hours total pilot time of which 500 cross-country, 100 night, 250 Pilot-in-command. Of the PIC time, a minimum of 100 cross-country, 25 night, 75 instrument time. Simulators can be used for a portion of this training if in an approved device and under the direct instruction of a certified instructor with the following limits.
a. If given by a certificated simulator training center, 100 total hours, 50 instrument hours.
b. If given in other approved training centers, 25 total hours

After satisfacorily completing the ground and air certification course, satisfactory completion of a rigorous flight test by an approved examiner. Tolerance for errors in flight procedures, headings, altitudes, etc are much more restrictive for an ATP than for a commercial or private license test flight.

Hehehe Don Wood as i was asking that question i thought to myself, hmm this is more of a rl question, i bet Don Wood will be the first to respond 🙂
You real world pilots on this forum sure do know a lot

I wish I could claim to "know a lot" but actually, what you get trained for in real world aviation, among other things, is how to look up information you need but don't know or don't remember. My post about ATP hours requirement did not come from memory, it came from a quick look into the correct section of the FAR's.