NBAA Convention News

China Approves Level-D Citation CJ1+ Simulator

 - October 20, 2014, 1:00 PM
Frasca’s Cessna Citation CJ1+ full-flight simulator has received level-D approval from Chinese authorities.

Frasca International (Booth 3073) last month received level-D approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China for the Cessna Citation CJ1+ full flight simulator delivered to the country’s Nanshan International Flight Academy. The simulator features Frasca’s Simplicity Instructor Operator Station software, a 60-inch electric motion base, CANbus interface system, Griffon real-time true operating environment and TruFeel electric control loading. It was recently installed at the Nanshan facility at Longkou.

Separately, the Urbana, Ill.-based simulator specialist will deliver a new Cessna 402C level-6 flight simulation training device (FSTD) to Hyannis, Mass.-based Cape Air this month. The device features a Cessna 402 cockpit shell and Frasca’s TruVision 220- by 60-degree visual display system and is due to enter service in January 2015.

The flight deck represented in the FSTD is type specific to the Cessna 402C. Being level-6-certified means that its performance is directly tested in comparison to actual flight data gathered from the real aircraft. The parameters and tolerances of the device must remain very close to those of the actual aircraft.

A Cape Air Cessna 402C was flown to gather the data used to design and evaluate the FSTD. The operator even flew high alpha and stall profiles (some as low as 49 kias) so as to be able to include stall training in the FSTD.

Another detail is the ability to make the nose baggage door pop open from a cockpit control remotely, allowing pilots to train for this eventuality in a way that would not be possible during in-flight training.

“This presents Cape Air with the ability to train real-world scenarios for new hires and all our pilots that require recurrent training in our company,” explained 402C training captain Craig Stewart. “We pushed the limits of simulation with Frasca and even pushed beyond them. Frasca responded. Some of these features you won’t find even in a level-D full-flight simulator but were developed and modeled with the same amount of accuracy and fidelity.”