Aviamech was established to develop and deliver the engineering capability behind modern aviation training systems.
While closely aligned with Simuflight, Aviamech operates as a dedicated engineering function, focused on the technical design, manufacturing, and support of simulation platforms.
Aviamech’s approach is based on:
Every system is engineered to reflect real aircraft behaviour and operational environments, ensuring that simulation training translates effectively to real-world flying.
The goal from the outset was twofold, namely:
With these goals set, the first range of basic instrument flight procedural trainers was brought to the South African market and approved by the then South African Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) in 1995. These were single pilot aviation training devices, complying to the DCA technical standards of the day.
A number of years of intensive research and development followed, leading to the production and delivery to Namibia of the first type specific Flight Simulation Training Device (FSTD), a FNPT II with single channel visuals for the Reims F406 Caravan II in 2002.
Two years and more research and development brought further enhancements in fidelity, the potential for multi-channel visual systems and better and more complete aircraft type specific systems simulation and emulation.
The first of this breed of Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTD’s), a Beechjet 400 FSTD, was delivered in mid 2005. Short on its heels followed a Bell Jet Ranger FSTD with 3 channel visual system in early 2006.
Later in 2006 these were complemented by the delivery of a Beech 1900D/200 FNPT II MCC to the Port Elizabeth campus of Airline Pilot Training Academy (APTRAC)/Simuflight and the commissioning of a second Beech 1900D/200 at the Simuflight Grand Central training facility. All FSTD’s were by then equipped with 3 channel, 140 degree horizontal field of view, visual systems. These featured a worldwide database and a detailed South African navigation and visual scenery database, containing amongst others most airports in South Africa. Further FSTD’s for turbine and piston powered aircraft were developed and delivered in the ensuing years. Evolving enhancements incorporated into these devices included Dynamic Control Loading, 5 Channel (250 degrees horizontal field of view) image generators and automated QTG’s.