The Utah State University aviation technology program recently acquired state-of-the-art flight and air traffic control simulators, providing students with an unmatched hands-on learning experience. The new equipment is complex, but the program’s goal is simple: safer pilots and safer skies.
The new simulators allow students to practice realistic flight and communication scenarios long before they ever leave the ground. This technology rivals and even surpasses the equipment used by many airlines and airports.
Faculty say this technology is already transforming how future pilots and controllers learn.
“This is a safe place to make mistakes,” said Captain Parry “Pee Wee” Winder, director and chief flight instructor for the USU 737 jet training program. “Better to learn here, where the only thing at risk is a grade, than out there when it’s your job or someone’s life.”
USU’s two new 737 jet simulators feature a 220-degree wraparound screen that provides a true-to-life visual experience. Every switch and button functions exactly as it would in a real aircraft, allowing students to practice a variety of flight scenarios.
Built from the cockpit of a retired commercial jet, the simulators capture every detail of real flight. Winder and his students joke that it even smells like an airplane.
“We can simulate any weather, any runway, anywhere in the world,” Winder said. “Students get a real sense of how the job feels. You sit in that seat and it looks like you’re sitting in Salt Lake on the runway. You can’t get much more real than that.”
Across the hall, the new air traffic control simulator immerses students in the other side of flight operations. Three large screens display moving aircraft and airfield visuals, while realistic radio chatter, weather effects and visibility levels replicate real-world conditions.
“You can read about air traffic control all day,” said Aaron Whittle, professional practice assistant professor. “But when you’re sitting in front of planes moving on a screen, hearing the chatter and making decisions in real time, that’s when it really clicks. You can’t replicate that kind of real-time experience on paper.”
Most students in Whittle’s classes are pursuing the air traffic control minor to become better, safer pilots. Whittle emphasizes that pilots and controllers are part of the same team and that understanding each other’s roles leads to stronger communication and safer skies.
“I want to come home to my family after every flight,” said Andrew Hofer, recent graduate of USU’s aviation program. “That’s why this kind of training matters. Good pilots and safe pilots never stop learning.”
Winder, Whittle and the rest of the aviation faculty have a goal to make the Utah State University aviation program the best in the country. By giving students access to airline-grade equipment and immersive training experiences, the program ensures graduates enter the industry with the confidence, professionalism and hands-on experience to set themselves apart.
“That’s what we want: students who are overprepared,” Winder said. “I want future employers to say, ‘Utah State pilots come ready.’ That reputation will open doors for these students.”
The new simulators have also fueled significant program growth. With the two new 737 jet simulators now available, USU has doubled its training capacity for the jet training program and can now offer instruction year-round. Enrollment in the air traffic control minor, which launched just last year, has also grown from 36 students to more than 100 today.
“The aviation department keeps growing because these are high-paying, high-demand careers,” Whittle said. “We’re training people for jobs that truly matter. The goal is simple: safer pilots, safer skies.”
The simulators are part of the S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ ongoing investment in hands-on learning that prepares students for in-demand technical careers.
“If you build it, they will come,” Winder said. “We’ve built a world-class jet program, and we’re seeing the very best students join us to chase their dreams.”
Learn more about the Utah State University aviation technology program here.
