Bandeirante Flight Simulator Achieves New Certification Level

EPA Training Center, a regional aviation training center in São José dos Pinhais (CWB), Brazil, obtained from the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) the qualification certificate for the Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante simulator as a Level 5 Flight Training Device (FTD).

EPA invested in upgrades to achieve Level 5 certification, making the platform more realistic and suitable for pilot training. The simulator meets the necessary parameters to be qualified as Level 5, which include items such as cockpit, instruments, flight dynamics, latency, instructor space, visual and sound systems, among others.

Among the technical improvements that supported the move from Level 4 to Level 5 are the refinement of the flight dynamics model, validated against the aircraft category's performance data, and the reduction of latency (transport delay), bringing system performance within the limits required by ANAC at this qualification level. The instructor's station (IOS) has also been improved, now allowing for fault insertion, in-flight repositioning, and simulation of adverse weather conditions with greater accuracy.

The FTD had already undergone an upgrade in 2024, including the addition of a 180-degree horizontal visual system and an electric control loading system to improve device handling. The requalification process was validated using the Qualification Test Guide (QTG), the set of tests required by ANAC to verify the equipment's accuracy relative to the actual aircraft.

The Level 5 qualification also increases the volume of training hours that can be credited to the FTD in line with actual aircraft training, within RBAC No. 135 Operational Training Programs, making standard and recurring training more accessible for crews operating the Bandeirante. More than 50 years after its launch, the aircraft remains widely used around the world, particularly by armed forces and regional airlines.