Progressive, Proven, Professional: With the PC-12 PRO, Pilatus has not only consistently improved a proven aircraft, it has also rethought flight training from A to Z. The new simulator takes pilots even closer to real-world conditions while also creating new opportunities for flight instruction, development and internal training.
A professional simulator such as the new PC-12 PRO simulator is based on flight data provided and validated by Pilatus. Developed using real flight test and performance data, it replicates the flight characteristics of the original aircraft across the entire flight envelope. Handling, systems logic, cockpit controls, systems failures and weather conditions can all be simulated with the highest degree of accuracy. At the same time, the simulator naturally meets strict regulatory certification requirements.
At the heart of the simulator is the Advanced Cockpit Environment (ACE), which is based on the latest generation of Garmin G3000 PRIME avionics. This means that anyone transitioning to the PC-12 PRO will train from the outset in the same environment found in the real-life cockpit. The simulator can also be used for so much more than flight training for our customers’ pilots. For David Liechti, Pilatus Test Pilot, this facility has become an important tool: “The simulator gives us options not available to us before. We can now develop, train and validate procedures irrespective of weather conditions or aircraft availability.”
Low Visibility Operations (LVO) are a good example. Procedures for low visibility operations can now be trained, analyzed and refined in the simulator. Scenarios can be repeated as often as required and evaluated under identical conditions. This means new sequences can be developed and optimized before deployment in actual flight operations.
Training That Goes the Extra Mile
The simulator faithfully reproduces the PC-12 PRO cockpit in every detail, allowing crews to become thoroughly familiar with the aircraft systems and logic. Beyond training individual procedures, the idea is to build a deep understanding of the aircraft systems in their entirety. Pilots at Pilatus also use the simulator on a regular basis. When the weather gets in the way of a test flight, procedures can still be prepared, trained or validated in the simulator. It is also used to provide ongoing internal training for pilots and technical staff.
For example, mechanics can practice idle runs, and learn how to handle unusual situations. What should you do if the oil temperature rises unexpectedly during engine runup? How should you react to certain systems messages? These scenarios can be replicated in the simulator and analyzed by all participants. “We can train for situations which we would never intentionally create in the real aircraft”, explains Liechti.
Practicing Situations Rarely Encountered in Everyday Operations
The simulator is particularly valuable in situations where real-world training opportunities reach their limits. Complex or highly unusual situations can be practiced safely, in a controlled environment.
They include, for example, GPS failures during North Atlantic crossings or very challenging weather conditions. Crews can train how to respond to a navigation failure in the middle of the ocean, or what decisions need to be made when faced with a sudden change in weather conditions. Even fire scenarios can be practiced using a fog machine to prepare crews for a real-life emergency as realistically as possible.
The simulator also opens up new possibilities for training planning: these days, differences training for the PC-12 PRO can largely be completed in the simulator, saving time and costs while enabling focused learning – irrespective of weather conditions or aircraft availability.
Full-Motion Simulator Under Development
The current PC-12 PRO simulator is just the beginning. Pilatus is already working on a full-motion simulator capable of realistically reproducing the aircraft’s movements. This will provide an even more immersive training experience, and further enhance the training environment.
The PC-12 PRO embodies innovation in the cockpit. The simulator effectively demonstrates that this commitment extends far beyond the aircraft itself. It pairs state-of-the-art technology with highly realistic flight training to open up possibilities which far exceed the scope of traditional pilot training.
David Liechti, Team Leader of Flight Training, sends his regards from the new PC-12 PRO simulator.
