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Moody Aviation partnership with Frasca spans 50 years!

Customer Feature

A Long History:

The collaboration between Frasca and Moody began in the 1960's, but the concept for training pilots at Moody Aviation began much earlier. In 1946, Paul Robinson approached the trustees of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago with an innovative idea to use the surplus of pilots and aircraft after World War II to help missionaries and medical personnel serve people in the most remote and isolated locations. Paul opened Moody Aviation in Elmhurst, Illinois with a devotion to train and prepare students with the very best methods and technology available. He wanted to enable them to operate aircraft safely and effectively wherever they landed. Since those early years, Moody Aviation has trained hundreds of pilots and mechanics who have delivered aid and good news in almost 50 different nations.

Moody Aviation upgraded to a Frasca flight simulator from a Link trainer in the late 60’s. Frasca simulators have been a constant at Moody Aviation ever since. From the early models to the latest AATDs, Moody has used these invaluable tools to enhance the capabilities of flight instructors and increase student comprehension and skill for decades. From learning to taxi to the rigors of instrument flight, with hundreds of emergencies in between, Frasca training devices are a core part of the pilot training curriculum. Moody's students recognize the value of the training they receive in the simulators both from a cost savings and as an incredibly realistic exposure to the challenging environments in which they are preparing to operate.

"Although there are many simulator devices on the market, from simple computer setups to elaborate full motion devices, Moody Aviation has continually turned to Frasca devices as their primary flight simulators for over 50 years. We continue to be impressed with Frasca’s commitment to excellent flight fidelity, powerful and intuitive instructor interfaces and the most prompt and courteous customer service. We look forward to many more years of partnership with the family at Frasca as we continue our mission of training pilots to serving beyond the roads."

- Ian Hawk, Moody Aviation Flight Instructor

TruFlite Moody

In 2018 Moody Aviation announced the order of 3 new Frasca 142 Advanced Flight Training Devices (AATDs)

which will be delivered to their maintenance and flight training facility located at Felts Field in Spokane, WA in 2019. The acquisition of the FR-142’s dovetails with the deployment of a new catalog of flight and maintenance training coursework which highly integrate the fidelity of Frasca’s flight and systems operations into both the visual and instrument phases of training professional airman as well as equipping maintenance specialists with valuable systems operation and troubleshooting principles. An added benefit for Moody Aviation students will be the ability to continue programmed flight training during the unpredictable weather which often accompanies the winter months of the Pacific Northwest.

The three Frasca AATDs will be equipped with the Frasca Simplicity IOS instructor station as well as a 210º x 58º TruVision projected visual display system

Equipped as the most versatile AATD’s produced by Frasca, each simulator will model the flight and systems characteristics of the Cessna 172R, Cessna R182 and the Cessna U206G which make up the core training fleet for Moody Aviation. The new curriculum will include 10 – 20 hours of instruction in the reconfigurable simulator make and model prior to moving to the aircraft which will allow for much more cost effective introduction to aircraft systems, procedures and flight characteristics allowing students to be prepared to make effective use of the training time in the aircraft.

"Moody Aviation eagerly anticipates incorporating the new Frasca AATDs into our flight and maintenance training curriculum."

"These simulators will launch Moody Aviation into the next decade enabling us to train students on the very equipment they will be flying around the world following their graduation from Moody. We are grateful for Frasca’s amazing customer service and high quality simulation that will play a part in impacting thousands of lives around the world!" Jim Conrad – Program Manager, Moody Aviation

AATD Features:

The avionics stack in each AATD includes state of the art equipment to provide the same operational characteristics, look and feel of the equipment installed in the aircraft which consists of the PS Engineering PMA8000 audio panel, dual Garmin GTN650 GPS/NAV/COMs, Garmin GTX345 ADSB transponder and S-Tec System 55X autopilot. Garmin Engine Information System will also deliver engine monitoring for each model. The 172R and R182 aircraft models will include a reconfigurable pilot instrument panel which is equipped with the Garmin G500TXi primary flight display and the L3 ESI-500 serving as the backup flight display system. The U206G pilot instrument panel will be equipped with the traditional six pack of primary flight instruments allowing students to learn both traditional and glass instrument presentations. Students will learn the value of angle of attack as they compare pitch attitude to the Alpha System Eagle/Valkyrie AOA display.

About Moody Aviation:

Since its establishment in 1946 by Paul Robinson, Moody Aviation has equipped well over 1000 graduates as professional pilots, mechanics and avionics technicians whose focus is to serve in mission and humanitarian relief work around the globe.

Student trained at Moody Aviation have served in more than 100 countries and continue to make a significant impact as leaders in the field of missionary aviation. As a division of the undergraduate program of the Moody Bible Institute, Moody Aviation offers a 5 year Bachelor of Science in Missionary Aviation Technology degree program.

Students choose to focus their training as a maintenance specialist or a pilot / mechanic as they progress through their training. Unique to the training at Moody Aviation a maintenance specialist graduate not only qualifies as an FAA approved airframe and powerplant mechanic, but also gains firsthand experience with live aircraft inspections, sheet metal and engine rebuild projects, aircraft painting, system troubleshooting, component overhaul, avionics installation projects and training toward their Inspection Authorization.

Pilot / mechanic graduates earn their airframe and powerplant mechanic certificate as well as the FAA commercial instrument pilot certificate building an average of 325 hours of piloting time including over 100 hours logged in high performance aircraft such as the Cessna R182, A185F and the U206G. Flight students in the program have the opportunity to participate in a two week extended cross country project in which they navigate over 2500 miles through diverse airspace and terrain and are introduced to mountain navigation and unimproved airstrip operations which enables them to build significant maturity as an airman.

Working Together:

Frasca simulators have played an integral role in the flight training curriculum at Moody Aviation for over 50 years. Moody Aviation has three Frasca 141 Advanced Flight Training Devices that have been in service for 20 years. While still reliable in their fidelity as a flight simulator, the advancement of avionics technology and the FAA mandate to equip aircraft with ADSB capability prompted Moody to evaluate replacement simulators to match their changing fleet avionics packages.

After significant research, testing a variety of simulator packages and gathering insight from partner collegiate flight training schools they came to the clear conclusion that Frasca simulators continue to deliver the best fidelity as a simulator both in the modeling of aircraft flight characteristics as well as realistic operation of the avionics and aircraft systems.

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