Precision Flight Controls (PFC, Static Display N7) of Rancho Cordova, California and Ryan Aerospace of Australia recently received FAA approval for an advanced aviation training device (AATD) for the Bell 206B/407GX Jet Ranger. The PFC/Ryan Aerospace AATD is approved to provide up to 7.5 hours of the aeronautical experience requirement for the Private Pilot helicopter certificate as specified in Parts 61 and 141.

PFC president and CEO Mike Altman said he is proud of the work that had been done to achieve the milestone. "We [PFC and Ryan Aerospace] saw a market for a high-fidelity, mid-range cost training device—an AATD,” explained Altman. “We are working toward a level 7 FTD [flight training device]. We are both manufacturers. We don’t buy a lot of equipment that is off-the-shelf. Everything that goes into the flight models we design ourselves. We control the manufacturing. We have the capability of doing everything in our machine shop, except sheet metal.”

“This is a real game-changer for flying schools looking to save money and reduce risk. Lower cost simulators like ours are really disrupting the industry, which has been dominated by the larger players,” added Chris Ryan, managing director of Ryan Aerospace.