MPRI Adds New Towbarless Training Simulator to its Line of Airport Ramp Simulators
Simulated Pushback Training Affords Commercial Airlines Significant Savings
ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 16, 2010 – L-3 MPRI, a global leader in airport ramp, ground vehicle and maritime simulator products as well as training services and facilities, announced today that it has added a new product to its line of airport ramp training simulators, the Towbarless Training Simulator. Fashioned after the JBT Expediter, the simulator enables airlines and service providers to offer realistic training for ground support equipment (GSE) operators in a risk-free environment while significantly reducing training time and related costs.
MPRI’s new towbarless simulator allows GSE operators to practice driving the vehicle in a controlled, high-fidelity, immersive environment under a variety of conditions with a wide selection of aircraft. Operators practice correct procedures and techniques in a completely safe, simulator-based setting, which reduces costs associated with training and fuel consumption, as well as the risk of damage to equipment and aircraft or injury to personnel. Airlines benefit from thorough, standardized training that ensures best practices are consistently applied on the ramp.
“Because of their superior performance, towbarless pushback vehicles are poised for widespread adoption, and their operation requires specialized hands-on training and a substantially different technique than conventional towbar tractors,” said Dennis Corrigan, senior vice president and general manager of MPRI’s Training Systems Group. “Our towbarless simulator provides unmatched skills training as well as assessment and retention for GSE operators.”
MPRI’s towbarless simulator runs on a Windows®-based PC and includes three 32-inch LCD screens and a 12-inch by 12-inch touch screen. It features a steering wheel and foot pedals to emulate the feel and behavior of an actual truck. Lifelike graphics depict the terminal, including gates, ramp, taxiway and runway, and can be customized to reflect unique airport facilities and brands for the most realistic training experience possible. MPRI offers the industry’s largest collection of simulated airport ramps. For more information, please visit www.mpri.com/ramp.
Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, MPRI provides comprehensive and integrated programs that address training, education, leader development, organizational design and implementation, simulations, democracy transition, and emergency management across a broad spectrum of functional areas. Its customers include the Department of Defense, Department of Justice and select international government agencies. Learn more about MPRI at www.mpri.com.
Headquartered in New York City, L-3 Communications employs approximately 67,000 people worldwide and is a prime contractor in aircraft modernization and maintenance, C3ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems and government services.
L-3 is also a leading provider of high technology products, subsystems and systems. The company reported 2009 sales of $15.6 billion. To learn more about L-3, please visit the company’s Web site at www.L-3com.com.
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