The 42nd Electronic Combat Squadron celebrated a re-opening Sept. 22 of their EC-130H Compass Call flight deck simulator.
The upgraded flight simulator features the EC-130Hs new glass cockpit, which allows pilots to keep up with the aviation community and civilian advances.
“With this upgrade, we are now capable of flying and navigating safely around the world for the foreseeable future,” said Maj. Christina Lakey, 42nd Electronic Combat Squadron assistant director of operations and evaluator pilot.
The upgrade not only allows military pilots to keep up with the modern advances in aviation but it also provides a safer and cheaper way of training flight deck aviators.
“We are allowed to do maneuvers in the sim that would be dangerous to do in the actual aircraft,” Lakey said. “For instance, we practice shutting down engines and dealing with engine fires and inclement weather, making us more proficient with any situations that would happen in flight.”
The system underwent a $10.5 million renovation to improve training, crew confidence for deployments and mission readiness.