Concept Developed Over The Past 18 Months In The U.S.

After a year and half of testing its dual site flight training approach in the U.S., Zulu Flight Training is exporting its model to Europe. Zulu Flight Training displayed the full-motion simulator solution they use as an integral part of their training method at AERO Friedrichshafen this week, and the simulator will also be displayed at Continental’s Flight School Congress in Speyer, Germany, on May 16th-17th.

Flight training schools and aero clubs are all facing the ever-rising cost of aviation fuel and the necessity for their students to allocate the time needed to travel to the airport or airfield. This is what leads many student pilots to find it difficult to complete their training course. To this, we have to add the fact that the actual availability of the aircraft may also play a role. Although they are enthusiastic about becoming pilots, they are facing challenges that were never solved until now.

Zulu Flight Training has established a new method of training private pilots and instrument rated pilots.

Located in the city centers, close to where student pilots work or study, Zulu facilities are easily reached during weekdays. This allows students to take a lesson, with their instructor, during extended business hours, close to their location. Zulu Flight Training is offering a PPL and IR syllabus, recognized by the authorities (EASA and FAA) that utilize simulation technology, standardized syllabi, and an emphasis on safety and competency. This allows student pilots to train with greater frequency and they have the flexibility of keeping up their proficiency and practicing skills at a Zulu facility and when they time available in their busy schedules, they can travel to where the aircraft are based. This approach has solved the problem faced by all training organizations: students tend to abandon their training after a few months, finding that it is next to impossible to fit their training in a schedule that is becoming more and more crowded.

“We have found that using a simulator integrated curriculum with training available in a convenient location has greatly increased frequency of training for our students, and this in turn has enabled us to keep our student retention rates of greater than 96%,” says Gloria Liu, General Manager at Zulu Flight Training.

Zulu Flight Centers are not competing with existing ATO’s or aero clubs. These organizations may utilize the logistics of existing Zulu Flight Training centers. Zulu Flight Training Centers provide the location, the simulator but do not offer flight training directly to student pilots. This allows existing ATO’s and aero clubs to build a business partnership with Zulu Flight Training centers that is risk free and beneficial to all parties.

Additionally, Zulu Flight Centers are available as the venue for aviation related events. Aero clubs organize safety seminars around one central subject, in the city center, inviting their members to attend a conference including hands on training of specific safety related issues. Aero clubs can also invite prospective student pilots for introductory sessions, all year round.

In this light, Zulu Flight Training Centers also become aviation related meeting points, helping to gather the community and participating in the development of the future pilot population.

Zulu Flight Centers will open throughout Europe using a franchise model. “We are already in contact with people or companies that have expressed their interest in opening a Zulu Flight Center in their area. Zulu Flight Centers has started to work with interested parties, helping them to choose the right location and prepare the arrival of their simulator(s), certification process (EASA and FAA) of the simulators and training syllabus and the general setup of their operation,” says Johnny Doo, Senior Vice President Marketing and Business Development.

Zulu Flight Training and Continental Motors aim to offer solutions for an industry that faces daunting challenges such as a diminishing base of customers, availability of fuel and ever-increasing operating costs. Combined with technical solutions such as flight trainer aircraft equipped with Centurion JetA1 engines, Continental Motors and Zulu Flight Training are offering technology-advanced solutions to enhance our flying future.

(Image provided by Continental Motors)

FMI: www.continentalmotors.aero, www.zuluflighttraining.com