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Pilot Proficiency Checks (PPC) Training Credits On Simuflight’s Beech 1900 And Beech King Air 200 Simulator

December 3, 2020

In February 2019 after many years of allowing Pilot Proficiency Checks (PPC) to be carried out on selected higher fidelity non-motion FNPT II simulators the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) withdrew these training credits from all non-motion FNPT II’s industry wide; in so doing creating a costly problem for Part 135 and Part 121 operators and pilots. PPC’s henceforth needed to be done either in a Level D Full Flight Simulator or in the aircraft itself at a substantially higher cost and in the case of the aircraft a substantially higher risk to crew and aircraft in return for a superficial PPC at best. It should be borne in mind that high risk exercises like engine failure after take-off into IMC are not recommended to be done in the actual aircraft. It is also impossible to realistically recreate emergencies that cause Master Warning annunciations in the actual aircraft during flight without incurring substantial risk by shutting down critical aircraft systems and compromising safety.
An intensive campaign spearheaded by a team of aviation industry experts under the auspices of the Commercial Aviation Association of South Africa (CAASA) engaged the SACAA in a meaningful consultation process and in collaboration developed a CAR and CATS Part 60 according to ICAO Document 9625 guidelines that ultimately serves the unique requirements of South African aviation. These regulations and technical standards contain, amongst other, the training credits table for Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTD’s). It now formally includes training credits for PPC and Type Rating training for fixed base FNPT II, FNPT II MCC and FTD FSTD’s subject to the proviso that the approval is dependent on the level of fidelity of the FSTD and that the approval is device specific. FSTD’s seeking these training credits need to prove compliance to the required type specific fidelity level in accordance with the Technical Guidance Material (TGM) published by SACAA.
Simuflight is proud to announce that after walking this long road and upgrading their Beech 1900D and Beech King Air 200 FNPT II MCC simulator to meet the type specific fidelity requirements an evaluation by the SACAA was completed successfully and our Beech 1900D/200 simulator was awarded the new type specific approval and credits for PPC and Type Rating training by the authority.
In a world first, Simuflight’s Beech 1900D and Beech King Air 200 FNPT II MCC simulator is the first non-motion FSTD in South Africa to now be approved by SACAA as Type Specific in accordance with SACATS Part 60, FSTD-A and the relevant Technical Guidance Material.