First Unit To Be Delivered To Western Michigan University
It's pretty well accepted that simulators are a good way to
practice and build proficiency without spending a lot of money on
gas. And while the glass flight decks being installed in a lot of
GA airplanes are very useful tools, they do take some getting used
to. Wednesday, Avidyne announced that it has partnered with Frasca
International to develop two Cirrus SR22 Flight Training Devices
(FTD) featuring Avidyne's Entegra Release 9 (R9) integrated flight
deck system. The first R9-equipped FTD, which was recently
delivered to Western Michigan University, provides a high-quality
simulator for primary and advanced training on the state-of-the-art
Avidyne R9 Flight Deck for Cirrus aircraft. They say the second
device will be delivered in the near future.
The Frasca FTD with Avidyne's R 9 features dual IFD5000 flight
displays with dual FMS9000w Flight Management Systems. Features
include actual aircraft cockpits, TruVision visual system with 220
degree visual display, Graphical Instructor Station (GISt) which
gives instructors complete control of the simulation environment
and monitors the pilot's performance through graphical mapping
programs and more. Lesson plans automatically control the simulator
by triggering events based on conditions such as time, altitude,
and other factors.
"The SR22 FTD is not only a task trainer for WMU's Entegra
9-equipped Cirrus aircraft, it is a highly capable flight
simulation system for Avidyne's next generation of integrated
avionics," said John Frasca, Vice President of Frasca
International. "Avidyne's role as the pioneer and continuing
innovator of integrated flight decks makes them a strong partner
for Frasca as we deliver what is an ideal training simulator for
flight schools that are fulfilling the training needs of today and
for the future."
"The Frasca FTD with the Entegra Release 9 system gives WMU a
powerful tool for training the next generation of professional
pilots, and also for familiarizing their flight instructors with
the advanced capabilities of the R9 system," said Patrick Herguth,
Avidyne's Chief Operating Officer. "This partnership is especially
notable because it combines Frasca's decades of expertise in
building leading-edge flight simulation training systems, Avidyne's
unmatched experience in integrated flight deck systems for light GA
aircraft, and WMU's leadership in aviation education."
"We have nearly completed the transition to the Avidyne Entegra
Release 9 suite on our entire fleet of 26 Cirrus aircraft and the
addition of the Frasca R9 FTD will be an incredibly effective
addition to our curriculum," said Captain David Powell, Dean of
WMU's College of Aviation. "We believe the Avidyne Release 9
system, with its fantastic FMS capabilities, is especially valuable
for training tomorrow's corporate and air transport pilots, and now
we can provide a meaningful portion of that training in our new
Frasca FTD."
The Frasca FTD is approved for training under FAA Part 61
including for logging flight experience and instrument experience,
for Instrument Proficiency Checks, for use in the Instrument Rating
Practical Test, for a maximum of 20 hours training for the
Instrument Rating, a maximum of 2.5 hours for the Private Pilot
certificate, a maximum of 50 hours for the Commercial Pilot
certificate, or a maximum of 25 hours toward the Airline Transport
Pilot certificate. The Mentor trainer also is approved for use
under Part 141 as limited by Part 141 appendices.
NTSB Final Report: Patriot Aircraft LLC CX1900A
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