India’s first C-17 flight simulator inducted

India’s first and world’s 32nd C-17 flight simulator was inducted into the Indian Air Force on Friday.

It is aimed at training IAF pilots to fly the ten C-17 cargo planes in the country.

Manufactured by Boeing and Mahindra Defence, the simulator is based at a facility in Sector 35. It was inaugurated by Air Marshal BS Dhanoa, vice chief of Air Staff.

The simulator is an exact replica of a C-17 cockpit, with two pilot seats, joysticks to control the aircraft, and many lights, switches and gauges on the instrument panel and ceiling.

It rests on an electrically powered motion system with flight instructors and maintenance technicians keeping the systems running.

The simulator gives pilots training of even emergency situations such as fires, bird hit, equipment and hydraulic malfunction and dodgy weather.

“You can’t create emergency situations in real flights. Unless you are unfortunate too experience it. We use motion with visual effects, the training prepares any pilot to face such situations,” Charles M Bailey, a test engineer for C-17 Aircrew Training, Boeing, said. Bailey had also served in the United States Air Force.

The simulator also saves money as no aviation fuel needs to be burned.

“C-17 pilots will now take a simulator course for six months, to be equipped to handle the technicalities of flying,” Air Marshal BS Dhanoa said.

The C-17 was formally accepted into the Indian Air Force in June 2013 and accommodates nearly 250 people onboard.

Since then, it has been used during Cyclone Phalin, Nepal earthquake, Kashmir and Chennai floods.