SAERCO receives advanced simulator training in New Zealand

A technical specialist from SAERCO in Madrid visited New Zealand recently to undertake advanced technical training on the Airways Total Control air traffic control simulators.

The Spanish Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) has won contracts over recent years for the provision of ATC services to airports across Spain, and earlier this year purchased Total Control simulators to assist in its training of air traffic controllers.  SAERCO is the first Spanish private ANSP to provide AFIS, ATC and CNS services, and is certified according to European requirements.

Developed by Airways in partnership with New Zealand-based 3D graphics experts Animation Research Ltd, Total Control software capabilities include a full 360° tower simulator, an LCD tower simulator, a desktop simulator for use in towers and a radar simulator.  It also features a user-friendly interface, high quality graphics, and easily adaptable exercises that can be edited by the ANSP to suit their existing traffic and potential scenarios.

The Airways project team installed LCD and desktop versions of the Total Control tower simulator into the SAERCO Madrid training centre in April, and provided initial user training.  The simple-to-use technology provides air traffic control students with a level of realism equivalent to the ATC environment they will eventually work in, and includes real world graphics of the Spanish airports which SAERCO are responsible for.

Mr Gabriel Santana was in Christchurch late last month for advanced technical training on the simulator, which will enable the ANSP to integrate their Spanish real world aerodromes into the Total Control simulator.

He says SAERCO is very pleased with the Airways simulator.

“The use of real photos provides a very high level of realism and allows for a fully immersive training experience. The high level of customisation available within the simulator allows us to replicate our real world environment, including using aircraft and airlines specific to Spanish and European airspace, emulation of Spanish ATC tower equipment, dynamically changing weather and the creation of complex traffic scenarios and emergency situations,” says Mr Santana.

“In addition, the intuitive pseudo piloting interface is simple and very easy to use, enabling the pseudo pilots to handle a high volume of traffic to replicate these complex traffic scenarios. However, what we appreciate the most about the Total Control simulator is the ongoing development of the product and the continuous after sales support that we receive from Airways which is fantastic,” he says.

SAERCO will offer AFIS/CNS and ATC/CNS services at two new airports this year, and will use the Total Control simulators for its continuous refresher courses as well as for its self-training in these facilities.