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Sandel Avionics Inc., an engineering firm developing advanced avionics, has announced its partnership with Aerosim Technologies to create the Sandel Avilon Training Program, which will prepare pilots to use avionics designed to fly in the NextGen airspace.
The Sandel Avilon Training Program will be the first of its kind provided by an avionics manufacturer in partnership with one of the world’s foremost designers of aviation training solutions. Sandel will use the Aerosim ETHOS application for academic preparation, part-task learning, whole-task practice, and training management system evaluation to train pilots quickly and effectively on the Avilon system.
The Aerosim Avilon Procedures Trainer (AAPT) will be available at certified Avilon installation centres for customers to access. The AAPTs will provide a contextual practice environment to prepare pilots for operating Avilon’s unique NextGen, vertical navigation, and performance-based navigation features.
Sandel will provide this unlimited and free training program for all customers and pilots with Avilon-equipped King Airs.
“Because the operational safety and efficiency in future NextGen airspace, particularly for single pilot operations, requires an understanding of avionics functionality and capability before flying, the Sandel team felt compelled to create a program that addressed this issue directly,” said Gerry Block, president and CEO, Sandel Avionics. “We are creating an ecosystem where regulators, manufacturers, installers, instructors, pilots, and industry leaders work together to develop evolving solutions that promote safety and advance the industry as a whole.”
“Aerosim is thrilled to be working with Sandel to create the Avilon training program,” said Dave Rapley, CEO, Aerosim Technologies. “As a company we are continually looking at ways to improve aviation training. The Sandel Avilon Training Program meets that goal.”
In addition to the academic and practice training, King Air Academy, specializing in King Air training, will participate in the final dealer AAPT training scenario to assist pilots with live instructor interaction. Initially, King Air Academy will install a procedural trainer, with plans to later install a full scale flight simulator at their Phoenix training centre.
On Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016, at the Orange County Convention Center as part of NBAA, Sandel is sponsoring a “NextGen Training Mini Symposium” for attendees to learn why it is important for a clean-sheet flight deck design to meet NextGen requirements even for single pilot operations. The unusual steps Sandel is applying to assure convenient, compelling, and free training for pilots flying the Avilon suite will be reviewed as well.
Participants will come away from the mini symposium understanding the compatibility of avionics with the airspace of the future and how pilots will be prepared for the transition from current cockpits to a state-of-the-art NextGen airspace-compatible flight deck that optimize flight safety and efficiency.
Capt Steve Fulton, VP of sales and marketing for Sandel, has a unique perspective on NextGen operations in air transport aircraft. He played a major role in pioneering applications of performance-based navigation in the U.S. and many places across the globe.
Fulton will moderate the mini symposium and said, “Airspace operations are in transition as a result of industry and FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] efforts to incorporate performance-based navigation, ADS-B, and data comm. greater efficiencies, predictability, and capacity will result, but these new operations bring new cockpit technologies, flight crew operating procedures and required skills. This symposium creates the conversation to better understand these changes.”
Panelist will include speakers from Sandel, Aerosim, King Air Academy, Franklyn Ventures, NBAA and the FAA. The mini symposium is an invitation-only event.
