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Frasca Supplies FTDs to China
Frasca has been awarded a contract to supply a DA-42
Flight Training Device (FTD) to Qindao Jiutian International Flight
Academy (QJIFA), China, The FTD will feature Frasca’s TruVisionTM 170 X
40 FOV Visual System and Garmin G1000 avionics. Frasca has sold ten FTDs
to Chinese customers and are looking forward to developing partnerships
with additional Chinese airlines and schools and anticipate providing
many more quality flight simulators to the expanding Chinese market.
(May 2, 2008)
FTDs
Delivered to Iraq
Frasca International, Inc, has delivered 5 Flight
Training Devices (FTDs) to the Kirkuk Air Base in Iraq for use by the US
Air Force in training the Iraqi Air Force. These five units are part of
a total order of nine FTDs that was placed in August, 2007. The devices
will be used for training pilots for both helicopter and fixed wing
aircraft and include three Cessna 172 FTDs, two Bell 206 helicopter
FTDs, two Cessna Caravan FTDs and two Huey Helicopter FTDs. Three 172
FTDs and two Bell 206 FTDs have been delivered to date. The Caravan FTDs
will be delivered this month and the remaining devices will follow
within the next few months. All nine FTDs will include Frasca's
TruVision 220 visual display system for greater realism and fidelity.
In order to commemorate their appreciation of the quick
delivery of the first devices, the US Army presented Rudy Frasca,
President of Frasca International with a plaque. The presentation took
place on April 3rd at the Frasca facility in Urbana, IL. According to
Lt Col Mark Bennett, Commander of the 52nd Expeditionary
Flying Training Squadron, "It is hard to imagine how we trained without
the Frasca simulators. We received the simulators and we were up and
running within a couple days." Col Bennett went on to say, "The number
one attraction, and the place I take all VIPs, General Officers and high
level civilians from both the US and Iraq, is to the simulator room.
When I need to explain our training practices the Frasca simulators are
very helpful. The visuals are outstanding and the simulators show
exactly how we are training the Iraqi Air Force's future pilots."
The contract is a result of a Foreign Military Sales
(FMS) case originated from PEO-STRI to procure multiple flight training
devices for the Iraqi Air Force Flight Training Program. The devices
will be used for a large portion of the flight instruction. The pilot
training will include approximately 80 hours in the Cessna 172 aircraft
and approximately 40 hours in the Frasca 172 FTD and 60 hours in the
Cessna Caravan 208B and approximately 70 hours in the Frasca 208B FTD. The Iraqi's have not had a flight training school since
2003. (April 18, 2008)
Mentors & TruFlites
Popular Worldwide
Frasca's Mentor
and TruFlite devices
continue to be popular with flight schools worldwide. Mentors have been
ordered by Westwind School of Aeronautics, the Finnish Aviation Academy,
Walla Walla University, the University of Illinois and UND in recent
months. TruFlites have been ordered by ATP Flight Training, General
Flying Service, Global Aviation Company, Walla Walla University and many
other schools as well. The TruFlite and Mentor product lines offer
Frasca's leading edge technology and reliability. The TruFlite is a
reconfigurable device offering a wide range of flight training options
for flight schools, while the Mentor is designed for training pilots on
advanced avionics.
(March 28, 2008)
ERAU
Receives FAA Level 6 Approval for Frasca DA-42 FTDs
Following several months of in-house flight testing and data gathering,
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., is the
first sponsor to receive FAA Level 6 qualification for its two Frasca
DA-42 Flight Training Devices.
The Frasca-built FTDs, which include a 220-degree spherical visual
system, were delivered and placed into service in January 2008; only 10
months elapsed from receipt of contract to FAA qualification.
The new FTDs will supplement the fleet of 10 Diamond DA-42 Twin Star
aircraft recently delivered to the Daytona Beach campus. The Twin Star
meets all requirements for designation as a technically advanced
aircraft and includes a Garmin G1000 avionics suite, a Jet-A-burning
Thielert-built power plant, and a Bendix/King KAP140 Autopilot.
Level 6 ground and flight performance data for the FTDs were collected
by Embry-Riddle’s College of Aviation instructors and staff in
cooperation with faculty and students from the College of Engineering
and Frasca engineers. This process, under the leadership of Dr. Tim
Brady, dean of the College of Aviation, included over 100 hours of
flight time in a Diamond DA-42 Twin Star with numerous sensors attached
to the experimental platform to collect engine, airframe, and
performance data. The ground and flight data that simulate the
aircraft’s characteristics were developed and then provided to Frasca
for modeling. More than 105 different maneuvers, many beyond Level 6,
were conducted in the test aircraft. Embry-Riddle has retained ownership
of the 2.23 gigabytes of DA-42 data to support the future sale and
distribution of the enhanced data package to additional sponsors.
Using the simulator instead of the aircraft results in fuel-emission
savings and reduced carbon emissions. Simulators are also safer for
flight training and do not add to congested skies.
“These new FTDs have some significant improvements over the Seminole FTD
they replace,” commented Frank Ayers, chairman of the Flight Department
at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach campus. “They include visible and
working engine nacelles, wings, control surfaces, and propellers. I’ve
flown the FTD on a single engine with the second propeller wind milling
and it is quite realistic.”
The DA-42 FTDs have Garmin 1000 avionics; Frasca’s Graphical Instructors
Station (GISt) with a portable tablet, which allows the instructor to
control the FTD from the cockpit; and an auto-certification system used
to validate the simulators.
Embry-Riddle is a long-time customer of Frasca International, with
several Frasca simulators in use at its two residential campuses in
Daytona Beach and Prescott, Ariz., and at its Worldwide Campus centers
around the globe. These include one CRJ-200 Level 6 FTD, 11 Cessna 172S
Level 6 FTDs, two Piper Seminole Level 6 FTDs, one Piper Seminole Level
5 FTD, one F142P FTD, one F141 FTD, and two Mentor Advanced Aviation
Training Devices.(March 10, 2008)
Frasca Contracts with
Bristow for AS-355 FTD
Frasca International Inc. has contracted to sell Houston-based Bristow
Group Inc. (NYSE: BRS) an AS-355 Flight Training Device (FTD). The FTD
will be designed and manufactured to meet the requirements of JAR STD 2H
FTD 3 and JAR STD 3H FNPT II MCC and will be installed at Bristow’s
Norwich operation in the UK. The device will feature Frasca’s TruVision
visual system with six channel visual display providing a 200 degree
horizontal by 70 degree field of view. Aerodynamic qualification data
will be collected by Frasca’s flight test group through an extensive
flight test program. In addition to the AS-355 FTD, Bristow contracted
with Frasca to provide two Full Flight Simulators (FFSs). These Frasca
FFSs will simulate the Eurocopter EC225 and the Sikorsky S-92 aircraft
and will be qualified as Level B devices. Bristow Group will use the
simulators in training operations in Aberdeen, Scotland.
“Acquiring this FTD will enable Bristow to substantially
upgrade it’s instrument training program. We intend to double the
capacity of the Norwich, UK school.” said Patrick Corr, Senior Vice
President, Bristow Group. “We’ve been greatly impressed with the
performance of other Frasca products, and we have every confidence that
these new simulators will be an enormous benefit to our training
programs.” (Feb. 27, 2008)
Sabena Orders DA-40 FNPT II STD
Sabena Airline Training Center, Mesa, AZ
has placed an order for a Frasca Diamond DA-40 FNPT II Synthetic
Training Device (STD). The device will feature TruVision, TruFeel
Electric Control Loading (ECL), reconfigurable visual database and more.
(February 27, 2008)
EC-135 FTD on Display at Heli-Expo!
Frasca International will display their
EC-135 Flight Training
Device (FTD) with TruVision Global visual display at
Heli-Expo - Feb. 24-26, Houston,
TX. Stop by the Frasca booth (#3749) to see the latest in simulation
technology. The EC-135 FTD will be delivered to Era Training Center in
Lake Charles, LA following the show. (January 30, 2008)
Frasca Celebrates 50th
Anniversary!
 Frasca
International is proud to announce their 50th year in business in 2008!
Frasca International, Inc, Urbana, IL announced that 2008 is their 50th
year in business. "I founded Frasca International in 1958 after working
as a flight simulator instructor & maintenance engineer in the Navy,"
said Rudy Frasca, Founder and President. "I'm extremely proud of where
we are today and the positive impact we've had on flight training
worldwide." Frasca plans to celebrate their 50th anniversary with
various events and celebrations throughout the year. "Having delivered
over 2000 devices, we're well known in the international flight training
community and are very grateful to our customers who have put their
trust in our company," mentioned Rudy. "We also are extremely fortunate
to have loyal and dedicated employees who take great pride in their
work." Frasca employs over 160 at their factory in Urbana and also
relies on the help of sales agents and service engineers located around
the world.
Frasca is one of the only privately owned simulator manufacturers in the
world. The company owned and managed by the Frasca family with three
generations involved in the business. Rudy's son, John Frasca, is Vice
President. Sons Tom, Bob and David and daughters, Mary, Peggy and Liz
are involved in marketing, management, production, finance and other
areas of the company.
Frasca International is unique in that it provides a complete range of
flight training equipment for all aircraft types rather than focusing
strictly on the higher end or the entry level products. Over the past 50
years, the company has had many milestones with respect to technological
breakthroughs, new product announcements and contract awards. In 1983,
the company transitioned from analog to digital simulation, utilizing PC
technology. In 1984, they developed electric control loading which
improved the feel of the controls. In 1985, Frasca introduced their
first visual system. In 1987, motion bases were applied to general
aviation devices. In 1991 Frasca introduced their Graphical Instructors
Station (GISt) which has become an industry standard for it's ease of
use and instructional value. In 1992, the company delivered it's first
Full Flight Simulator. In 2003, 16 Level 6 FTDs were delivered to ERAU,
the first of their kind. In 2005, a Frasca KingAir FFS with TruVision
was approved to Level C. In 2007, Frasca delivered the first Level 6
Helicopter FTD and introduced TruVision Global, a highly detailed visual
system, to the industry.
Frasca International is known worldwide as "the Comprehensive Source for
Flight Simulation" and their name has become synonymous with flight
simulation in many parts of the world. Frasca's product range includes
Flight Training Devices (FTDs), FNPT I, II and IIMCC devices, CPTs, Full
Flight Simulators (FFS) and more for all aircraft types, fixed wing and
rotary. Frasca has delivered over 2000 devices to some 70 countries
since the company was founded.
Frasca provides simulation equipment to airlines, flight schools and
military organizations worldwide. Key customers include large university
aviation programs such as Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU)
and the University North Dakota (UND), hundreds of flight schools,
military organizations such as the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army, The
Indonesian Air Force, The Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS), the
NYPD and others, and helicopter operators including PHI, Air Logistics,
Bristow Helicopters, Silver State Helicopters, Bell Helicopters, Era
Helicopters and many more. Thousands of pilots worldwide have trained on
Frasca equipment. (January 7, 2008)
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