Pacific Sky Aviation’s new Twin Otter flight simulator was recently certified by both the European Aviation Safety Agency and the Civil Aviation Administration of China, following Transport Canada’s certification of the simulator last December. The simulator was installed in Pacific Sky Aviation’s Calgary location. The simulator, built by TRU Simulation+Training of Montreal, recreates the flight envelope of the Viking 400 Twin Otter, the newly produced Honeywell Apex glass cockpit version of the original deHavilland Twin Otter series that first flew in 1965.
Michael Coughlin, CEO of Pacific Sky Aviation, spoke to one of the TRU simulator’s important benefits. “The high-altitude training is particularly applicable to customers who operate in the Andes mountains. For these customers, Pacific Sky Aviation is able to offer courses using advanced geodetic technology in the simulator’s visual system. Pacific Sky Aviation instructors are able to provide customers with the exact conditions from operating bases at altitudes of over 3,000 meters in order to evaluate the best approaches and departures given the terrain and aircraft performance. The new Viking 400 aircraft sports a 25,000-foot service ceiling.
Pacific Sky Aviation simulator claims to be the world’s first true seaplane trainer, using the same level-D visual and motion capabilities to provide Twin Otter seaplane pilots with the opportunity to safely practice takeoffs and landings in a range of sea states, winds and water conditions including glassy water. Elements necessary to make the Twin Otter simulator operate as a seaplane trainer are expected to be operational later this year.
