What could have been a very difficult situation was not an issue at all. (They also offer turboproptraining for the Beech King Air, Piper Cheyenne, and Pilatus PC-12.) FlightSafety has apparently taken note of this. Shooting approaches under the hood is woefullyinadequate preparation for doing the same thing in actual low-visibility conditions. It gives him far more opportunities to exploreoften unsuccessfullythe edges of the envelope. Many pilots seem to believe this is a big deal. A cost of living index allows you to compare what it costs to live in one place against another, revealing how far your money will go in different areas. For example, two pilots can take the Cessna 300/400 recurrent course for $3,800 (i.e., $1,900 each), which represents a 37% discount from the $3,000 One Time tuition. Of course, sim time is a significant part of the course and thats where the hiccups started. If FlightSafety is the Rolls Royce of piston sim training and Simcom is theLexus, then Recurrent Training Center would have to be the Ford pickup or the Dodgeminivan. 5401 Longley Lane, Suite 49 On thisscale, FlightSafety has a clear lead, with Simcom offering somewhat less fidelity, and RTC(with its generic sims) trailing at a very distant third. But David remains optimistic. Composite Repair Most instructors at facilities like RTC and SIMCOM are retired been-there-done-that pros, including my instructor, Mr. Ray Campbell. $5,475, B727 If you like, go finish it off with some time in the real airplane to polish your buttonology and aircraft-specific procedures. In large classes, he explains, the instructor has to teach to the lowest common denominator in the class. Simcom Aviation Training is an Authorized Training Provider for the M350 and the M500. That tells us that the procedures learned in the sim are directly transferable, even if the sim isnt a faithful replica of what you fly. Right there I made the decision to alternate doing my annual at my local shop with someone else. Myfirst exposure to serious simulator training took place in October of 1987,about six months after Id purchased my T310R. The physical faithfulness of the sim allowed us to nicely review various procedures, which was quite valuable. Its a bit more difficult to fly anon-motion sim (because you receive fewer cues), but one could argue that this results ingreater pilot proficiency rather than less. Knowing what to do and when to do it thats the value of simulator training. We graded it only to define where we needed to review. Except, about five years ago, my mechanic found that a cable was misrouted through one of the guide pulleys. About SIMCOM. TheChampaign training facility is housed in an off-airport storefront building that RTCshares with a travel agency, and is functional but hardly plush. The price goes up from there based on the type of aircraft involved and the amount of training you require to reach proficiencywhich may include a mentor pilot flying with you for some hours following the formal training course. Las Vegas Tempe, AZ As you might expect, FlightSafetys training is extremely professional, highlystructured, and quite expensive. Copyright 2023 Flying Media. I thought I knew the systems pretty well, but the test still revealed more than a few weak areas to strengthen. (They also offer turboproptraining for the Beech King Air, Piper Cheyenne, and Pilatus PC-12.) Frank he used to address me. As Pilatus's ingenuity paves the way in the single engine Training by Legacy Flight Training can also be conducted at the owners home base. Initial Training He is the author of. This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. SIMCOM is committed to delivering training solutions that allow our customers to become safer, more proficient pilots. Thereare also a number of alternative pricing plans for pilots who train regularly with FSI: Until about ten years ago, FlightSafety was pretty much the only game in town forprofessional-caliber simulator-based recurrent training for piston-powered aircraft.Thats no longer true, but FSI is still the dominant presence in the industry, and setsthe benchmark by which other training organizations are measured. 305-871-5557, B737 In an airplane, how many approaches can you fly in an hour? This was one of those years, so I had some decisions to make about quality of training, availability, and economics. SIMCOMs PC-12 initial courses provide a comprehensive overview of aircraft systems, performance, and procedures. Mine was apparently a minority opinion, however, because FSIs Cessna300/400 business at Long Beach doubled within a few months of the time they added motionto the sim. A good training facility should be willing to customize the training to fit your particular needs. Im encouraged by SIMCOMs new, more competitive pricing, so thats a win. Cause failures you just cant (or shouldnt) duplicate in the airplane. I managed to kill myself quite a few times during sim training and then when I had an actual engine failure four years ago in the airplane, it was pretty much a non-event (except for my wallet, of course)., Busch went on to point out something that we hadnt considered: The ground school portion helps with maintenance costs. Originally, SimCom focused on training for owner-operators of cabin-class, twin-engine piston aircraft pilots who wouldnt normally have access to simulator training. How about the fidelity with which a simreproduces the cockpit layout, control feel and systems of the aircraft you fly? Virginia Gardens, FL 36th Street 1071 East Aero Park Blvd. Letit Pbram FlightSafety operates a Raytheon/Beech Learning Center in Wichita, Kansas, at whichsimulator-based initial and recurrent training is available for the Beech Bonanza, Baronand Duke. Themost difficult parts of doing this in a single-pilot cockpit scanning between thegauges and the windshield and deciding whether or not adequate visual references areavailable to make the landing are never practiced at all. All Rights Reserved. Childs Associates LP, although David is still president and CEO. Unfortunately, its the pilots who have never experienced such training (andunfortunately this includes the great majority of owner/pilots) who dont know whattheyve been missing. In the case of RTCs generic AST 300 sims, its probably best to approach with amind-set of learning to fly a new aircraft, rather than thinking of the sim as a Cessna orPiper or Beech and then getting distracted by its lack of fidelity to the actual aircraft.In any case, by the second or third hour of sim training, youll find that youve prettymuch tuned out the differences between the sim and the aircraft and are fully immersed indealing with the meat of the training scenarios that confront you. 760-476-0890, Flight Safety International Helicopter Company A good measure of a training event is if the student would willingly repeat it and recommend it to others. Ive often written about the challenges we face maintaining real instrument proficiency. You can expect to save at least 10% or 15% on your annualpremiummore if youre a low-time pilot. Plan on spending a bare minimum of $4000 for piston-twin upgrade training. The upgrade world changes a bit when a type rating is required, largely because most training courses increase in sophistication and take at least two weeks. Seattle,WA The content of this website (graphics, text and any and all other elements) is Copyright 2023 by Piper Aircraft, Inc., and may not be reprinted or retransmitted in whole or part without the expressed written consent of Piper Aircraft, Inc. Transition Training I found it extremely useful. In one instance, I had to deal with a total electrical failure justafter a nighttime takeoff, and had to visually circle back to the airport in a totallyblacked-out cockpit. FSI has long tailored its training to fit the studentand provides mentor pilots to support owners after they complete training. Flight training can be accomplished in aircraft or in our simulator at one of our training locations. We received input from a number of pilots regarding their experience with upgrade training. The usual curriculum involves 14 days of classroom and simulator time and is designed to take a commercial, instrument, multi-engine pilot with no jet time through a type rating. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Factor in that you do more in an hour in the sim and the sim gives you at least a four-to-one cost advantage. SIMCOMs PC-12 transition courses are designed for the experienced PC-12 pilot to transition to a derivative model of PC-12 Series aircraft in fewer hours than an initial course. For one, duplicating the effects on the pilots of a pressurization failure. So I asked them how we were doing. The students next move into a graphical flight simulator with full-scale displays, touchscreens and, importantly, dynamic graphic system schematic displays at the top. 858-756-8748, CS 525/CS Interestingly, we found that upgrade courses for single- and multi-engine turboprops (not requiring a type rating) were not much longer than those for piston twins. Dr. Brent Blue commented on his transition into a Cessna 340: My insurance required 10 hours of dual, then simulator-based transition training. I needed to renew my instrument currency anyway, and the opportunity to flyFlightSafetys full-motion full-vision twin-Cessna simulator sounded exciting. I was then shown to the break room where I waited for the instructor. Ive concluded that they did. SimCom is focusing, once again, on general aviation training. $1,995, Aeroservice Aviation Training Center Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. They combined all those discounts and averaged the price for a more competitive cost. However, archived articles are not reviewed for accuracy following various changes in industry procedures and practices, FAA guidance or regulations. Cost for the single-engine course starts at $889 for a "generic IFR recurrent." For airplane-specific recurrent training, prices range from $1000 for Cessna singles, through $1600 for the Cirrus series. (Yes, its a 421 sim, but has profiles and swappable instruments for other Twin Cessnas. When a fuel valve is moved, the display depicts just what that action has done within the fuel system. In a previous article about recurrent sim training facilities (Sim Training Centers in November, 2016), Id somewhat bashed SIMCOM, saying, SIMCOM training is top tier, but their business model recently seems to mirror the big corporate centers with pricing to match. Because of that conclusion I really didnt want to go to SIMCOM. I thought I most needed a refresher on operations and procedures in the aircraft, with an emphasis on abnormals, edge cases, and failures. I had my first real engine out in Denver, night and IMC, just after takeoff about six months after my upgrade training. Why Is Area Forecast Discussion Important for Preflight Planning? $3,500, Flight Crew Systems, Inc. week FlightSafetys piston twin simulators are exceptionally good. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); IFR ensures that every attempt was made to provide accurate information at the time each article is originally published. 40 hours per week Thats amazing.. Recently, however, the company has introduced several cost-saving training options. Yet, quality recurrent training isnt cheap. In January 1999 it was acquired by the investment firm J.W. Well, its different. There we quickly completed the necessary paperwork and I paid for the course. Every sim session at RTC is structured as an actual IFR cross-country flight. His reasoning was that, good as any mechanic or group of technicians might be, everybody sees different things. Ive rehashed my sim time, trying to conclude if the sims deficiencies diminished the training. 2056 Palomar Airport Road Flying Lessons: Forgotten Adventure in Real Time, Flying Lessons: Connor and Lanes Big Adventure. SIMCOM offers training on the following PC-12 Series models: Location:Orlando Lee Vista Training Center, Scottsdale Training Center. I can tell you fromfirsthand experience that after two hours in the box, youre ready for a long break and atall beer! Type Rating But, thats an exception. We did not find any piston twin training centers that used motion-based simulators. Since then, Ive returned for regular sim training every six months. Aviation Services, Inc. This is the sort of training that the airlines call LOFT (Line-Oriented FlightTraining), and is a significant departure from the sort of recurrent training offered byFlightSafety or Simcom. He knew his stuff, and his easy-going, southern-gentleman style was refreshing, right down to the unnecessary, Mr. Going to a different shop occasionally allows fresh eyes to inspect your prized bird and maybe find something others have missed. In addition, the company is beginning to offer shorter, one-on-one training courses, like its new customized Citation Jet Captains course. Flying may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. It's also a myth. Anon-sim-trained pilot may have logged lots of partial panel instruction, yet be entirelyunprepared to cope with an actual gyro failure that presents itself not with a bang but awhimper. If a place's COL index is below 100, it's cheaper than the national average. But Imabsolutely convinced that its well worth the cost. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL cookies. There are a few things that a simulator doesnt do as well as an airplane. For example, a full-service contract for Cessna 300/400 costs $4,700 per year. In another particularly valuable scenario, the instructor simulatedan in-flight fire necessitating an off-airport landing on a freeway. the cheapest) may suggest quieter roads or avoiding . The Cessna Learning Center (also in Wichita) offers sim training for the Cessna210, 310, 340, 402, 404, 414 and 421. At Simcom, for example, a new 340 pilot attends a five-day course with ground school on the systems and then 10 hours of full-motion simulator training. 4330 Donald Douglas Drive Simcom is located in Orlando, Florida and has two visual-motion simulators, classrooms and a team of professional flight instructors located in Orlando, Florida. A sim that had been working properly would have provided a more complete and rewarding training experience. Scheduling varies with each class and number of participants. Simcom Aviation Training announced in a press release on Tuesday that it has acquired a training provider for TBM aircraft to expand training opportunities available to TBM operators. Belvoir Media Group, LLC. Previous Experience The annual cost is about 60% higher than the One Time tuition, and the minimum contract period is two years. Yet, quality recurrent training isn't cheap. As the new owner of a cabin-class, turbocharged twin, I was still reeling from the hourly fuel costs, which are more than double what I was used to in the Twin Comanche I used to fly. But despite the shift, SimComs dedication to customization and small class size hasnt changed. Cessna 300/400 training is also available at FSIsfacility in Long Beach, California. Eric Hinson, CEO of SimCom, told us that initial training courses for turboprops usually run five to six days, and make use of Level A to D sims as well as nonmotion Flight Training Devices (FTD)depending on the type of aircraftand may include training in the customers airplane. Belvoir Media Group, LLC. Its currently offering a 20 percent discount on both its CJ and Citation Ultra training courses (both relatively new offerings at SimCom). 562-938-0100, Citation V All rights reserved. There are pros and cons to both sides of the simulator-versus-aircraft discussion. Mine requires it every two years for my twin-engine, pressurized, Cessna 340A. The best aircraft upgrade training is simulator based. 1 & 2. Finally, theres cost. There are in-the-airplane-only training operations still in existence, but they have become rare. When it worked correctly, it was fine; there were many times when it didnt. The pet scenario almost invariably involves flying the airplane at the edge of its abilities and will help you get to know the capabilities of the airplane. The quality of individual instructors was a constant refrain in our conversations with users as they related good and bad training experiences. Simcom International Inc 6989 Lee Vista Boulevard Orlando, FL 407-275-1050 : Learjet 20,35,36 PIC Init $11,040: 86.5 hours: Citation I, II, III, V, Bravo PIC Init While there were some physical differences with a 340 that caused me some familiarization problems. (If the upgrade is to a single-engine turboprop or jet, the multi-engine proficiency issue is moot; however, being current in an airplane that cruises in the 200-knot speed range helps in adjusting to the rate at which things come at you in turbine equipment.). I thought I was pretty competent after the dual until I got into the sim. Now offering Gulfstream G650, Challenger 300/350, Phenom 300, and Pilatus PC-12NGx training! If youve been to the same facility for the last few years, or worse, used the same local instructor, look elsewhere occasionally for a broader base of experience. Destinations outside of this boundary run an additional $1.25 per mile. When you train in your actual aircraft, youre polishing every aspect of your proficiency, from buttonology on your equipment to handling the bird in those edge cases your CFI just loves to throw at you. All training organisations operate modern training centres, including classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art presentation technology. For American buyers of a new TBM, Daher has partnered with Simcom in Orlando, Florida to offer an initial training course consisting of five days of ground school and simulator sessions, recently amended to include a final two hours of in-aircraft flying with a Simcom CFI. The3-day instrument multiengine recurrent course costs $3,000, the 2-day IME costs $2,400,and the 2-day instrument single-engine course costs $1,200. 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