Simulator technology puts future pilots in the air to train without ever having to leave the ground at the beginning of their education.PRESCOTT, Ariz. — An Arizona company is working to put a dent in the international pilot shortage. Its technology puts future pilots in the air to train, without ever having to leave the ground at the beginning of their education.The process happens in the early stages of their learning.
They spend hours training in a flight simulator and then take to the air after. That's where they prove to the instructor that they’ve learned the very beginning steps of flight training and are ready for the next level, said Brett Watts, True Course Simulations CEO. “There is a virtual instructor in their headset walking them through every part of the pilot training process and the private pilot, all of the maneuvers, and giving them feedback as they're doing it," Watts said."So it breaks the need, the one to one need instructor need, because the student can put the headset on and then start to learn from that virtual instructor on their own.”
Once the student has finished the simulator course, they confirm what they’ve learned in the air with a human instructor. Watts said it’s a more efficient way to train. Watts said there are about 3,000 students in the program. There are students across the United States and in New Zealand. Simulators are headed for India soon, to train future pilots there, too. KPNX would like to send you push notifications about the latest news and weather.