The US Navy has added live air traffic control (ATC) communication to its undergraduate primary flight training.

During simulator training, Student Naval aviators (SNA) with Training Air Wing (TW) 4, situated at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi were able to interact with live ATC personnel directly, reported Chief of Naval Air Training Ensign Jahanna Conner.

This new advancement has been delivered under Chief of Naval Air Training’s (CNATRA) new prototype primary flight training syllabus, Project Avenger.

Project Avenger has been designed to accelerate the creation of more capable aviators by including the latest technology to optimise the development of skills while minimising training periods.

To enable live ATC interaction, the curriculum incorporates PilotEdge, a software service that offers students with live communications with certified air traffic controllers.

During the simulator training, the students receive instructions from these controllers via radio communications.

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This development is expected to provide flight students with a quicker understanding of real-world flight.

Prior to Project Avenger, the simulator instructor verbally provided ATC communication.

TW-4 Project Avenger detachment officer in charge commander Joshua Calhoun said: “Our students are able to learn flight communications earlier, and more frequently, allowing them to become more adept more quickly than students who came before them.”

It was noted that students who went on to advanced flight training for jets after completing the new syllabus performed above average than those who finished the old syllabus.

With four units, TW-4 coaches student aviators in primary, intermediate, and advanced flight training.

These units involve 800 officers and enlisted personnel, as well as more than 180 aircraft and simulators.