Flight simulator instructors. Photo: IDF Spokesperson

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"We are flying at night, the weather is overcast and there is an easterly wind, 15 knots.  Certain obstacles have been laid out for you to face during the flight.  Begin navigating in northern Samaria."  The last checks, the determining of objectives, and the final leafing through of the standing order for operations in case of a collision that is found in every helicopter.  Staff Sergeant Efrat Marcus, gives pilots Captain L. and Lieutenant D. as their last briefings before takeoff on a training flight and for a moment she imagined that she was giving them the last briefing before the takeoff of a classified mission.

For Capitan L. and Lieutenant D. this is their third sortie today in the training simulator, which simulated flight in the Yanshuf helicopter.  During the first sortie there was a problem with the engine and during the second sortie there was a problem with the tail rotor.  During the third sortie, to which they will be taking off in the next few minutes, there will be a combined flight simulation in the operational Yesor helicopters, while they confront different obstacles.  "The pilots will face challenges from every system," explained Efrat.  "I will focus mainly on hydraulics, navigating and all the steering systems of the helicopter.  We'll see if they manage to implement the advice from their previous sorties and overcome the obstacles."

Flight simulator instructors, compared to other Israeli women carrying out their compulsory service, serve for three years.  The Israeli Air Force is the only air force in the world where the majority of flight simulator instructors are not pilots, but they have to pass an intensive training course and are trained specifically for the position.  The instructors' journey begins with a general course that is held in an IAF base in Palmahim, the instructors continue on to become masters in the knowledge of the unique aviation apparatus the flight simulator.  The length of the instructors' training on helicopter instruction lasts approximately eight months.  During the training, every instructor is taught the structural platform of briefing (Yanshuf or Yesor), they join real flights with a squadron, and they experience themselves flight with an instructor and in the end to use to the flight simulator in its entirety.

"I see who is coming to train and consider their comments on their previous sorties," Efrat continued.  "The goal is to understand what their level is and what their weaknesses are, and to improve them during the sortie."

After a detailed briefing, Efrat and the pilots enter the flight simulator.  They are wearing helmets and each one takes his or her place.  The sortie begins when Capitan L. takes his seat in the pilot's seat and Lieutenant D. takes command of the helicopter.  After 45 minutes of the pilots change tasks.  "When you're ready the helicopter is all yours," she announced and the sortie takes off  "We have a succession of built-in obstacles that they face, but, as the instructor, I have room to take the sortie in the direction that in my opinion will most improve their abilities."

Israeli Air Force Soldiers participating in the flight simulations

"This is something exceptional for instructors, especially when speaking about the pilots' training.  We haven't gone through the Pilots' Course and we haven't flown helicopters in reality," said Staff Sergeant Lihi, who's also a flight simulator instructor.  "Despite this, we tell them 'if you do this differently it would work better, you need to improve here '.  There are those who find it hard to except, but most except it with understanding, because in the end we make up for this with our vast wealth of knowledge.  We know so much, all the time in contact with material and before every sortie we go over the material again."  Efrat adds: "Actually, we see how all the people during the simulation are amazed by the same obstacle and this is something that no pilot sees.  We are know the level of the youngest pilot in the squadron and the level of the eldest pilot in reserves and a lot of the time pilots request our criticism and advice, and ask if we would do things differently.  They understand that we are here for them."