First flight for GA-ASI training academy

1st August 2016 - 13:30 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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A Predator A UAS took flight at General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ (GA ASI’s) new UAS Flight Training Academy in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on 28 July.

The academy has been opened to provide safe, effective, and cutting-edge flight training for aircrew operating the company’s aircraft, with training for GA-ASI aircrew getting underway in early July. With this first flight from the facility students on the first course progressed to the flight training portion of the syllabus.

Training is now open for international and domestic aircrew external to GA-ASI; in future the training academy could also serve to augment US Air Force UAS training programmes.

The facility will provide classroom and simulator instruction at classroom facilities in the city of Grand Forks, while flight instruction will occur at temporary facilities located at the Grand Sky UAS business and aviation park adjacent to Grand Forks Air Force Base. Construction of a 16,000 square-foot Flight Operations Center began in November 2015 and is expected to conclude in spring 2017.