CLEVELAND, Mississippi — Delta State University’s Commercial Aviation Department has won a $1 million federal grant for the purchase of an agricultural and aerial firefighting flight simulator.
The Air Tractor 802 flight simulator will be the first of its kind and will support DSU’s Agricultural Aircraft Operations Career Pathway (AAOCP) program, providing flight training for future aerial applicators and firefighters, according to university officials.
The simulator will provide high-fidelity, scenario-based training, university officials noted.
“Students will engage in advanced training designed to replicate real-world conditions, honing their skills in precision aerial applications, which are vital for effective crop management and firefighting operations, and, above all, will save pilot lives by increasing their readiness for such dangerous flying,” officials said.
The cost for the development and purchase for the simulator was funded by state and federal funds sponsored by Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. Additionally, Delta State will allocate $60,000 annually toward a contractual agreement for simulator maintenance, repairs, and operational training.
“This grant is precedent setting,” said Major Allen Williams, chair of the Commercial Aviation Department. “For us to be able to continue to grow our ag training program, it’s going to give us an opportunity to increase the depth of knowledge for our students. It will give us the opportunity also to develop some streams where we can start off with some recurring training for the ag industry across the country because of the uniqueness and the capacity for this simulator.”
The university anticipates the new simulator will be fully operational within the next two years.
For more information: DeltaState.edu
