Helicopter Aviation Training Conference & Tradeshow in Orlando, Florida.

On June 3^rd and 4^th FLYIT Simulators demonstrated its Professional Helicopter Simulator at the Helicopter Aviation Training and Simulation Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Mr. Sergei I. Sikorsky provided the inspiration for the conference with his keynote speech "Reflections of A Pioneer". If you ever have a chance to hear one of Mr. Sikorsky’s presentations, jump at it. The audience was transfixed during his very comprehensive review and personal memories of aviation history.

On a personal note, I was privileged to dine with Mr. Sikorsky one evening of the conference. The discussion was lively and it was interesting to me to find out that his father learned to fly a helicopter by first building an FTD!!! While not the first FTD ever built it was the first for helicopters. His reason for doing so was in keeping with why FTD’s play such an important role today. His reason for constructing the FTD – "he wanted to live through the training experience". By simulating this new helicopter environment and practicing in an FTD safely, he was able to develop the skill set necessary to successfully fly his helicopter the first time out.

CEO of FLYIT Simulators was a featured speaker presenting FLYIT Simulator’s New Technology Digital Simulation (NTDS) as it applies to helicopter flight training.

Helicopter operators and flight schools from around the world were provided demonstration/evaluation flights. Feedback from this group was positive culminating in the device being moved (the FTD is self-contained and in a trailer) to Helicopter Adventures in Titusville, Florida where all 22 instructors had a turn flying it. To a man, the response was, " the helicopter industry finally has a device that is affordable, and accomplishes the training mission."

The conference provided for some very lively discussion. Of particular surprise to FLYIT Simulators was the view by some that the best training can only be accomplished at large facilities with expensive resources. It was stated, by one conference attendee that granting flight time hours (loggable) for simulator training should only be done for Level D full flight simulators and that pilots, and flight schools alike, should be prepared to pay for them. It was further stated that motion was a must.