How to fly over Florida without leaving the ground

News 6 Chief Meteorologist Tom Sorrells took off, flew through the clouds, and conducted an emergency landing on the water, all without leaving the ground. He took his podcast, Talk to Tom, on the road to Lockheed Martin in Orlando and test-drove their Prepar3d flight simulation technology from a modified cockpit. Chris Metel is the Program Manager for Prepar3d. He said the technology has been an important tool for pilots and others interested in flight. “Flying is very expensive, this is cheaper, it’s safer,” he said. Metel said the software has been used to train people working with the government and in the commercial airline industry. “We have people using it from F35 pilots, learning about the airport, learning about the cockpit, to a private pilot who is learning to fly for the first time,” he said. Metel said it allows them to experience traveling through different weather conditions like rain, lightning, and forest fires before they ever have to fly through them in real life. It also prepares them for the unexpected. “You don’t want to practice an engine failure in a real plane, but you want to be prepared when that happens, and this gives you the opportunity to do that,” Metel said. Beyond the sky, Lockheed Martin said its technology is also being used in the classroom. “A lot of schools use it for STEM activities. We actually have a lab at the Orlando Science Center that is populated by Prepar3d, so students can learn about aerodynamics or about planes. Me personally, it helps get them interested in aeronautics and engineering and hopefully become part of our team someday,” Metel said. Learn more about Lockheed Martin’s unique technology on Talk To Tom. You can download the podcast from wherever you listen to podcasts or watch it anytime on News 6+.