Press Releases

Joel Plaice & Associates (JPA) has announced the award from AeroServices of Virginia Gardens, Florida, of a Project to update the B747-300 Full Flight Simulator. The simulator, formerly operated at Varig Airlines in Brazil, has been relocated to the AeroService Aviation Center in Virginia Gardens, Florida.

The simulator’s Aero programs will be updated to reflect the latest Boeing aircraft data. An updated QTG will be developed and installed to conform with the latest FAA Simulator Certification Standards. The B747-300 simulator was originally built by the former Rediffusion Simulation Company of Crawley, England.

The update will also include the following:

• Installation of 2 Ethernet communications systems to interface with simulator systems
• Complete integration of a new Visual System.
• A second complete integration of a new Visual System on AeroServices’ MD-88 Simulator
• Installation of a new LTN-92 Dual-Cue Navigation System
• Installation of FAA approved Windshear Training Scenarios

Says JPA President Joel Plaice, “ Building upon the success of the Kalitta Air B747-200/300 simulator upgrade, JPA will bring its experience and capabilities to AeroServices to update the ex-Varig simulator to become an excellent performer in the Training Market, and a valuable addition to the AeroServices inventory of Training Devices.”

JPA is a full service Simulator Consulting and Technical Support Services company headquartered in Westminster, Colorado. Services offered include Training Device Brokering, Appraisal Services, Operational Consulting, Procurement Assistance, Facility Design, Relocations, and Minor/ Major Simulator Upgrades. Simulator upgrades include Host Computer Replacements, IOS Replacements, EGPWS, TCAS, GPS, Litton 92, Glass Instrument Displays, as well as overall upgrades for certification qualification.

For further information about JPA and the AeroService B747-300 project, please contact Joel Plaice at (303) 456-8768, (720) 841-3370, or email at joelplaice@jpasims.net , or visit our website at www.jpasims.net

Joel Plaice & Associates (JPA) has announced the completion of the Atlas Air B747-200 Avionics Upgrade Project. JPA updated avionics on both Atlas Air B747 classic simulators located in Miami, Florida.

The Avionics Upgrade Project consisted of the following:

• Replacement of the older LTN-72 INS system (Carousel) with the new LTN-92 INS System
• Installation of the Sandel Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS)
• Installation of GPS
• Rehosting the former DOS-based TCAS system into the Linux-based Avionics Upgrade System

The entire suite of avionics were added as “Bolt On” systems, allowing for installation and integration with no lost simulator time whatsoever. All systems are hosted in a single PC, in which reside all the I/O circuitry necessary. Says Atlas Air Manager of Simulator Operations Randy Schwellinger “ It is advantageous to have the entire modernized avionics in one computing element and to have the systems comprised of the latest off-the-shelf hardware.”

Joel Plaice & Associates (JPA) has announced the certification of the Kalitta Boeing 747-200/300 Simulator. The simulator has been certified by the FAA as a Level C Training Device under FAA Advisory Circular 120-40C (Draft). The FAA initial inspection, completed June 14 was the culmination of an 8 month update project to qualify the simulator for certification under current FAA standards and make the simulator adequate for Kalitta Flight Crew Training. The simulator now operates in the new, state-of-the-art Kalitta Training Center at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

The simulator was formerly owned and operated by KLM airline. It is a 1980's vintage CAE manufactured simulator with major hardware updates in 1996 to replace the original VAX 11/780 computers with an IBM RISC Host Computer. The visual system was also replaced with an SPX-500 WIDE visual.

Says Kalitta Air Chief Pilot Richard Hagquist " This is a major investment by Kalitta Air in safety. This update to the simulator and subsequent certification allows us to train our pilots in a simulator which has the complete suite of equipment that operate in our airplanes. The simulator being operated in our new training center at Company Headquarters in Ypsilanti, Michigan offers a more attractive environment and more options for training our pilots "

JPA first relocated the simulator from Amsterdam to Ypsilanti, Michigan and temporarily installed it to operate in a limited fashion in the Kalitta Headquarters building. JPA then provided design consultation for the simulator portion of a new building constructed to house the simulator and a portion of the growing Kalitta administrative staff. The building was completed in January 2006 and the simulator installation completed in February 2006.

The update project consisted of the following modifications:

• Installation of a digital control loading system
• Update of the Aero Package programming, adding the -200 variant to the existing -300 configuration. This included and instant switchover capability from the Instructor's station.
• Addition of Pratt JT9D engines to the existing GE CFM engines on the simulator. This also included instant switchover capability from the Instructor's station.
• Installation and integration of an Electronic Engine Display system which supports the quick engine change feature.
• Installation of the Honeywell EGPWS system.
• Replacement of the Instructor's Station displays with new technology Flat Touchscreen units.
• Installation of an 'Auto Compiler' system to support the implementation and maintenance of the total world Radio Aids Database.
• Provisioning of 3 new custom visual databases.
• Update of the QTG to conform to current FAA standards for both aircraft variants and both engine variants.
• New Pilot Instrument panels with considerable modifications to match the Kalitta aircraft.
• Substantial Overhead, Pedestal, and Flight Engineer's panels to change the simulator from a passenger configuration to a cargo configuration that matches the Kalitta aircraft.
• Modification of Autopilot system, replacing the original autopilot with one that matches the Kalitta aircraft.