Blog

Last year, we partnered with EAA, FLYING magazine, Jeppesen, the National Association of Flight Instructors, the IMC Club, PilotEdge and Redbird Flight Simulations to establish the IFR Proficiency Center at Oshkosh. This year we are proud to announce that two other leaders in aviation safety, MindStar Aviation and the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators, will be joining the us to build on last year’s success.

The 2015 EAA Pilot Proficiency Center will feature daily Tech Talks from industry experts. Certified flight instructors will be on hand to talk to conference-goers and answer questions and the Red Bird will once again provide top of the line simulators for practicing IFR and VFR flight scenarios.

“While we’re all here in Oshkosh enjoying everything flight has to offer, the EAA Pilot Proficiency Center is a superb opportunity to sharpen those year-round flying skills in a fun, non-intimidating way,” said Joe Brown, president of Hartzell Propeller and a member of EAA’s board of directors, who is among the leadership group for the center. “Our goal is that pilots will see the value of using simulator-based scenarios to hone basic piloting skills and will add this kind of recurrent training to their annual regime, just like the pros do.”

The Proficiency Center was a big hit in its debut year. Thousands of pilots took advantage of the interactive education opportunity to improve their skills in IFR flying an basic airmanship. The simulations offer a safe environment to take on challenging real-world flight situations. That practice, which was impossible in the past, can be invaluable when difficult conditions arise in the air.

“The EAA Pilot Proficiency Center adds extra value for those participating at AirVenture in 2015,” said Jack Pelton, EAA’s chairman of the board. “We appreciate all the people and companies who have stepped forward to support this facility, because it enhances a major part of AirVenture – the opportunity to share knowledge and information that creates safer, more proficient aviators.”

The EAA Pilot Proficiency Center will be located inside the Oshkosh exhibition area,  east of the air traffic control tower.