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GTPulse: Giving Wings Aviation Opens Flight Simulator to All

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At Giving Wings Aviation, the sky isn’t the limit but the destination. They specialize in all kinds of courses to get pilots in the air, and with a range of different licensing and certifications available to earn from the school, Giving Wings Aviation caters to those folks who are just starting out, to those who are already comfortable in the air. Whatever level of interest in aviation you may have, the school offers a lot of resources, including a new flight simulator that will be beneficial for accustoming burgeoning pilots to the air, and to keep current pilots sharp on hours and certifications.

Eric S. Nuffer is the founder of GWA. He opened up shop out of a personal passion for aviation, and to help provide rental planes, plane maintenance, instruction, and other resources for those interested in aviation. He began his own flight education through public school before becoming involved with Northwestern Michigan College’s aviation division. He is also an FAA commercial pilot, certified flight instructor, single & multi-engine instrument, FAA A&P with inspection authorization. He also holds authorization with ICON Aircraft as a flight training partner and service provider. This dude knows his stuff, and he’s created a place for those who want to know and do more with their aviation knowledge and skill.

He’s passionate about making flight instruction accessible and informative at all levels while keeping GWA innovative as well.

“We’re excited about this FA approved simulator. It’s a precision sight controlled DRX AATD. The AATD stands for Advanced Aviation Training Device. What that amounts to is it’s an open cockpit design, it has a 135-degree screen with audio. We can fly a number of different aircrafts, but what we utilize it for primarily is to provide instrument training and currency to our customers whether they’re learning to fly with us, or maintaining an instrument currency.”

An aspiring pilot goes through stages of testing before receiving their license. Tests must be passed and a certain number of hours must be logged before receiving any kind of licensing. Once someone becomes a licensed pilot, that license doesn’t expire. However, to be able to fly continuously, a pilot must do a flight review every two years. This review is done with an authorized instructor, typically in the air, but can also be done with the simulator.

Beyond keeping old pilots fresh and up to date, it can also be used any step along the way to receiving a license.

“Since it is an FA approved simulator, they can actually log time that counts towards the experience requirements for a private pilot certificate, for an instrument rating, and for a commercial certificate as well.”

A simulator is also a good option for those who are curious but still apprehensive about the idea of becoming a pilot. Because it utilizes fewer resources it’s more cost-effective for those who aren’t ready to get into the air just yet, or for those who have just started taking classes at GWA and won’t feel comfortable flying in the imminent cold, snowy weather yet.

“As the weather gets more unpredictable, we definitely can’t count on awesome, beautiful, blue sky days anymore like we can in the summer. On a day where it’s raining and the clouds are really low, it’s nice to use the simulator in a climate-controlled room.”

That’s not to say that the user experience will always be sunny blue skies. The simulator experience can demonstrate all kinds of weather conditions, as well as all kinds of international landscapes. 

“You can fly an aircraft in Traverse City, or really any airline in the world. If someone wanted to fly Colorado we could put them on the runway in Denver National Airport and they could fly from there. The default here is set to Cherry Capital Airport.”

Whether it’s a way to get your toes wet in the world of aviation or a way for you to stay fresh for clear skies in the spring, check out GWA’s new flight simulator and enjoy a journey through the clouds. 

“We think it would be great for someone who would like to see what flying is all about, or someone who has racked up a lot of hours on a home-based simulator that’s not FA approved, and they wanted to log some time for the private pilot certificate. It’d also be great for someone who wants to stay proficient on their instrument rating throughout the winter. We would love for community members to come in and check it out.”

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