Upgrades to simulator helps pilots train better

  • Published
  • By Maj. Laurie Arellano
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Following recent upgrades to the weapons system trainer, the 5th Operations Support Squadron now has the most realistic method available for training and evaluating B-52H Stratofortress crew members.

The B-52 trainer recently underwent a "rehost" as part of a three-year, $30 million Air Force-wide upgrade to the Air Force's three B-52 simulators, with one of those residing at Minot.

"This is an awesome tool," said Maj. Rob Rodas, an assistant operations officer with the 5th Operations Support Squadron. "It's just like being in the plane."

The most recent modifications to the system upgraded the trainer's motion systems, provided new consoles for the controllers and improved visual systems to increase the simulator's capability to provide realistic training scenarios for crewmembers. But the biggest benefit is that it allows crews cockpit time to practice emergency procedures and specific tasks without the expense, risk and time associated with launching a B-52.

As the B-52 has undergone numerous modifications and upgrades during its lifetime, the simulator has kept pace ensuring the trainer cockpit looks and feels like the plane. However, the recent improvements not only ensure the trainer's systems are current with the aircraft, but it also improves the quality of training by making the experience more realistic.

The upgraded simulator has a new 180-degree digital display along with hydraulically controlled motion that makes the flight, from the inside, look and feel like the real thing. The mind is tricked into believing it's in-flight through the combination of what is being seen and felt.

"It's as real as you can get," said 1st Lt. David Davis, 5th Operations Group.

With controllers setting conditions like weather, in-flight emergencies, and combat scenarios, while watching every gauge and listening to the activity in the cockpit, the crews can take off from Minot AFB in a blizzard, refuel over the Atlantic Ocean, have fighters launched against them from unfriendly territory, land at Diego Garcia with engine problems, and still be home for dinner.

"It provides a lot of capability to do the things we can't do in a plane," said Major Rodas.

The simulator is used to certify crews on many tasks that can't be performed in a plane, including emergency procedures and weapons delivery. It allows crews to train on every part of flying operations, from mission planning to instrument landing, without the many hours of non value-added time required to launch and recover a plane.

All pilots must be evaluated on emergency procedures that can't be performed during flight, but instead of one full day of mission planning and another full day of flying, the check ride can be accomplished in several hours in the simulator.

"I like to work on emergency procedures," said 1st Lt Jason Mahaffey, 23rd Bomb Squadron B52 co-pilot. "It's not something we can practice in the jet, but we always need to be ready."

The next step in upgrading the trainer will be to connect network capability, allowing crews in simulators at the 5th Bomb Wing to train virtually with crews in simulators all over the world.

"We never fight alone," Major Rodas said. "This will allow us to train like we fight."

With connectivity to joint and NATO cockpits, realistic virtual exercises will be conducted without anyone having to leave the ground.

"It takes a huge logistical effort to move planes, fuel, parts and people to an exercise somewhere," said Major Rodas. "This is not only a huge cost savings, but it increases the time that the crews can spend training."

Major Rodas said with increasing expenses and cuts in flying hours, combined with deployment schedules, the Air Force will be relying more heavily on state of the art simulators and expert controllers to provide the safest, most realistic training possible to ensure the wing's readiness to take the fight to the enemy.

Lieutenant Davis said the simulator provides quality training that's fun at the same time.

"It's a blast."