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Hi, I am

Mike Catalfamo

Online Flight Instructor

Welcome to my profile! Here you can learn more about my experience and book a coaching session. I look forward to working with you soon!
My availability to take on new students is limited. However, if you’re interested in accelerated training to quickly reach specific goals, please contact me.
FAA CFI, CFII, ATP
Private Pilot, Sim Enthusiasts, ATC Comms
X-Plane, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS)
Embraer 175/195
$70

USD/Hour

Flight Sim Experience

X-Plane logo.

X-Plane

Microsoft Flight Simulator logo.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS/FS2020)

ZIBO 737
VATSIM, PilotEdge

Certificates & Ratings

Instructor

FAA CFI/CFII: Certified Flight Instructor • Airplane Single Engine Land • Instrument

FAA AGI/IGI: Advanced Ground Instructor • Instrument Ground Instructor

Pilot

FAA ATP: Airline Transport Pilot • Airplane Multi Engine Land

Misc: Tailwheel • Part 107 Drone • High Altitude • High Performance/Complex

Type Ratings

Embraer 175/195

Real-World Aircraft

I have instructed in:

Cessna C172, 150, 182RG • Cirrus SR20 • Piper PA-28

I have also piloted:

Embraer 175/195

Languages

English

About Me

I’m a former airline pilot & Boeing engineer. I’ve been a desktop flight sim user since 2000, and experienced first-hand the profound benefits they can have on real-world flight training. I am passionate about helping pilots and enthusiasts alike use desktop simulation to achieve their goals as efficiently as possible.

Testimonials

“Extremely helpful fine tuning best practices for ATC communications. Appreciate the personal approach, ability to pause the simulator, and opportunity to ask additional questions (e.g. incorporating Foreflight)”

— Alan A.
Student Pilot
(12/16/2022)

“I have made major breakthroughs running those drills you sent over in the past few days. I can’t tell you how excited I am to be working with you. I have made more progress in a few short lessons than I have in the last ten years. The best educational experience I’ve ever had.”

— Ben Juliano
Flight Simulation Enthusiast
(10/12/2022)

“Watching the recording makes me realize again how patient you are.

Thank you so much for your great patience and all the help you are giving me!
You are the best teacher I ever had.”

— Yoon
Student Pilot
(04/09/2021)

“You made a comment in today’s session that you wished I could be your real-world student. Well, I wish you were my real-world instructor.

I also wanted to share that I went on another flight this morning. The instructor was so impressed at my ability to hold altitude in a turn and stay on course that he took videos for me of the altitude, vertical speed and heading indicators. It was a great confidence booster; I owe much of it to the time I spent with you on the sim. Thank you.”

— Dennis
Student Pilot
(04/08/2021)

“I realized that it would be a great idea to have a real instructor somehow next to me. I found Mike’s website with exactly the services I was looking for – remote flight sim instruction. I have already had three lessons with Mike who is a real world CFI. I would like to say thank you to him and here is why.

Mike is a good coach with a great flying experience. He really works hard and he is a professional at what he does. He provides lots of theory and practice knowledge.

He has built a clear training plan for me based on my requirements, which we follow.

Remote sim training is a rather new service in the market, but Mike has organized the whole process very efficiently.”

Of course, there is huge difference between sim and the real plane. However, in sim you can learn how to do the exercises and to do them correctly, you can study and learn most of the in-air procedures, you can correct your mistakes and train your muscle memory.

I would recommend this service to all real-life student pilots. Moreover, this will save you money, believe me.

— Leo
Student Pilot
(09/17/2020)

“As a long-time aviation enthusiast and casual flight simmer, my lack of understanding of flight planning, ATC communications and essential aeronautical knowledge was detracting from my simming experience. Sure, it’s fun to try to land the space shuttle or hand fly the B738 or C172 cross country, but at some point, you may grow bored of flying without purpose.

The worldwide shift to virtual and remote learning made me wonder if anyone was offering any form of online video conferencing for flight simulator instruction. My search led me to flightsimcoach.com and I reached out for more info. Mike responded instantly and we set up a brief videoconference to discuss learning goals and test the screensharing. Two of my goals were to learn to operate the aircraft properly and to learn to fly IFR so that I could fly with on PilotEdge. My first 90 minute session flew by. Mike is a very practical, efficient and patient teacher.

Within a few sessions, I was interpreting ILS approach charts, confidently operating my GPS to navigate IFR routes and practicing my comms with Mike providing me live ATC service. With some assigned homework between sessions and limited independent study, I have a much better understanding of the IFR system and how to follow many of the procedures that real IFR pilots use everyday. With lots and lots of practice, I am now comfortable to communicate with ATC.

I’ve already completed several IFR flights on a simulated ATC network and I am flying with much more confidence. When I run into concepts or procedures that don’t make sense to me, Mike is super helpful with detailed explanations and great references. It is obvious how passionate he is about flight instruction.

If you are an aviation enthusiast like me, remote coaching will make your simming experience much more enjoyable. If you are a future or current student pilot, remote flight coaching with Mike will save you thousands of dollars without having to leave the safety of your home office.

It has been a great experience to learn from Mike. While he has given me the training to get myself up and running, I will be sticking with him to broaden my knowledge and skills moving forward.”

— Eric
Flight Simulation Enthusiast
(01/25/2021)

“In my first session with Mike, we used a sim flight from KDEN to KASE to go over the subtleties and challenges of flying a SID from a Class B to a challenging mountain airport using the G1000 flight planning and autopilot.

In addition to being a commercial pilot, Mike has an extensive knowledge of X-Plane. I learned a lot of new X-Plane tricks like speeding up the sim to bypass sections of the flight not relevant to the training goals, how to video tape and retrieve your flight with actual instrument readings from each moment of the flight, activating an approach vs. a leg, and the use of VNAV in departures and approaches. We also discussed how to best handle autopilot settings with ATC vectors that deviate from the SID.

Can’t say enough about Mike’s knowledge and teaching skills. It’s like having a CFI on call for simmers, as well as those training for their PPL or Instrument Ratings. His fees are super reasonable. Serious simmers and pilots in training are fortunate to have this resource available!”

— Scott F.
Flight Simulation Enthusiast
(09/17/2020)

My Content

YouTube

Checklist procedures, class D ATC communications, basic maneuvers (coordination/rudder exercises and an approach to landing stall), and a touch-and-go landing at Paine Field (KPAE) on runway 16L