The 1st Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment manages new recruits that have come to Fort Novosel to receive their military occupational specialty identifier before reporting to their first duty station. The battalion orchestrates and implements the majority of enlisted training at Fort Novosel.
Courses of instruction include:
- Air Traffic Control Specialist 15Q
- Operations Specialist 15P
Additionally, the battalion teaches and certifies Aviation Life Support Equipment technicians.
The curriculum encompasses job skills training, physical training, common task training and military customs and courtesies. Training for the Air Traffic Control students is further enhanced through virtual simulation. The battalion also provides operational and administrative support for graduate level aviation students returning for advanced aircraft transitions and all international students here for flight training.
The Headquarters and Headquarters Company manages the Enhanced Tower Simulator, the newest and most advanced air traffic control simulator in the U.S. Army.
The ETOS gives ATC students a realistic experience of what it is like inside at ATC tower. As the primary trainer for the tower, 1-13th AR trains the Army's ATC personnel. ETOS is used to train Soldiers in initial entry training on how to safely and expeditiously move aircraft to, from and through designated airspace in a simulated, virtual environment.
Most of the training uses virtual landscape with high fidelity images of aircraft and the airfield, including the runway, hangars, nearby trees and ground vehicles. The weather system, vehicles, stars, lights, sun and rain are just like the real thing and voice recognition software helps students to learn.
ETOS can simulate almost every aircraft in the U.S. military inventory and civilian commercial aircraft. The ETOS training at Fort Novosel can apply to ATC operations at military airfields or civilian airports worldwide.