Aircraft & Simulator Fleet
Our airline pilot training courses are well designed and delivered through the use of a mix of aircraft and flight simulators at both training centres. Since the formation of the European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA), greater use of simulator technology (FNPTs) is now permitted on pilot training courses. We have made significant investments in new simulators with particularly capable visual systems to enhance the quality of both your instrument flying and basic handling skills.
To meet the future needs for multi-pilot jet training, we have also invested in a new jet simulator centre with the latest briefing technology - capable of reproducing an entire flight and crew behaviour in the classroom – enhancing your training value considerably.
Aircraft
We have a comprehensive and well equipped fleet of 53 training aircraft allocated between both training centres:
| Aircraft | Fleet | Seats | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piper PA28 Warrior | 28 | 4 | Single Piston |
| Piper PA34 Seneca | 22 | 6 | Twin Piston |
| Socata TB20 Trinidad | 2 | 4 | Single Piston |
| Zlin 242L | 1 | 2 | Single Piston |
Our aircraft are all instrument equipped with Garmin 430 GPS and airliner style Horizontal Situation Indicators (HSIs) and Radio Magnetic Indicators (RMIs). This level of instrumentation ensures that your training is focussed upon your ultimate destination – the complexity of the airliner cockpit.
A further attribute of our training aircraft is cockpit standardisation across our fleet. Airline pilot training is challenging enough, without the additional pressures of climbing into an aircraft and spending valuable time hunting for switches and controls, which have been placed in differing locations.
Our aircraft are well maintained by our own in-house maintenance centres which have reputations for quality and workmanship of the highest order. There can be no compromise whatsoever when it comes to flight safety.
Simulators
Capable and accurate flying on flight instruments is a primary skill expected of an airline pilot. The significant investment in high fidelity simulators reflects our commitment to providing high standards in the delivery of instrument training.
We have a comprehensive and well equipped fleet of 26 instrument flight training simulators (FNPTIIs) allocated between both of our training centres.
| SIMULATOR | FLEET | ENGINE |
|---|---|---|
| Piper PA28 Warrior | 5 | Single Piston |
| Piper PA34 Seneca | 6 | Twin Piston |
| PC Desktop Trainers | 12 | Twin Piston |
| Boeing 737-400 | 2 | Twin Jet |
| Canadair RJ-200 (on Order) | 1 | Twin Jet |
5 simulators: 4 at our Goodyear centre and 1 at our Oxford centre, simulate the Piper PA28 Warrior - the aircraft used for basic instrument training.
6 simulators: 2 at our Goodyear centre and 4 at our Oxford centre, simulate the Piper PA34 Seneca - the aircraft used for advanced multi-engine instrument training.
Additionally, three simulators at our Oxford centre may also be configured as EFIS B200 King Air turboprop aircraft. In this mode, they can be used for bespoke Multi-Crew cooperation training to meet specific airline training requirements.
Although they are primarily instrument trainers, the 220 degree wrap-around visual systems fitted to these simulators are so effective that visual circuit training and similar activities can all be incorporated effectively into a training syllabus.
Our Instrument Training Centres also house a large number of PC-based flight training devices. These allow instrument flying skills to be honed individually as well as enabling students to access networked computer based self-study training material. Customers have free access to the se facilities whenever they wish to use them.
Multi Pilot Jet Training
Multi Pilot Jet training at our Oxford training centre is carried out using two sophisticated and capable twin-jet simulators based on the Boeing 737-400. They are fitted with basic 737-400 systems, dual Electronic Flight Instrument Systems (EFIS), dual Flight Management Systems (FMS), Engine Instruments and Crew Alerting Systems (EICAS), Flight Directors (FD) and Auto Pilots (AP).
Each simulator is mounted on a 6-axis motion platform and fitted with computer-generated, 4-window visual displays. They are very similar to equipment now in airline service.
These B737 Simulators, unique amongst UK Flight Training Schools, are able to provide a realistic airline-training environment and are able to facilitate a good ‘bridge’ transition from ab initio training into type training and onto airline service. A Canadair Regional Jet simulator is also on order and will be delivered to our Oxford centre.
Our instructors all have extensive airline pilot training experience with many years in this role. They are well qualified, collectively and individually, to meet the objectives of airline transition training.
We have provided twin-jet training to many airlines from throughout the world as well as providing Jet Appreciation, Flight Deck Management, Glass Cockpit Appreciation, Training Captain and Instrument Rating Examiner courses.
Apart from providing the 36 hours of Multi-Crew Co-operation and Jet Operations Courses for Integrated APP FIRST OFFICER students, the B737 Simulators are also used to provide stand-alone Modular Multi-Crew Co-Operation and Jet Operations Courses.