Galveston Campus To Provide Training In Fundamental Pilot Knowledge And Skills Leadership in Flight Training (LIFT) Academy, the flight training subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings Inc., has been awarded a contract by NASA to provide specialized flight training for astronaut candidates. The training program will progress from the theory and science of flight all the way through solo flight and instrument operations. The approximately 12-week program delivers more than 160 hours of combined ground school, simulator instruction, and actual flight time, covering both visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR) operations. Training will be conducted aboard the Diamond DA40NG, a state-of-the-art turbodiesel aircraft equipped with advanced glass cockpit avionics. Candidates who meet program requirements will “solo,” one of aviation’s most enduring and iconic personal milestones, up to three times before graduation.
