"NW_PILOT" wrote in message
...
Well, after a lot of self studding I should have my instrument written
endorsement tomorrow I think I will take the test on Monday to kick off
the
new year on a good note

Assuming you pass the checkride, of course.

then off to work on the commercial written its time
to get them done and over with. My airplane is ready to start my
instrument
lessons, kinda weird that in operating costs my airplane is cheaper than a
simulator at the FBO.

You are, of course, counting your entire amortized operating expenses, not
just the direct hourly expenses? I'll assume you are, but if not you
haven't even compared apples to apples.

Even if so, the airplane isn't cheaper when you count in all the time you
spend flying your airport TO an approach. The beauty of a simulator is that
you simply set the airplane where it needs to be, without all that boring
enroute stuff. You can also program conditions that would be unsafe to
practice in a real airplane. Plus, when's the last time your instructor was
able to bring your airplane to a halt mid-air and review some important
information regarding the maneuver or approach or whatever it was you were
practicing at the time?

The first point alone justifies the hourly cost, the other points are just
gravy. And of course, as the simulated airplane gets bigger and more
complex, hourly operating expenses climb faster than do those for a
simulator. For the largest aircraft, the simulator is significantly
cheaper, even just for hourly costs.

Pete