Redbird FMX · AATD Certified · Austin, TX · January 2027

The simulator that
changes how you train.

The Redbird FMX is a full-motion, AATD-certified flight simulator — one of the most capable training devices in general aviation. It's not a supplement to Apex training. It's the foundation of it.

FAA AATD Certified
EASA FNPT II
3-Axis Full Motion
Garmin G1000 Glass
Reserve Sim Time FAA Hour Credits
Apex Aviation Redbird FMX full-motion flight simulator
Redbird FMX · Apex Aviation
Opening January 2027 · Austin, Texas
200°
Wrap-Around Visual
$90/hr
Open Sim Rate
FAA Hour Credits

Sim hours that count
toward your certificate.

The Apex Redbird FMX is FAA-qualified as an AATD — which means hours logged in the simulator count directly toward your rating requirements. The numbers below are the FAA maximums under 14 CFR Part 61.

Private Pilot Certificate
2.5
Hours AATD Credit
Up to 2.5 of the required 40 total flight hours may be logged in an AATD under Part 61 — but the real value is what you learn before those aircraft hours start.
14 CFR §61.109(k)
0 hrs2.5 of 40 hrs
What this means: Every maneuver and procedure introduced in the sim first. By the time you're in the airplane, you've already done it — which means faster progress on those 40 hours.
Instrument Rating
20
Hours AATD Credit
Up to 20 of the 40 required instrument flight hours may be logged in an AATD. That's half your instrument time — at $90/hr instead of aircraft rates. The math is significant.
14 CFR §61.65(i)
0 hrs20 of 40 hrs instrument time
What this means: 20 hours of ILS, RNAV, holds, partial panel, and missed approaches — logged, FAA-credited, and debriefed. Before you ever file IFR in actual IMC.
Commercial Pilot Certificate
50
Hours AATD Credit
Up to 50 hours in an AATD may be applied toward the total aeronautical experience required for a commercial certificate. At $90/hr versus aircraft wet rates, this materially reduces your total training cost.
14 CFR §61.129(i)
0 hrs50 of 250 hrs total time
What this means: 50 hours of commercial maneuver polish, scenario work, and systems mastery — logged and counted — before you start burning expensive aircraft time on the same material.
IPC & Flight Review — 100% in the AATD
A full Instrument Proficiency Check or Flight Review conducted in the Apex AATD fully satisfies FAA requirements under 14 CFR §61.57(d) and §61.56. No aircraft required. No weather dependency. No rescheduling.
Book an IPC
Technical Specifications

Redbird FMX — by the numbers.

Hardware
FAA Classification
AATD
International
EASA FNPT II
Motion System
3-axis electric full motion
Roll Range
±40°
Pitch Range
±50°
Yaw Range
±60°
Visual System
200° wrap-around · 6 screens
Avionics
Garmin G1000 (PFD + MFD)
Controls
Force-loaded yoke & rudder pedals
Autopilot
Integrated
Airport Database
All US public + worldwide terrain
Nav Data Cycle
Current — updated each cycle
Apex Rate
$90 / hr
Instant Reset
Reposition to any fix, altitude, or configuration in seconds. Run the same approach ten times without dead time.
Any Weather
Zero-zero visibility, icing, embedded CBs, low-RVR precision approaches. Set it and fly it — no waiting for real IMC.
Failure Injection
Vacuum, pitot-static, electrical, engine — introduced at the worst moment. Practice the emergencies that actually kill pilots.
Data Replay
Every flight recorded. Debrief with full track replay — see exactly where the scan broke down and why.
All US Airports
Every public-use US airport. Fly RNAV into your home field, shoot the ILS 19L at KAUS, or practice holds at any NDB in the system.
G1000 Glass
Full PFD + MFD glass panel configuration matching modern GA trainers. Sim hours transfer directly to the G1000 cockpit.
What We Train

What no aircraft
can give you.

A real aircraft is constrained by weather, maintenance cost, and the limits of what's safe to practice. The AATD removes every one of those constraints — and adds the ability to pause, repeat, and debrief in real time.

IFR Approach Training
ILS, RNAV (GPS), VOR, LOC, and circling approaches — run multiple passes per session with debrief between each. Missed approach at DA, side-step, approach to minimums with real weather.
ILSRNAVVORCirclingSide-Step
Abnormal Procedures
Vacuum failure at 800 AGL. Pitot-static anomaly in IMC. Electrical bus failure mid-approach. Introduced without warning at the worst possible moment — until the response is immediate and correct.
Partial PanelVacuum FailElectricalEngine
Weather & IMC Scenarios
Deteriorating IMC on a cross-country, embedded thunderstorm avoidance, divert decisions under ATC pressure, and zero-zero conditions. Train the scenarios that reveal your real decision-making gaps.
IMCIcingZero-ZeroDiversions
IPC & Flight Review
A complete Instrument Proficiency Check or Biennial Flight Review conducted entirely in the AATD satisfies §61.57(d) and §61.56. No aircraft. No weather window. No rescheduling.
IPCBFR§61.57(d)§61.56
Holding & En Route IFR
Published holds, direct/parallel/teardrop entries, timed holds without GPS, and full en route IFR scenarios including reroutes, amended clearances, and lost comm procedures.
HoldsLost CommReroutesDepartures
Open Sim Sessions
No instructor required. Book the AATD for self-directed currency work, aircraft transition practice, or personal proficiency. Fly any approach at any airport in the database on your own schedule.
$90/hrSelf-DirectedCurrencyTransition
The Apex Method

Learn it in the sim.
Apply it in the airplane.

1
Introduce in the AATD
Every new maneuver and procedure is introduced in the simulator first. No pressure. No cost per mistake. Full instructor attention on the learning, not the flying.
2
Repeat until automatic
Reset and run it again. Partial panel missed approach — ten times — until the scan is a reflex. You can't do this in a $145/hr aircraft. You can here.
3
Debrief with data
Every session debriefed with flight track replay. You see exactly where the deviation started, when the correction came, and what the profile looked like from outside the cockpit.
4
Confirm in the aircraft
By the time you climb into the airplane, you've already done the maneuver. The aircraft is where you prove it — not where you learn it. That's the fundamental difference.
From the instructor
"The goal was never to fill Hobbs hours. It was to produce pilots who make better decisions before, during, and after every flight."
— Andrew Serrazina, CFI · CFII
Zero
Weather Cancellations
$90
Per Hour Open Sim
All
US Airports in DB
20+
Global Authorities
Training Fleet · Austin Area · January 2027

The aircraft is where
you prove it.

The Facility · Austin, Texas

A dedicated space built
for serious training.

We're currently in talks to build out a 1,200 sq ft dedicated training facility in Austin — purpose-built to house the Redbird FMX simulator, a structured ground school classroom, private office space, and a professional lobby. Everything under one roof, designed from the ground up for the kind of training environment that produces better pilots.

1,200
Sq Ft
4
Dedicated Spaces
Austin
Texas
Jan 2027
Target Opening
Apex Aviation Redbird FMX simulator bay — Austin facility rendering
Rendering
Simulator Bay
Redbird FMX · AATD Certified · Full Motion
Simulator Bay · Photo Coming Soon
Apex Aviation lobby and reception area — Austin facility rendering
Rendering
Lobby & Reception
Professional check-in and waiting area
Lobby · Photo Coming Soon
Apex Aviation ground school classroom — Austin facility rendering
Rendering
Ground School Classroom
Structured in-person ground training
Classroom · Photo Coming Soon

Renderings are illustrative mockups of the planned facility. Final design and finishes may vary.

Simulator Bay
Full-motion Redbird FMX · AATD certified
Classroom
Structured ground school & briefing room
Office
Private instructor & admin workspace
Lobby
Professional reception & student lounge
Currently in lease negotiations — Austin, TX

We're in active talks to secure our Austin location. Follow along for updates on the build-out and opening timeline.

Apex Aviation flight training in the cockpit over Austin, Texas
Training Aircraft
Austin Area · Selection In Progress
Aircraft Selection

Choosing the right fit for the mission.

We're currently evaluating different aircraft types, makes, and models to find the perfect fit for our mission at Apex — the airplane students will apply what they've already mastered in the Redbird FMX to, once training moves outside the simulator. We'll announce our selection as we finalize our Austin-area home.

✓Chosen to carry over G1000 avionics familiarity from the Redbird FMX cockpit
✓Evaluated on safety, reliability, and cost-efficiency for real student budgets
✓Private Pilot certificate training from day one
✓Instrument rating and commercial certificate training (opening Jan 2027)
Join the Waitlist
Austin · Opening January 2027

Reserve your sim time
before we open.

Founding members get first access to the AATD when the Austin facility opens, at locked-in launch rates. Apex Advantage live Ground School is already running — $25 per class.

Join the Waitlist Talk to Andrew