AgustaWestland 

AgustaWestland Training, headquartered at Yeovil, UK, has opened an Operational Flying Training Centre (OFTC) at Newquay airport, in the south west of England.  This is for helicopter training and includes pilot training from basic to advanced.  The OFTC will also deliver a range of training courses for rear crew including rescue winch, medical and mission training.  www.agustawestland.com/content/training-solutions

CAE  -  www.cae.com

CAE 3000 Series.  This is a family of new mission simulators for the civil helicopter market. The first will be ready for training (RFT) by summer 2010. The design includes a vibration platform giving cues in 3 axes.  CAE Tropos-6000 imagery is displayed in a dome with 80 x 220 degree cover plus extra chin windows.  Prices vary from US$4M to $10M depending on systems provided.  See  www.cae.com/3000

Canada- Chinook.  CAE has a C$250 million contract from the Government of Canada for CH147F Chinook aircrew training.  This will create about 240 jobs for the first four years and 40 jobs for the next 20 years.  The training suite will include one weapon system trainer (WST), one tactical flight training device (TFTD), one deployable TFTD, one integrated gunnery trainer, laptop and desktop-based CAE Simfinity virtual simulators (VSIM), and courseware.  Delivery of the CH147F training suite is scheduled for early 2014.  During the 20-year support phase, CAE will be responsible for a range of training services, including simulator upgrades and maintenance, courseware updates, and database modelling.

Germany. CAE Germany has a contract to continue providing maintenance and training support services at the Hans E. Drebing simulator centre of the German Army Aviation School in Bueckeburg. This includes on-site maintenance for the next six years of the 12 CAE-built helicopter simulators operated at the German Army Aviation School.  The training facility includes two UH-1D, two CH-53, and eight EC135 helicopter simulators.

Mexico.  CAE is locating Bell 412 trainers in Mexico.  These will include a CAE 7000 Series Level D full-flight simulator (FFS), CAE Simfinity Integrated Procedures Trainer (IPT), computer-based training, e-Learning and other courseware.

UK- Lynx.  CAE UK plc has completed a major upgrade of the CAE-built Lynx Mk8 Full-Mission Simulators (FMS)  It has also delivered a new Lynx Cockpit Procedures Trainer (LCPT) and a Simfinity System-Based Trainer (SBT).  These are at the Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton, UK.  These were to requirements from the Flight Simulator and Synthetic Training (FsAST) Project Team of the UK Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) organisation.  Simulator facilities include the SATURN anti-jamming tactical UHF radio for NATO, replacement of the central tactical system, the Successor Identification Friend or Foe (SIFF) system, and the latest Defensive Aid Suite (DAS).

CAE/HAL  -  www.cae.com/en/military/_pdf/brochure.HATSOFF.pdf

The Indian Helicopter Academy to Train by Simulation of Flying (HATSOFF) opened in mid-2010.  This is a joint venture between CAE and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).  A CAE full-mission simulator (FMS) for HATSOFF is a roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) design, with cockpits for the Bell 412, Eurocopter Dauphin, and the military version of the HAL Dhruv helicopter.  The training centre will have multimedia classrooms, computer-based training (CBT), computerised brief/debrief facilities, and a training management information system. When a cockpit is not used in the full-mission simulator, it will be available as a fixed-based flight training device (FTD). The FMS will be certified to European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Indian DGCA Level D.

cueSim  -  www.cuesim.com

cueSim of Bedford, UK, owned byQinetiQ, has received EASA Level B qualification for the first of two simulators at the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services Academy at Bonn/Hangelar airport,  Germany.  The simulators are for the Eurocopter EC135 and EC 145, and have six-axis electric motion and 60 x 210 visuals.   HEMS is a subsidiary of the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (ADAC - www.adac.de).  The simulator for the analogue-cockpit EC135 will be reconfigurable between the Pratt & Whitney Canada-powered P2 and Turbomeca-powered T2 and upgradable to the P2i/T2i.  The other will be reconfigurable between the glass-cockpit EC145 and EC135P2i/T2i.  It is reported that this will allow about 85% of pilot training to be moved from the aircraft to the simulator.  David Burgoyne, cueSim sales and marketing manager, says that the Level B provides about 90% of the training capability of a Level D simulator at about one third of the cost of a level D.  He also says that most helicopter customers want motion, but they do not need zero flight time (ZFT, needing Level C/D simulation).

Eurocopter and Pawan - www.eurocopter.com

Eurocopter and Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd. (PHHL - www.pawanhans.co.in) of India are forming two joint ventures for Maintenance Repair and Overall (MRO) and other training in India.

FSI Simulation  -  www.flightsafety.com/fs_service_simulation_systems.php

FlightSafety International (FSI) Simulation, headquartered at Broken Arrow, Tulsa, Oklahoma, has announced that its Eurocopter EC135 aircraft simulator is scheduled to be Ready for Training (RFT) by the end of 2010.  It is at the FSI Rotorcraft Learning Center of Excellence in Lafayette, Louisiana, and is designed for US FAA Level D qualification.

Visual optimised for Helicopters.  FSI has introduced an enhanced version of its VITAL X Visual System designed for use in helicopter roles, see the entry in the Simulation Systems section.

Frasca  -  www.frasca.com

Frasca of Urbana, Illinois, has received regulatory approval for a Sikorsky 92 Full Flight Simulator (FFS).  This is at the Bristow Academy in Aberdeen, UK, and is for EASA Level B.

Rockwell Collins  -  www.rockwellcollins.com/service/simulation

Rockwell Collins Simulation & Training Solutions (STS) of Sterling, Virginia, is to supply a Transportable Blackhawk Operations Simulator (T-BOS) to the Kingdom of Bahrain.  This is to train pilots for the UH-60M Blackhawk helicopter.

SAIC  -  www.saic.com

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), headquartered in McLean, Virginia has a US$12M order for simulators for US Army CH-47 and UH-60 helicopters.  This is from the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) in Orlando, and is part of the Army Non-rated Crew Member Manned Module (NCM3) program.  The simulators will integrate with the Army's Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT).  The contract has a 28 month period, and a value of over US$12 million if various options are exercised.  Work will be performed primarily in Orlando, Florida.  NCM3 is a transportable, multi-station simulation device designed for individual, crew and collective training.  SAIC will design, deliver and maintain variants equipped with helicopter modules for gunnery, sling load and hoist operation.

Stottler Henke  -  www.stottlerhenke.com

The U.S. Navy has awarded Stottler Henke Associates, Inc., of San Mateo, California, a $9 million contract to develop simulation cockpit software for helicopter operations.

 Thales  -  www.thalesgroup.com

Thales Simulation and Training has completed the first simulator network between the French Army simulation facilities in Canjuers and Le Luc.  The first armoured regiment is at Canjuers and the EALAT army aviation training centre is at Le Luc.  The objective was to verify the added value of networked multi-site simulation and how it could be implemented on a routine basis to support training, preparedness and deployments.