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Colorado Heli-Ops helicopter flight simulators are online!  We have three of the best Flight Training Devices in the State of Colorado.  Two FRASCA Truflight H simulators and one Merlin Turbine Simulator.

Our Frasca Truflight H sims, are FAA Certified helicopter flight training devices, and are available to pilots of all experience levels.  These state-of-the-art devices are not simply a procedures trainer or enhanced video game like many of the less sophisticated models on the market.  The manufacturer, FRASCA Inc., is one of the best known names in the simulator business and makes Flight Simulators such as the $5,000,000+, Level 7, full-motion helicopter Sims used throughout the industry.  The Truflight H FTD’s (Flight Training Device) is much less expensive at approximately $205,000 each, but employs much of the same software and design characteristics that allow them to function with a very high degree of realism with accurate flight characteristics that makes them an unusually effective training tool.

Now, at Heli-Ops every one of our pilots can receive more comprehensive, efficient, and challenging training and capitalize on the same benefits recognized by the military and the industry’s largest, most advanced operators. The Trufilght H is certified for 7.5 hours towards the Private, 20 hours towards the Instrument, and 20 hours towards the Commercial and ATP.  Furthermore, now instrument rated pilots can perform their entire Instrument Competency Check (ICC) in the simulator and receive better training towards currency for far less money than would be possible in a helicopter.

Our FRASCA sims can be configured to emulate both of our training helicopters, the Schweitzer 300C Basic Trainer and the higher-performance Robinson R44 Instrument Trainer.  At $135 an hour including an instructor, the Simulator is between a third and a quarter of the hourly operating cost of the actual helicopter, allowing the student a much more cost effective and efficient training vehicle for all of the ratings from Private to CFII.  For the Private Student, advantages include cockpit and procedural familiarization including the operation of actual Garmin 430 GPS Nav/Comms, normal and emergency procedures, and some failures and emergency maneuvers which cannot safely be attempted in the actual helicopter.  More advanced Instrument and Commercial students can learn and practice Approaches and Instrument Procedures far more rapidly and realistically than is possible in the helicopter since IMC conditions, visual transitions, all types of approaches, and instrument failures can all be realistically demonstrated and practiced.  The end result is that the student not only gets superior practice and experience in the simulator, they also get far more out of their time in the helicopter as they are much better prepared.

Our newest simulator, made by Merlin, emulates a Schweizer 333 Turbine Helicopter and has become an integral part of our advanced training programs.  The terrain video resolution on this flight training device is second to none and is perfect for turbine transition and/or instrument training.