Dowling College School of Aviation students will be training on a FIRSTplus air traffic control simulator, which consists of a 3-D ATC tower, radar training stations, pseudo pilots and voice recognition.

OAKDALE, NY - Dowling College School of Aviation students will be training on one of the most advanced, realistic air traffic control (ATC) simulators in the world, according to FIRSTplus supplier Raytheon Canada Limited. FIRSTplus technology allows Dowling students to experience simulated tower operations, approach and enroute operations, procedural operations and ATC voice communications.

Located at the school's Brookhaven campus, the Dowling College FIRSTplus simulator consists of a 3-D ATC tower, radar training stations, pseudo pilots and voice recognition. Raytheon COMMplus, a complementary product, provides voice communications simulator and voice recordings.

"Dowling continues to be a leader in aviation education and we are excited to incorporate such an advanced ATC simulator into our curriculum. With the FIRSTplus ATC simulator, we are training our students with state-of-the-art equipment and technology that's being used worldwide by air navigation agencies and other ATC training institutions," said Martin Holley, Dean of Dowling's School of Aviation.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently announced that they will be hiring more than 12,000 air traffic controllers. Dowling is one of only fourteen colleges in the country to participate in the Federal Aviation Administration's Air Traffic Control Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) Program, the sole civilian source of new hires. Students who are enrolled in an aviation degree program and who meet FAA and School of Aviation requirements are eligible to participate in this program.