Elite Aviation Is St. Louis Region's Cessna Pilot Training Center and Aircraft Maintenance Provider

By Carmelo Turdo

 Elite Aviation is the St. Louis area's premier flight training center, conveniently located in the Spirit of St. Louis Airport West Terminal. They offer experienced instructors, a structured Cessna Pilot Center ground school program, a modern aircraft fleet and advanced Redbird MCX full-motion flight simulator training through Alpha Flight Simulation. Elite Aviation also provides aircraft rental and maintenance services, and they are an FAA-approved written examination testing station. 

Elite Aviation now offers a growing number of Cessna 172S Skyhawks along with a Piper Turbo Saratoga and Tecnam P2006T multi-engine trainer. Their in-house experienced service team maintains the fleet and customer aircraft from around the region. 

Elite Aviation is more than a flight school, or even an aircraft rental and maintenance center. They are a family business that treats their customers and staff like family, extending that invitation to the community through numerous educational and charitable endeavors. Elite Aviation is a major sponsor of the St. Louis Red Tail Cadet program, now having graduated the fourth class of high school student participants. A growing number of former Elite Aviation CFIs have moved up to fly with jet charter companies and the major airlines. 

During a recent visit, we caught a few of the Skyhawks departing for afternoon training flights, and later a beautiful sunset on the north apron.

Elite Aviation provides general aviation aircraft maintenance services, including annual and periodic inspections, airframe and sheet metal repairs, engine cylinder and accessory replacement and avionics diagnostics. The training and rental fleet aircraft receive frequent standard inspections, and a Cessna 172 undergoing an engine change is a common sight in the Elite Aviation hangar. Here we feature post-maintenance engine run-ups and a customer aircraft being positioned in the hangar.

Alpha Flight Simulation offers the full-motion Redbird MCX configured in the Cessna 172 (steam gauges and G1000 panels) and the Beech Baron G1000. The MCX is ideal for Instrument training/approaches and ATP-level Crew Resource Management. Contact Alpha Flight Simulation for a visit and demonstration. 

Contact Elite Aviation today for more information about flight training, aircraft rental and maintenance services. The Aero Experience thanks Elite Aviation for being our longest-running sponsor of Midwest Aviation coverage.

Elite Aviation Offers Redbird Full-Motion Flight Simulator Training

By Carmelo Turdo

Elite Aviation begins another new year providing flight training at their Spirit of St. Louis Airport West Terminal location. Elite Aviation, the St. Louis area's Cessna Pilot Center, offers an experienced staff of instructors, the King Schools training program, a modern Cessna 172 fleet and a family-friendly atmosphere. They also offer another dimension of flight training that sets them apart: Redbird MCX full-motion flight simulation for training and currency sessions.   

In the Redbird, students receive realistic training, especially in challenging areas of the curriculum. The Redbird MCX also makes it possible to maintain the training schedule during inclement weather days, reducing the need to repeat material already mastered.      

Students can complete a simulated flight around the St. Louis area, or any other U.S. destination, in the Cessna 172 or twin-engine Beechcraft Baron configuration. The experience of flight is enhanced by the wrap-around visual references, clear instrument displays, and the full-motion performance of the Redbird MCX. The feeling of being pushed back in the seat during turns and climbing maneuvers adds a layer of realism that is usually reserved for actual flight. 

Even with this level of realism, there is a way for the instructor to take advantage of those teachable moments - the Pause Button. When a student is having difficulty in a training scenario, the instructor can stop the event at any time to discuss the proper pilot response before continuing the lesson. After further practice in the simulator, the student pilot develops a sense of confidence based on training received under realistic conditions. 

Elite Aviation and The Aero Experience have produced a series of videos highlighting the capabilities of the Redbird MCX. Although these videos are for demonstration purposes and not actual flight training, they illustrate the realistic environment of the simulator in different flight regimes. The first edition, Engine Failure, is seen below. This and other videos featuring Elite Aviation can be found on The Aero Experience YouTube Channel, Elite Aviation Playlist.

Elite Aviation Adds to Fleet, Offers Advanced Redbird Flight Simulator Training

By Carmelo Turdo

Elite Aviation, the Cessna Pilot Center at Spirit of St. Louis Airport, continues to offer the most comprehensive flight training program in the St. Louis area. With the recent addition of two more late-model Cessna 172 Skyhawks to the fleet, there are now six Cessnas and a Piper Turbo Saratoga available for training and rental. Along with the new aircraft, Elite Aviation is making more time available for use of the RC1 and Redbird MCX flight simulators for primary training and instrument flight time. Elite Aviation owns and maintains its fleet, so customers are assured of flying in safe and reliable aircraft.    

From the outset, a student and certified flight instructor work together to design a training plan that provides regular interaction along the path to obtaining a Private Pilot or higher level certificate or rating. The flight instruction curriculum and progress checks are standardized, using Cessna Flight Training System on-line interactive learning along with additional materials recommended by the flight instructors themselves. At all points along the training program, flight instructors integrate a variety of training tools and methods including: one-on-one ground school tutoring; flight training in late model Cessna Skyhawk aircraft using conventional and G1000 instrumentation; simulator training in the Elite RC1 and full-motion Redbird MCX programmable flight simulators; and progress checks with other flight instructors who provide a new perspective on the level of progress achieved by the student-flight instructor team.

  

Flight training is a continuous process, building on the skills and knowledge demonstrated at each level of achievement. Recurrent, instrument and complex aircraft training is available using the Elite Aviation fleet of Cessna 172 Skyhawks, flight simulators and Piper Turbo Saratoga. Instrument and multi-engine training is available using the flight simulators. Elite Aviation is ready to provide your flight training solution.

Students can also receive realistic training in the advanced, full-motion Redbird MCX flight simulator at the Alpha Flight Simulation Pilot Proficiency Center located in an adjacent hangar. Students can complete a simulated flight around the St. Louis area or other U.S. destination in a Cessna 172 or twin-engine Beechcraft Baron configuration. The experience of flight is enhanced by the wrap-around visual references, stunning instrument displays, and the full-motion performance of the Redbird MCX. The feeling of being pushed back in the seat during turns and climbing maneuvers adds a layer of realism that is usually reserved for actual flight. Even with this level of realism, there is a way for the instructor to take advantage of those teachable moments - the Pause Button. When a student is having difficulty in a training scenario, the instructor can stop the event at any time to discuss the proper pilot response before continuing the lesson. After further practice in the simulator, the student pilot develops a sense of confidence based on training received under realistic conditions in the Redbird MCX. The Redbird MCX flight simulator may be used effectively throughout the training curriculum, and is especially valuable on inclement weather days.

On a recent visit below, we were given a demonstration by owner/operator John Keich of the installation of the G1000 instrument suite in the Redbird MCX for a customer who flew some instrument approaches. The mission monitoring and management tools used in this simulator are truly impressive and effective in single and multi-person crew scenarios.

Redbird had a large exhibit at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2019:

Elite Aviation strives to provide the most effective and fulfilling flight training possible through the use of the latest methods and equipment in a welcoming environment. Contact Elite Aviation today for your flight training, aircraft rental and aircraft maintenance service needs.