Redbird Newsroom
Over 30 years of aviation expertise advises the world’s fastest growing flight simulation company
Jack Pelton may have retired as chairman of Cessna Aircraft Company in 2011, but he’s still an active player in the aviation community. One of these roles includes newest member of the Redbird Flight Simulations, Inc., Board of Directors. “We’re thrilled to welcome Jack to the Board of Directors,” said Jerry Gregoire, Redbird Chairman. “Having a board member with Jack’s business acumen and experience is valuable beyond measure. Redbird is grateful for his commitment to aviation.”
ForeFlight will use Skyport’s flight simulation lab to test and develop iPad app enhancements
San Marcos, TX (Oct 3, 2012) – ForeFlight Mobile for the iPad is already one of the most-used aviation apps in the world, but the company wants to make it better by testing how pilots really use the software in the cockpit. To that end, ForeFlight will record students, instructors and participating pilots flying simulators and real aircraft at the Redbird Skyport in San Marcos, Texas. The studies will offer insights to drive app development based on observed pilot needs. New features and hardware can then be tested in the same environment for immediate feedback. “We created the Skyport as an open laboratory for everybody to use,” says Jerry Gregoire, Chairman of the Board of Redbird Flight Simulations who operates the Skyport.
Bad Elf, Inc., the manufacturer of the just released the Bad Elf GPS Pro, next-generation portable GPS receiver and data logger designed exclusively for the iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad, and with Redbird Flight Simulations, Inc., along with their marketing partners King Schools, Inc. and Jeppesen Sanderson are proud to announce Cygnus, a whole new way to train pilots to use any of the dozens of iPad based aviation applications.
Owners and instructors say the $200,000 A-ATD bests many million-dollar simulators.
Potomac Flight Training in Sterling, Virginia needed a simulation base capable of training the Collins Pro Line 21 avionics in a realistic environment for their King Air 350 type rating and recurrent training. Potomac’s General Manager, Harry Arthur, says the Redbird was chosen for both its reasonable cost and its fast delivery time. “We heard they were doing Proline for the FAA. We signed the contract [with Redbird] on August 31 and had it before the end of the year, which is just unheard of in this industry.”
Jeff Van West heads Redbird Media to change how pilots and instructors think about simulation
There’s wide agreement that flight simulation is crucial to making flight training more affordable. But truly integrating simulation into flight training too often falls short in the real world. “The core issue is that most pilots and instructors see simulation as an adjunct to flight training and proficiency,” says Jeff Van West, Director of the new organization Redbird Media. “We need to shift people’s concept of simulation such that it becomes a central part of a pilot lifestyle. To reap the benefits, using simulation must become a habit.”
