Adacel

In the air traffic simulation training industry, where precision and reliability define success, technology alone is never enough. What truly sets a company apart is how it listens to and responds to the needs of its customers. Training systems must mirror the intensity of real-world operations, adapt to evolving airspace demands, and provide measurable improvements in safety and efficiency. This is only possible when customer experience is at the center of innovation.

As a global leader in air traffic control simulation, Adacel has fully embraced this philosophy.

By weaving customer experience into the fabric of its culture, the company has redefined how the industry views training and simulation. It has etched a legacy of excellence since 1987.

With its customer-centric culture, Adacel drives every decision within the organization with that singular focus, from product development to employee training. Michael Saunders, Vice President of Strategy, Simulation & Technical Services explains that the company’s ambition goes beyond delivering technology. Its true goal is to be a trusted partner in its clients’ success.

“Everything we design, build, and support is anchored in one principle: improving the customer experience,” says Saunders, underscoring this philosophy’s central role in shaping Adacel’s identity and future.

This philosophy has permeated the company’s operations, from its leadership down to its engineers, who are tasked with creating solutions that address the real-world challenges air traffic controllers face.

Providing Trainees with Realistic Scenarios

The impact of this customer-first approach is evident in Adacel’s simulation solutions. The company understands that air traffic control is a highly specialized and regulated field, requiring training environments close to real-world conditions. Adacel offers a wide range of training platforms to meet these demands, from simple, single-position devices to fully immersive, high-fidelity simulations replicating the complexity of air traffic control towers and radar rooms.

Adacel’s flagship simulation platform, MaxSim, is the culmination of decades of collaboration with the air traffic control community. It is designed to give trainees realistic scenarios that mirror the pressure, decision-making, and communication demands they will face on the job.

Built to replicate the intensity and precision of real-world air traffic management, MaxSim is not just a piece of software. It is a fully scalable ecosystem that adapts to the needs of each customer.

At its core, the platform is powered by three fundamental components. The simulation engine, developed and owned entirely by Adacel, forms the system’s heart and ensures authenticity in every training scenario. This is paired with Adacel’s state-of-the-art image generator, AeroScene, built on Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, which delivers immersive, high-definition environments familiar to a new generation of learners raised on gaming technology. The final layer, Lexix, Adacel’s advanced speech recognition engine brings voice interaction into the training space. Lexix is powered by Cerence, known for its role in BMW vehicles voice recognition systems. Lexix enables highly realistic communication between trainees and the system.

MaxSim is designed with scalability in mind, capable of supporting everything from a single-position, self-paced device to a fully immersive, multi-position tower simulation with third-party equipment integration. This flexibility makes it as valuable for basic ab initio training as it is for refresher and emergency scenarios, ensuring continuity across the learning journey.

For trainees, the experience is one of total immersion. They step into environments that mirror actual towers or radar rooms, with authentic local procedures, regional dialects, and context-specific details that make the training relevant to their future operations. Its value lies in its technical sophistication and ability to evolve continuously.

To ensure the platform reflects real-world operational needs, Adacel maintains a rigorous feedback loop with customers, including working groups, field service representatives, and direct user engagement. Because the company partners with industry leaders such as Epic Games and Cerence, clients also benefit from ongoing upgrades and improvements from their roadmaps. This ensures MaxSim remains cutting-edge without requiring customers to overhaul their systems.

Enhancing Training through Partnerships and Customer Alignment

Adacel distinguishes itself not only by the sophistication of its simulation engine but also by its commitment to keeping MaxSim at the cutting edge of training technology. By collaborating with industry leaders such as Epic Games, whose Unreal Engine powers MaxSim’s immersive AeroScene visuals, and Cerence, whose advanced speech technology drives its communication features, the company ensures its simulations mirror the realism modern trainees expect. These partnerships allow Adacel to integrate best-in-class capabilities while maintaining complete control of the core simulation engine.

What amplifies MaxSim’s impact is its adaptability to user needs. Rather than offering a generic solution, Adacel works closely with clients to understand their operational challenges and tailor the platform accordingly. This consultative approach has made MaxSim the trusted training environment for some of the world’s most demanding organizations, including the FAA, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army, Airservices Australia, and the Royal Australian Air Force. Constantly evolving through both customer feedback and technological advances, MaxSim supports training from initial instruction to complex emergency response scenarios. As Saunders explains, the platform represents decades of collaboration with the air traffic community and continues to deliver real, measurable benefits.

A critical part of this evolution is Adacel’s customer feedback loop. Saunders emphasizes the importance of direct engagement with clients, including input from field service representatives and on-site instructors who observe real-world operations. The company also hosts events that bring end-users together to share experiences, creating an ongoing dialogue between developers and customers. Combined with AI-driven analytics and adaptive training tools, this feedback enables Adacel to refine its systems and ensure its technology remains aligned with customer needs.

Adapting Solutions to the Evolving Airspace Landscape

Adacel is already exploring new technologies such as eye tracking and gamification to enhance the training experience for air traffic controllers. These developments are not made in isolation. They are driven directly by customer feedback, reflecting the demand for more engaging and effective training methods.

Recognizing that a new generation of controllers brings different learning preferences, Adacel is also developing mobile and accessible platforms to resonate with learners accustomed to intuitive, on-demand digital tools.

Adacel’s reputation for exceptional customer support is essential to the company’s identity. The company provides 24/7 service coverage, ensuring clients have assistance whenever needed. This level of responsiveness has earned the company the trust of major organizations such as the FAA, the U.S. Air Force, and Airservices Australia.

Saunders notes that this commitment to support is inseparable from Adacel’s broader philosophy. “We don’t walk away from our customers after delivering the system. Our success is tied to their success, and we’re committed to supporting them every step of the way.”

Looking ahead, Adacel is positioning itself to stay at the forefront of air traffic control simulation for the years to come. A primary focus is ensuring its flagship MaxSim platform can adapt to the evolving airspace environment, particularly by integrating unmanned aerial systems alongside traditional traffic. Expansion into Asia is also part of the company’s long-term roadmap, complementing its established presence in the United States and Australia.

Ultimately, Adacel’s ambition is to become the simulation partner of choice for all major primes in the air traffic control space. By combining innovation with a customer-first mindset, Adacel prepares its clients for today’s operational challenges and tomorrow’s skies.