Ohio State University Introduces FlightDeck Solutions B737 MAX Simulator for Jet Training in 2026

Ohio, USA – The Ohio State University Department of Aviation has integrated a FlightDeck Solutions Boeing 737 MAX Flight Training Device (FTD) into its Advanced Multi-Engine course (AVIATN 4300), with additional jet training courses planned around the simulator. The equipment provides students with experience in multi-crew jet operations, aircraft automation and airline flight deck procedures before entering professional airline training.

• The simulator was already supporting a class of 40 students during the spring 2026 semester. Its acquisition was jointly funded by Ohio State's College of Arts and Sciences and College of Engineering.
• The device supports AVIATN 4300 Advanced Multi-Engine Operations, a course developed in 2023 by aviation lecturer Alex Serrano. Classroom instruction is combined with practical simulator sessions to familiarize students with the transition from single-engine piston aircraft to multi-engine jet operations.
• Training activities emphasize Crew Resource Management (CRM), Threat and Error Management (TEM), communication, leadership and flight crew coordination. Students also receive practical instruction in aircraft systems, automation management and standard operating procedures.
• Ohio State plans to develop additional jet-sequence courses using the simulator, extending its application beyond the existing advanced multi-engine curriculum. The university has identified the training as preparation for the airline-oriented instruction students may encounter during post-graduation Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training Programs (ATP CTP).
• The university's simulator inventory includes four devices:
  • 1 FlightDeck Solutions Boeing 737 MAX FTD
  • 2 Frasca Reconfigurable Training Devices (RTDs), configurable for Cessna 172 and Piper Seminole aircraft
  • 1 Frasca Truflight FTD configured for Cessna 172 training
• The Boeing 737 MAX device incorporates a fully tactile flight deck with control-loaded flight controls, glass cockpit instrumentation, flight management system, autopilot and autothrottle functions. Its simulated systems include electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, pressurization, fuel and fire protection systems, alongside LNAV/VNAV, Required Navigation Performance (RNP), weather radar, Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) and Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS).
• AFM previously reported that Ohio State University reestablished its Department of Aviation effective July 1, 2026, following approval by its Board of Trustees in May. The university identified expanded aviation education, research and simulator-based training as priorities for the department.

About The Ohio State University Department of Aviation
The Ohio State University Department of Aviation is a US university aviation education and flight training organization based in Columbus, Ohio, offering aviation degree programs and professional pilot training through The Ohio State University Airport. Its aviation education activities date to 1917, and its flight training fleet includes Cessna 172 single-engine aircraft and Piper PA44-180 Seminole multi-engine aircraft.

About FlightDeck Solutions
FlightDeck Solutions is a Canadian flight simulator manufacturer headquartered in Newmarket, Ontario, developing fixed-base flight training devices, cockpit components and aviation simulation systems. Its product portfolio includes Boeing 737NG, 737 MAX, 747, 777 and 787, Airbus A320, Cessna 208 and Dash 8 Q400 training devices for flight schools, airlines and academic institutions.

Source: The Ohio State University