Simulators Transform Canadian Aviation Training

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) welcomes the arrival of two flight simulators from Flightdeck Solutions, a Canadian aviation simulator manufacturer. The addition of the two advanced flight simulators to the BCIT Aerospace Technology Campus in Richmond marks a major advancement in support of the aviation sector in BC while also furthering BCIT’s leadership as one of the largest aviation training providers in Canada. The flight training devices offer Aircraft Maintenance Engineering students with full-scale representation of the Boeing 737 MAX and the De Havilland Dash 8-Q400 flight decks – providing an immersive and safe learning experience that mimics real-world aviation scenarios and settings.

Both devices, despite their large scale and all-metal construction, were transported in through a standard door and assembled inside the BCIT learning space. Inside each fully enclosed flight deck is a 220 degrees wrap-around projection screen where students get a fully tactile experience complete with operational switches and knobs for all key functions, as well as loaded flight controls for a realistic feel of the aircraft under different flying conditions. Within each device, there is space for an instructor to play and pause flight scenarios, change weather, or set up failures or malfunctions for the students to respond to – all of which mimics a real-world flying experience.

The capabilities of the two flight training simulators contribute to fostering a safe and realistic learning environment for students to familiarize themselves with complex flight operations, procedures, and real-world scenarios, such as taxiing, approaches, and landings.

Beyond enhancing students’ hands-on learning experiences in a simulated real-world environment, the new flight simulators also benefit the broader aviation industry by providing improved access to these  training tools. This ensures industry professionals stay up to date with the latest skills and advancements in aviation.

British Columbia has one of the largest aerospace clusters in Canada and is home to approximately 200 aerospace companies specializing in training, maintenance, manufacturing, security and more. According to the Province of BC, the aerospace industry in BC is estimated to generate $2.5 billion in revenue annually and directly employ almost 9,000 people.

The addition of the two flight training simulators at BCIT was made possible due to funding provided by PacifiCan.