On a visit to the Carpatair Flight Training School

I don't think I need to tell you that I am passionate about airplanes, flights, commercial aviation, etc. But not everyone has this passion and I know many people who are afraid of flying. At first I was a little scared, until I stepped on the plane and made the first flight. Then everything turned into me and now I'm happy whenever the opportunity arises to fly.

I think this fear comes from predefined ideas, from misinformation found, from all kinds of less happy stories, and all of these I think can disappear if the information were published correctly and without the temptation of a cancan, if the world would better understand how it flies. a plane, how to prepare pilots, etc.

I read a lot about aviation, I understood that the plane is the safest means of transport in relation to the number of victims and accidents registered so far, I saw how accurately the airplanes are built, how they are maintained, etc. But I did not see how they are piloted, I did not have the opportunity to fly in the cockpit of an airplane.

So yesterday I answered yes to the invitation Carpatair to go to Timisoara to test the latest generation FNPT II MCC fixed flight simulator, produced by Mechtronix from Canada. Mechtronix Ascent FNPT II MCC is a device that simulates a generic twin-engine airplane, being reconfigurable also for two other types of aircraft. In the simulator can be created all kinds of scenarios, from simple flights to all kinds of less pleasant situations, depending on weather conditions, technical failures, procedures.

It is not easy to become a pilot. Anyone who wants a job in this industry, must be passionate, dedicated to flight, learn over 14 quite thick theory manuals and go through all the theoretical and practical training modules. School Carpatair Flight Training (click for more information) is one of the best equipped in Romania.

Going back to my experience on the plane sleeve (better said of the simulator), I can tell you that it was something special. It is not easy to pull the sleeve, keep an eye on the watches on the plane, always make calculations based on weather, speed, engine speeds, etc.

I didn't crash the plane, I even managed a few landings in the guidance of Dan Petrov, a very ambitious and knowledgeable young man on the flight. But I succeeded, along with Alina, to destroy a plane in the air because we exceeded the flight speed limit.

Below you have a video with a flight simulation in harsh weather conditions. We have snow, fog, little wind and it is night. In such situations, they fly with autopilot and with the help of on-board instruments. In some airplanes, the autopilot does not know how to control the engines, and here the pilot experience comes.

And some pictures with me, proud on the co-pilot's seat!

The simulator is a "toy" that I would like to have in the living room, but I still don't know if I want to go piloting. For now, I prefer to drive laptops!

As a conclusion, I want to tell you that aviation is not done by ear. Not everyone can become a pilot, flight attendant or work in the industry. The aircraft are manufactured and tested for years until they reach the airline fleets. Each piece is checked and approved by different aviation organizations.

The same goes for the on-board staff. Schools are organized, flight hours are gathered in the presence of instructors, qualified personnel. It takes about 1.5-2 years to become a line pilot, but it takes a lot longer to get a captain on a plane.

When boarding a plane, you must trust the aircraft and the personnel on board. You have to think that the pilots and flight attendants are ready to provide you with the necessary comfort, but also to intervene promising in different unforeseen situations. I wish you a smooth flight!