The Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site ( EAATS ) at Fort Indiantown Gap in Annville, Pennsylvania is getting rid of the simulator through the General Services Administration's GSA Auctions website. At the time of writing, the top bid was $40,488, but we don't know if this meets the unlisted minimum reserve price.

It's no secret that we here at The War Zone are fans of flight simulators , and the more detailed and immersive , the better . So you can be sure it caught our eye when a real U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk simulator appeared for sale through one of the U.S. government's online auction houses.

"The flight simulator was in operational condition when taken out of service, however repairs may still be required. This purchase includes the flight simulator and associated system components, including: A retractable gang plank, staircase and catwalk, spare components, test equipment, bookcases with technical manuals ECNs historical files, circuit cards, jacks, and other miscellaneous electronics. Buyer will remove items from its current location at Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site (EAATS), Fort Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA 17003-5004, a secure U. S. Army facility adjacent to Annville, PA. The on-site removal at Fort Indiantown Gap must occur no later than July 10, 2020 with a mandatory 3-week advanced appointment."

These simulators, which Singer Defense's Link Flight Simulation Division originally made, date back to the early days of the Black Hawk program in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They have received upgrades over the years and are intended to model the cockpit controls and handling of UH-60A and UH-60L Black Hawk variants. Rockwell Collins subsequently became the primary contractor after acquiring Link.

Facilities, such as the EAATS, which "is fully accredited by The Army School System (TASS) as a 'Learning Institution of Excellence' charged to conduct National Guard Bureau directed training," use these simulators to provide regular required pilot training. The room-sized systems, which look outwardly similar to commercial full-motion flight simulators one would fine at any training outlet, such as Flight Safety International, are capable of simulating a variety of environmental and operational conditions. They're also capable of simulating potential faults and malfunctions. This kind of training has a lot to do with practicing procedures that pilots would follow during emergencies that are not easily recreated in the air, if it is advisable to do so at all.

All of this offers a lower-cost and extremely low-risk way for Army aviators to test their skills. Of course, actual training sorties do still remain an essential component of pilot training regimens.