FAA Certifies OSU-TCC Flight Simulator

Learn to fly without leaving the ground. It's partially possible, thanks to a joint effort from Tulsa Community College, Oklahoma State and Tulsa Technology Center. Their GAT II flight simulator

Tuesday, January 9th 2007, 5:57 am

By: News On 6

Learn to fly without leaving the ground. It's partially possible, thanks to a joint effort from Tulsa Community College, Oklahoma State and Tulsa Technology Center. Their GAT II flight simulator is one of only four in the country to be certified by the FAA.

News on 6 reporter Steve Berg has more on the school's lofty status.

It's down-to-earth in the literal sense. But everything else about the GAT II is pretty high-falutin'

"It is a bit pricey, so some of the smaller flight centers probably wouldn't be able to afford them," said Dave Moyers with Oklahoma State University.

Dave Moyers helped get the FAA certification for the simulator, which trains pilots how to fly a Cessna 172, the most popular model for teaching civilian and general aviation pilots.

"To get certification, it has to perform exactly like the aircraft that it's modeled after," Moyers said.

That means realistic movements and feedback from the controls.

The hours in here don't count toward a pilot's license, but you can get up to half of the hours toward your instrument rating right here, without ever leaving the ground. You can imagine how that saves fuel and money, and also time.

"If you're out here at Riverside with a very busy airspace, you may spend a substantial amount of time waiting for clearance to take off," said Moyers.

You can take off and land at nearly any airport in the country. It can also simulate poor visibility conditions that often disorient pilots.

"It's the same type of thing that caused John F. Kennedy Jr. to crash his aircraft. This is a very good preventative measure," said Moyers.

It's rare for students at this level to have access to this kind of machine. With the FAA certification, they can now make the most of it.

"This center right here is an unknown and untapped jewel," Moyers said.

The simulator is located at the Tulsa Technology Campus in Jenks at Riverside Airport. It's part of Tulsa Community College's Flight School.