Simulators receive certification
FAA-certified flight simulator improves virtual training as school advances
Since its inception in 2002, the School of Aeronautics has been growing at a rate other schools have not seen, according to Kevin Martin, associate director of flight operations. While other aviation schools have been shutting down operations, Liberty’s School of Aeronautics is maintaining a fleet of more than 30 aircraft, with 700 students taking to the skies. This has translated into economic growth for the regional airport.
Bells and whistles — The new technology offers an avionics package identical to that found on a real aircraft. Photo provided
According to Martin, the school purchases more fuel than any other operator that comes into the airport. Liberty also manages its own fixed-base operator (FBO), which supplies services such as fuel, maintenance and hangar space. Martin also explained that because of the recent growth, more jobs have come to the airport, whether at the control tower or with maintenance work.
“About five to 10 years ago, the main travel coming in here was the airlines and corporate jets, and it was a very calm, small little airport that no one had really heard of,” Martin said. “Today, the School of Aeronautics is doing 80-100 operations a day.”
The School of Aeronautics is developing at a pace not familiar to other university operators, according to Martin. This growth can be attributed to two main factors, including the growth of Liberty as a whole and the retirement of military-trained pilots from the Vietnam War era. Because of the decrease in available pilots, the airline business has been hiring pilots very quickly.
The new flight simulator has been a part of the School of Aeronautics expansion, giving Liberty a competitive edge over other colleges offering the program. With the new flight simulator comes FAA certification as part of the National Simulator Program, according to Jim Molloy, dean of the School of Aeronautics.
“Two Cessna 172 simulators were recently upgraded to the certification of Level Five Flight Training Device, which means that these simulators replicate the actual aircraft so closely that certain training in them can be substituted for aircraft training in the air,” Molloy said. “With actual aircraft equipment and wide visual displays using satellite imaging of the Earth, the simulators look and feel very similar to the real aircraft.”
Martin said a huge plus is the realism that allows advanced ground training to take place.
“The whole point of a simulator is to be able to augment or increase training, and we want it to be as real as possible,” Martin said. “It feels like the airplane. It sounds like the airplane. It looks like the airplane. It has the cockpit of the airplane, and that aids in allowing the students to learn concepts on the ground instead of in the air.”
Martin spoke of the praise they received from FAA representatives, who gave the FAA certification for the new flight simulators.
“That’s what these guys (are trained to inspect) — from airline simulators to military simulators all the way down to Liberty University simulators,” Martin said. “It was the first time the inspectors had been in a simulator of a small aircraft like what we train in. They really had a great time learning and seeing the capabilities of what it could do.”
Martin explained that with the new flight simulators, students can now earn their degree and obtain certifications for a decreased price. Because using a simulator costs less than flying a Cessna 172, students can spend more time on the ground while achieving benchmarks without spending nearly 20 minutes prepping the plane and clearing for takeoff.
According to Molloy, with the new flight simulators offering students new chances to tackle their issues on the ground, their usage is not a problem.
“With the rapid growth of the School of Aeronautics, the Cessna 172 simulators are operated almost 15 hours per day, six days per week in the conduct of flight training,” Molloy said. “We are always looking for ways to put more simulator training into the flight courses, but at this point, additional devices will be required to make that happen.”
Whether harsh rainfall or thick fog, the new flight simulators will be able to train students during the cruelest weather, allowing a cheaper and quicker way to defy gravity.
Van Dyk is the news editor.