CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — Eyewitness News got a rare look inside a plane's cockpit at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. However, it wasn't a real plane. It was one of the 12 $12 million simulators US Airways uses at its flight training center on airport grounds.
Thousands of pilots who fly in and out of the airline's largest hub in Charlotte are trained there. That includes Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, who safely splash-landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River.
The airline told Eyewitness News everyone survived that flight, in part, because of the training both men had at the facility.
SLIDESHOW: Take A Look Inside A $12M Flight Simulator
New technology, including high-definition projections, makes the training more realistic than ever.
"It's very difficult to tell the difference between a full flight simulator and the aircraft in today's technology," said Capt. Robert Skinner, the managing director of flight training and standards for US Airways.
Skinner said the simulators can recreate any weather situation or any emergency situation at any airport the airline serves.
Newly hired pilots usually come to the facility already having an average of 5,000 hours of flying time behind them. Then they spend about a month and a half at the training center before they are qualified to fly with passengers onboard.
All East Coast crew members are trained at the facility, including flight attendants and customer service representatives. About 1,700 students train at the center each month.