Dashing! Flying a Bombardier Q400 Flight Simulator

By Alastair Long

12 Aug2016

FlightSafety Simulator – Photo: FlightSafety International Inc

I first flew in a Bombardier Q400 Dash 8 as a passenger in October 2015 and, less than a year later, I got to co-pilot one! Well, not exactly… Not being a qualified pilot, I am unlikely to fly one any time soon. However, that did not prevent me from experiencing the next best thing: a ride in FlightSafety’s multimillion-dollar Dash 8 simulator, one of which is housed in the US aviation training company’s UK base at Farnborough Airport in Hampshire.

Our ride: Q400 Dash 8 – Photo: Alastair Long

Sales Manager Cristina Rodriguez, Dash 8 Program Manager (and examiner) Michà¨le Rodrigues, and Q400 Simulator Flight Instructor Bill Grevaux recently welcomed me to join them in the aircraft-type simulator. How could I refuse?

Flying the flag - Photo: Alastair Long | AirlineReporter

Here I am flying the AirlineReporter flag – Photo: Cristina Rodriguez | FlightSafety

This was not total jolly; there was work to be done. I navigated myself into the right-hand seat, right leg leading, placed my blue satchel to my side and readied myself to assist Bill with the morning’s Heads Up Display (HUD) alignment maintenance work. By “assist,” I mean quietly observe and do as I was told when I was told. This was not my first rodeo in a complex simulator. A colleague and I once flattened half of the Aldgate business district in a Citation Mustang on our approach into London City, so I was versed in how unnervingly realistic simulator training is for the non-aviator.

Happy birthday FlightSafety – Photo: Alastair Long | AirlineReporter

First off, we departed out of London Gatwick (LGW). Bill took me through the flap settings, the landing gear’s lever that required a subtle finger and thumb movement, trim controls, and a myriad of other features of the Dash 8’s flight management system (FMS). He then throttled forward and using the foot pedals only, I kept the aircraft straight along the runway to reach V1 at 110 knots for takeoff in a southerly direction.

The cabin noise was obviously much quieter than I remember it as a passenger. Nevertheless, the level of simulated noise emissions matches the flight deck of an actual Dash 8. That’s understandable really – simulated flying conditions need to be as realistic as possible in every conceivable detail.

Flight deck work – Photo: Cristina Rodriguez | FlightSafety

I hurriedly learned to start reading the FMS like Kurt Russell in that stricken 747 in Executive Decision – the airspeed indicator, the artificial horizon, pitch reference marks, barometric pressure to determine altitude, the angle of bank – all whilst Bill talked me through a range of actions that would simulate a go-around for an ILS landing back into LGW. The proper work began when Bill steadied the ship to test the HUD’s alignment on approach. Bill, Michà¨le, and another colleague all took turns to verify the HUD’s accuracy as we touched smoothly down at the south London airport.

We then repeated the process all over again out of London Luton (LTN). I was impressed with the attention to detail when I saw easyJet’s distinctive orange-colored Hangar 89 headquarters to my left as we hurtled along the runway.

Link D2 trainer – Photo: Alastair Long | AirlineReporter

Now it would be foolish of me to attempt to describe the simulator experience in any discerning or authoritative manner. I was struck by just how much was going on at any one time and when I could I sat silently in awe of the men and women who train thoroughly to fly any aircraft, old and new. It reminded me of exploring the pioneering Link D2 trainer at IWM Duxford’s American Air Museum last March and the important role that simulators have played in preparing aviators for our skies. Interestingly enough, FlightSafety’s first training device was a Link. The company rented one when it started operating from the Marine Air Terminal at NY LaGuardia Airport in 1951.

Stood outside the Dash 8 sim with Program Manager, Michele Rodrigues - Photo: Cristina Rodriguez | FlightSafety

Sense of scale – standing outside the Dash 8 sim with Program Manager Michele Rodrigues – Photo: Cristina Rodriguez | FlightSafety

“No way”, says Michà¨le conclusively when I ask her whether we will see pilotless aircraft any time soon. Or ever. “We also train pilots to do so much that will probably not happen,” she continued. A native of Canada and passionate about the Dash 8, Michà¨le learned to fly in a country that requires logging a minimum of 3,500 flying hours before a pilot can qualify as a First Officer in the Dash 8. She has flown through enough Canadian storms and harsh meteorological conditions to know that the broader the pilot’s skill set is the greater the chance they have of surviving an emergency. She gave me a couple of examples of pilots whose glider training and local area knowledge had proved more than handy in the event of a double engine failure on approach – human judgement for which a computer may not always be equipped or designed.

Dash 8 FMS classroom training – Photo: Alastair Long | AirlineReporter

Of course, being human, no two pilots are likely to react in entirely the same way to a crisis from an emotional perspective. Pilots are ably assisted by their machines though. The Dash 8 is equipped with the “stick shaker” and “stick pusher” safety features that Bill demonstrated to show when the aircraft knows that an aerodynamic stall is imminent – a ‘self preservation’ feature, as Michà¨le put it. For me, it is just comforting to know that the training involves so much more than routine flight preparation, practice, and instruction.

Safety warning – remove the reporter from the flight deck before flight – Photo: Alastair Long | AirlineReporter

Sim complete. Time for lunch. From the training center’s canteen window, I watched Boeing’s 737 MAX 8 test aircraft rotate and positively skyrocket upwards at a fare-paying-passenger-puke-inducing angle as well as ANA’s 787-9 do a few low flyovers in preparation for the following week’s Farnborough Air Show. Getting to see commercial aircraft put through their paces outside their habitual commercial environment from time to time is always a pleasure. An F16 pitching, rolling, and roaring in the Hampshire sunshine topped the mini-show off nicely. AvGeeks stood mesmerized.

ANA’s ‘Inspiration of Japan’ Dreamliner preparing for Farnborough – Photo: Alastair Long | AirlineReporter

I have deep respect for pilots. I sat on the jump-seat of an easyJet A319 en route to AMS a few years ago, but this brief experience with FlightSafety allowed me to understand and appreciate a little better the level of concentration and focus required to fly these winged-beasts. FlightSafety founder (and private pilot to Juan Trippe) Al Ueltschi coined the company’s motto that “The best safety device in any aircraft is a well-trained crew.” I concur.

Alastair Long

CORRESPONDENT - LONDON, UK. Alastair is a Brit AvGeek and an aviation services lawyer, with a passion for all things aircraft, airport and flight. Email: alastair@airlinereporter.com.

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3 Comments

cook

August 13, 2016

A great post Alastair, thank you. Sure, I’ve ‘flown’ a simulator or four and crashed about 35% of the approaches. Obviously I’m not a current pilot! Still, it is a lot of fun, a joy that you now know as well. As I think you have discovered, the various full motion devices are marvelous, so good that you can easily forget that it a SIM, not the real airplane. Glad that you enjoyed yourself. -C.

Reply to cook

Alastair Long

August 14, 2016

Thanks Cook. I’m glad you enjoyed the piece. For me it was merely a simulated glimpse at a pilot’s life in the flight deck. I’m grateful to the FlightSafety guys for the opportunity. It also helps me put aviation and airline experiences into a bit of context when writing.

Reply to Alastair

Capt. Gerald Zsenyuk

August 15, 2016

I have over 27,000 hrs of flying all types of simulators from Classic Propliners to to latest offerings of twin jets from Boeing and Airbus.

Reply to Capt.

Alastair Long

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