BGSU aviation students advance education and skills with new, state-of-the-art simulator

New simulator prepares students for careers in the commercial airline industry

By Branden Ferguson

Embracing technologies that drive student success, Bowling Green State University is home to a new, state-of-the-art aircraft simulator that bolsters education and career preparation for aviators who aspire to work in the commercial airline industry.

Housed in the Bowling Green Flight Center, the new CRJ-700 simulator provides comprehensive flight training through a virtual flight deck to prepare students for professional aviation careers. The simulator features a 6-foot-tall wrap-around visual screen and an identical flight deck that provides the fit, feel and function of an actual CRJ-700 aircraft, which is used by airlines across the globe.

The installation of the CRJ-700 simulator further elevates the BGSU Aviation program, making it one of the few in the state to offer students training on a simulated commercial airliner.

"The addition of this simulator provides expanded learning opportunities for students that they might not get elsewhere," said Melissa Webb, general manager of the BG Flight Center. "The ability for our students to gain hands-on training on a major airframe in a simulated, safe setting this early in their career is a major differentiator. We've had students go on to work for airlines come back and say, 'I wish we had the CRJ program when I was here because I think it would have really helped me.'"

Offered through an innovative partnership with North Star Companies, the new simulator is part of the University’s jet transition capstone course that introduces students to a multi-pilot flight deck and provides virtual training in a turbine aircraft under the guidance of industry-certified instructors.

As one of their final classes at BGSU, students in the course already carry a number of flight hours, with many holding a commercial pilot certificate. To further develop their skills, the BG Flight Center provided six competitive scholarships for the inaugural group of students selected to train on the new simulator. Program leaders said the additional training will only further prepare students for the intricacies of commercial aviation.

“The checklist procedures for the CRJ-700 and other larger aircraft are different than the planes we have on campus,” said Rebecca Knieriemen, simulator and jet transition program manager. "This simulator introduces students to an aircraft that moves at a very high rate of speed, where controlling the aircraft requires more skill and training.”

Committed to addressing the national pilot shortage, the addition of the CRJ-700 simulator bolsters the University's comprehensive, student-centered approach to aviation education through real-world technology and scenarios.

“We can mimic a lot of emergencies that you wouldn’t want to encounter for the first time in the air – engine fires, cabin fires, engine troubles, hydraulic leaks and issues with avionics,” Knieriemen said.

Furthering its commitment to safety, the BGSU School of Aviation also trains students on simulators identical to the smaller aircraft actually flown at the University. The program recently added seven new planes to its fleet, including a new Piper Seminole and several new Piper Archer aircraft. As home of one of the newest fleets of aircraft in Ohio, the University's inventory currently sits at 20 planes with an estimated 13 additional factory-new planes set to be added through 2026.

With pilots in high demand, BGSU has established a unique partnership with Republic Airways to provide students a direct pipeline to a career through conditional job offers. Operating under its major airline partner brands of American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express, students are able to enter the workforce sooner as pilots for major commercial airlines. The incorporation of the CRJ-700 simulator further prepares students for success on airframes that require two pilots and an entire flight crew.

“Different from flight training devices that have touch screens, our CRJ simulator offers an identical flight deck with switches, buttons and dials,” Knieriemen said. “Touch screens don’t allow students to touch in two places at one time, so both pilots can’t complete their jobs as they would in an actual commercial airplane. Our device allows them to do their flows and checklists as they would in the actual airplane and gives them that tactile-learning experience with the different feel of all the different components in the flight deck.”

As a former instructor of flight safety at a regional airline, Knieriemen said the multi-pilot training provided by the BGSU CRJ-700 simulator can make all the difference.

“When people would come in for training, you could always tell who had done multi-pilot flight deck training and those who had not," she said. "The students with experience had the foundational pieces needed to give them the confidence required to be successful."