Frasca International, Inc., is a
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
manufacturer of flight simulation training devices, with over 2200 training devices delivered in approximately 80 countries throughout the world. Now based in
Urbana, IllinoisUrbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2007 population estimates, the population was 39,484. The city was named after Urbana, Ohio.-Geography:Urbana is located at ....
, Frasca International was founded in Champaign, IL in 1958 by current president Rudy Frasca. Frasca manufactured training devices are used in all segments of the aviation industry, but are perhaps best known for their extensive use in many prominent college aviation programs, including
Indiana State UniversityIndiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" six years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
,
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a private, coeducational university with a history dating from the early days of aviation. Students are enrolled in one of two residential campuses located in Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott, Arizona or in Embry-Riddle Worldwide, composed of over 130...
,
University of North DakotaThe University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest university in the state and enrolls over 13,100 students. UND was...
, University of Illinois, and
Western Michigan UniversityWestern Michigan University is a public university established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo. When the school first opened, it was known as the Western State Normal School, but was renamed Western State Teachers College in 1927 and Western Michigan College of Education in 1941. On February 26, 1957...
.
In 1949, Rudy Frasca joined the United States Navy, where he first experience flight simulation as a Link Trainer instructor.
I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong.
"I, Too, Sing America," in the magazine Survey Graphic (March 1925); reprinted in Selected Poems (1959)
They'll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed — I, too, am America.
"I, Too, Sing America," in the magazine Survey Graphic (March 1925); reprinted in Selected Poems (1959)
The night is beautiful,So are the faces of my people.
"My People," in the magazine Poems in Crisis (October 1923); reprinted in The Weary Blues (1926)
I've known rivers: I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins. My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
"The Negro Speaks of Rivers," from The Weary Blues (1926)
I've known rivers: Ancient, dusky rivers. My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
"The Negro Speaks of Rivers," from The Weary Blues (1926)
The stars went out and so did the moon.The singer stopped playing and went to bedWhile the Weary Blues echoed through his head.He slept like a rock or a man that's dead.
"The Weary Blues," from The Weary Blues (1926)
Way Down South in Dixie(Break the heart of me)They hung my black young loverTo a cross roads tree.
"Song for a Dark Girl" (l. 1-4), from Fine Clothes to the Jew (1927)
Love is a naked shadowOn a gnarled and naked tree.
Song for a Dark Girl (l. 11-12), from Fine Clothes to the Jew (1927)
While over Alabama earthThese words are gently spoken:Serve — and hate will die unborn.Love — and chains are broken.
"Alabama Earth (at Booker Washington's grave)," from the anthology Golden Slippers: An Anthology of Negro Poetry for Young Readers (1941), ed. Arna Bontemps
Hold fast to dreamsFor if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly.
"Dreams," from the anthology Golden Slippers: An Anthology of Negro Poetry for Young Readers, ed. Arna Bontemps (1941)
Frasca International, Inc., is a
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
manufacturer of flight simulation training devices, with over 2200 training devices delivered in approximately 80 countries throughout the world. Now based in
Urbana, IllinoisUrbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2007 population estimates, the population was 39,484. The city was named after Urbana, Ohio.-Geography:Urbana is located at ....
, Frasca International was founded in Champaign, IL in 1958 by current president Rudy Frasca. Frasca manufactured training devices are used in all segments of the aviation industry, but are perhaps best known for their extensive use in many prominent college aviation programs, including
Indiana State UniversityIndiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" six years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
,
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a private, coeducational university with a history dating from the early days of aviation. Students are enrolled in one of two residential campuses located in Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott, Arizona or in Embry-Riddle Worldwide, composed of over 130...
,
University of North DakotaThe University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest university in the state and enrolls over 13,100 students. UND was...
, University of Illinois, and
Western Michigan UniversityWestern Michigan University is a public university established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo. When the school first opened, it was known as the Western State Normal School, but was renamed Western State Teachers College in 1927 and Western Michigan College of Education in 1941. On February 26, 1957...
.
History
In 1949, Rudy Frasca joined the United States Navy, where he first experience flight simulation as a Link Trainer instructor. Following his service, and a period of research at the University of Illinois Institute of Aviation, Frasca founded Frasca Aviation (later re-named to Frasca International) in 1958. All early Frasca training devices used mechanical computers exclusively. After working out of various locations for several years (including his home garage), Frasca established a permanent manufacturing plant in downtown Champaign, IL.
In the late 1970s, Frasca devices were converted to use analog electronic computers, allowing for devices that were more simple and cost-effective to manufacture, operate, and maintain. The electronic transition began a period of rapid technological development, culminating in the transition to a digital, PC-based simulation architecture in 1983.
In 1990, in order to support steadily increasing demand, Frasca International again relocated to a 70,000 square foot office building and manufacturing facility in Urbana, Illinois, adjacent to Frasca Field Airport (C16). The new facility provided a substantial increase in manufacturing capacity, and allowed for the production of the company's first Full Flight Simulator (FFS) a short time after moving to the new location.
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Frasca continued to expand its product line, providing training devices for all types of aircraft, both fixed-wing and rotary-wing, and in 2003, Frasca manufactured a Level B
Cessna 208B Grand CaravanThe Cessna 208 Caravan, is a single turboprop engine, fixed-gear short-haul regional airliner and utility aircraft built in the USA by Cessna. The airplane typically seats nine passengers, with a single person crew, although with a FAR Part 23 waiver, it can seat up to fourteen passengers...
FFS, followed by a Level C
Beechcraft B200 King AirThe Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
FFS in 2005.
In the mid 2000s, helicopters began to play an increasingly prominent role in the Frasca line-up, with the first Level 6 helicopter Flight Training Device (FTD) delivered in 2007. Subsequently, two more helicopter FTDs (a Eurocopter EC135 and a Eurocopter AS350) were qualified Level 6 in 2008, followed by another EC135 qualified as a JAA Level 3 FTD by the FCAA. The Level 6 EC135, along with a Frasca Bell 206 FTD, were the first Level 6 helicopter FTDs qualified under 14 CFR Part 60.
Product line
Frasca currently manufactures a complete line of training devices including CPTs (Cockpit Procedure Trainers), ATDs (Aviation Training Devices), FNPTs (Flight and Navigation Procedures Trainers), FTDs (Flight Training Devices), and FFS (Full Flight Simulators). Simulated aircraft range from small single-engine training airplanes, such as the
Cessna 172The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a four-seat, single-engine, high-wing fixed-wing aircraft. First flown in 1955 and still in production, more Cessna 172s have been built than any other aircraft.-Design and development:...
to large transport category airplanes, such as the
Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short to medium range, single aisle, narrow body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has nine variants with the -600, -700, -800 and -900 currently in production.Originally envisioned in...
.
The helicopter line covers models from the small Robinson helicopters to medical transports, such as the
Bell 407The Bell 407 is a four-bladed, single engine, civil utility helicopter; a derivative of the Bell 206L-3 LongRanger. The 407 uses the four-bladed, soft, in-plane, rigid rotor with composite hub that was developed for the United States Army's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior instead of the two-bladed, semi-rigid...
and Eurocopter EC135, to large passenger transport helicopters, such as the Sikorsky S-92 and Eurocopter EC225.
Customers
Frasca training devices are used world wide by operators in a variety of sectors, including general aviation, business aviation, airline transport, medical, and military.
Notable commercial customers include Bell Helicopter, Era Training Center, and Delta Connection.
Notable colleges and universities that use Frasca products include Indiana State University, Western Michigan University, University of North Dakota, University of Illinois, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University uses a variety of Frasca simulators for its training, including Cessna 172s, and Diamond DA 42 models. Embry-Riddle's first two Level 6 DA-42 Flight Training Devices were qualified Level 6 in March 2008.
Awards and recognitions
Several awards and recognitions have been received by both Rudy Frasca and Frasca International.
- 1994 - UAA
UAA is an acronym for* Undeliverable As Addressed* Unified Access Architecture* Uniform Adoption Act* Universal Administered Address* Universal Audio Architecture, a specification introduced in 2004 by Microsoft for supporting audio devices....
W.W. Estridge, Jr. Award
- 1996 - Illinois Governor’s Export Award
- 1998 - RAeS Flight Simulation Silver Medal
- 2000 - NATA
Nata is a small village in the Paphos area of southwest Cyprus. It is a small relatively unspoilt traditional village situated on the south-eastern hillside of the Xeros River Valley with approximately 300 residents that is slowly growing due to the number of foreigners wanting to live there. The...
's "Excellence in Pilot Training" Award