KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.-- A new air traffic control tower simulator, called the Max Sim, was installed in Erwin Manor on March 10, 2022.
The Max Sim offers advanced visuals and a range of simulation capabilities, allowing customized training lessons, real world aircraft characteristics and speech recognition to give students access to various training scenarios in their own dorm building.
“The tower simulator was a recent acquisition that gives more capability for Airmen to train,” said Robert Brown, 334th Training Squadron air traffic control flight chief. “They now have a realistic simulator that we use at the school available to them 24/7 at the dorms.”
Students were previously limited to a static board and model airplanes when studying after school hours.
“Unlike the static board, which is constantly pausing for Airmen to put the planes in the right position, the Max Sim allows our students to practice phraseology while parts are continuously moving, adding pressure to the situation,” said Tech. Sgt. Brannon Reynolds, 334th TRS ATC instructor.
The Max Sim shortens the bridge between technical training and operational readiness by making the simulation training more accessible students, who can benefit from up to 200 extra hours of training per month outside of class.
“The simulator at the dorms allows us to practice in a stress free environment and we can critique each other on what we have learned in class that day,” said Airman 1st Class Shelley McCoy, 334th TRS ATC student. “It also gives us a chance to help each other, which helps our overall understanding.”