Training and Safety

NEW! If you're using Microsoft Flight Simulator X, visit our FSX portal.

Welcome to AOPA Online, the Web site of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. AOPA is the largest and most influential aviation organization in the world. It was chartered in 1939 to keep general aviation fun, safe, accessible, and affordable. Just what is general aviation? Essentially, general aviation encompasses all aviation activity except for scheduled airlines and the military-an incredible four out of every five aircraft takeoffs in the United States each day. AOPA's membership of more than 412,000 pilots and aircraft owners includes more than half of all U.S. pilots.

Read a welcome message from Rod Machado, the flight instructor in Flight Simulator. He's also a columnist for AOPA's world-class aviation magazines, AOPA Pilot and AOPA Flight Training.

We've gathered a variety of resources that we believe will help you get more out of your Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight experience.

• Aircraft in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004
• Basic piloting technique
• Navigation
• Aviation weather
• Emergency procedures and safety
• Other resources
• Learn to fly
• FREE AOPA Air Safety Foundation publications
• FREE AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Advisors
• AOPA Air Safety Foundation's Online Courses

Most of these articles are normally found only in the members-only section of AOPA Online, and they represent only a small sample of the vast array of information available to AOPA members 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you find this type of information useful, or if you've decided that you're ready to take to the skies in a real airplane, click here and become a member of AOPA today!