Middle Tennessee State University dedicates flight simulator building

MURFREESBORO — Middle Tennessee State University officials formally dedicated a Murfreesboro Municipal Airport building that houses the university's flight simulators on Thursday.

The university's Flight Simulator Building has been used by Department of Aviation students since the university's four simulators were moved from another hangar at the airport in January, said Wendy Beckman, the department's interim chair.

The $700,000, 3,600 square-foot facility also houses a 20-person classroom and six briefing rooms and allows students to quickly test what they've learned, Beckman said.

"It's great because they can be in class and then come out here and do what they need to do," Beckman said.

The simulators were moved from a separate airplane hangar at the municipal airport along Memorial Boulevard. The hangar is now used by the department's maintenance management program, Beckman said.

Dozens attended the dedications ceremony and ribbon cutting at the facility at the airport on Thursday.

MTSU President Sidney McPhee said the facility strengthened the university's aerospace program that already had top-notch faculty, airplanes and technology.

"This is really state-of-the-art equipment in this facility," McPhee said at the dedication.

The university's four simulators — a CRJ turbofan, a Frasca Been 1900, a DA-40 and a Frasca 142 — are used by all professional pilot students during their time at MTSU, according to a news release.

About 675 students are enrolled in the aerospace department with concentrations including flight dispatch, technology, professional pilot, administration and unmanned aircraft system operations, the release stated.

Original article can be found here: http://www.dnj.com