(BOISE, Idaho — August 22, 2023) Aviation Specialties Unlimited, (ASU) was awarded the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Standards Operations Inspectors and Aircraft Certification Pilots night vision goggle (NVG) contract while operating fixed-wing aircraft for the third time recently. ASU will provide both initial training and recurrent training to FAA. ASU began training the FAA in 2017, when they were awarded the first fixed-wing training contract, and again in 2020, when they were awarded the second contract. ASU first started training FAA pilots on helicopters in 2007.
“When any organization chooses to allow us to retain their business and trust, it is a significant vote of confidence in our team and our organization,” said ASUs Chief Pilot K Kirkendall. “ASU’s mission is to save lives through comprehensive training and night vision products.”
ASU provides a training environment that can take a pilot from a high-light, open desert environment to backcountry mountainous terrain with zero artificial light near Boise. ASU has trained pilots and crews worldwide that fly in extreme conditions for unique missions. For initial NVG flight training, FAA pilots and inspectors will receive eight hours of classroom training, 1.5 hours of daytime flight training, and 5.5 hours of NVG flight training. ASU will also conduct recurrent training at its Boise site.
“We have worked hard to earn not only the fixed wing training but also the rotorcraft training contract with the FAA,” said ASU President Joe Estrera. “We appreciate the FAA and look forward to continuing our working relationship with them.”
ASU has trained FAA fixed-wing inspectors for initial and recurrent training since 2017. ASU has also conducted helicopter training for the FAA since 2007 and holds the FAA helicopter inspector training contract.
