Industry Partnerships a Key to Success

by Nicholas Poucher

Back in 2017, two of our Lakeland Aero Club members flew to the Redbird Flight Simulation headquarters in Texas to learn how to build and disassemble a Redbird FMX flight simulator. After two long days, our members returned home and managed the assembly of our new full motion flight simulator. Just a few months ago when we had to move our FMX simulator into

our newly built sim room. One of the members that originally received his Redbird installation certificate and Kenyon Odell who works for Redbird, taught five of our younger members how to disassemble and rebuild the simulator. Those members also received their Redbird installation certificates in February. Since the FMX was built, our members have accumulated over 2,000 hours of training which can be logged simulator time towards instrument and commercial flight training requirements. Earlier this year, in addition to our full motion Redbird simulator, and thanks to the support of Piedmont Airlines, the Lakeland Aero Club was able to acquire three Redbird Jay desktop simulators to give more of our members access to realistic flight simulators. We are also working with TakeFlight to implement their virtual flight instructor software into the Redbird Jay simulators so that members can begin practicing private pilot maneuvers before their first flight lesson. In addition, we are now able to have members grasp an understanding of what is required as a private pilot and then transition them into the Redbird FMX with an instructor to better prepare them for flight training. This approach is making our members more prepared

when they get into the cockpit and saves them money during flight training. Furthermore, we are implementing scenario based training by utilizing scenarios provided by EAA’s VMC program. Rather than just having a discussion about how to solve a problem in the airplane we are able to put pilots into the FMX and find out if they are able to effectively manage an emergency situation.

The Lakeland Aero Club would like to thank Piedmont Airlines for helping our members become safer and more prepared pilots.