Leonardo opens AW101 Training Center in Norway

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World Aviation Defense & Security Industry News - Leonardo
 
 
Leonardo opens AW101 Training Center in Norway
 
Leonardo announced yesterday the official opening of its AW101 Norway Training Centre at Stavanger Sola Airport by Per-Willy Amundsen, Minister of Justice & Public Security. The training centre includes a new AW101 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) which will support the training of Norwegian aircrew and will also be available to other AW101 customers.
     
Leonardo's new AW101 Norway Training Center opened yesterday at Stavanger Sola Airport
(Credit: Leonardo)
     
The first training course at the centre, for Royal Norwegian Air Force pilots, also started yesterday prior to delivery of the first two of 16 aircraft ordered by the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security for search and rescue.

Per-Willy Amundsen, Minister of Justice & Public Security, said at the opening ceremony “I’m delighted to officially open the AW101 Norway Training Centre which enables advanced training courses to be delivered to our search and rescue aircrew here in Norway, utilising the very latest simulation and training technologies. This facility, will not only help reduce the cost of training, but most importantly will enhance safety and enable aircrew to exploit the new capabilities the AW101 helicopter and its systems will provide in service.

Daniele Romiti, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters, added “This AW101 simulator represents the very latest in simulator technology and will enable us to deliver the very best quality training to Norwegian pilots. The AW101s being built for Norway are undoubtedly the most advanced and capable search and rescue helicopters in the world today and we look forward to the aircraft entering service and serving the people of Norway for many years to come.”

The AW101 Full Flight Simulator, jointly developed by Leonardo and CAE to Level D, the highest qualification for commercial flight simulators, is a CAE Series 3000 device. Located in a new annex to the Thales Flight Training Centre, the simulator is operated and managed by Leonardo Helicopters to deliver its wide range of OEM training courses. The centre will also house a Royal Norwegian Air Force owned AW101 SAR console training device that is linked to the FFS to provide rear crew training.

The facility is conveniently located just 800m from Stavanger Sola Airport, making it easily accessible for aircrew from around the world to attend type conversion courses, refresher training and specialised operational training for the AW101 helicopter.

The AW101 FFS features unprecedented realism for helicopter-specific mission training, including search and rescue (SAR), offshore transport, combat SAR and naval operations. The simulator will enable pilots to practice challenging procedures, without risk, such as low-level flight, confined area operations, autorotations and landing on platforms at sea. The AW101 FFS combines a Leonardo Helicopters developed flight dynamic model, avionics and aircraft software modelling, with CAE’s core simulation technologies, including: CAE True six degree-of-freedom (DOF) electric motion system and high-performance vibration platform to replicate vibration cues critical to helicopter pilots; a high-fidelity CAE Medallion-6000 visual system; and a direct projection 210 degree by 80 degree extreme field-of-view dome display system. This new AW101 FFS also includes important mission systems such as SAR autopilot modes, digital map, radar, aircraft mission management computer, multi-purpose control and display units, cockpit display system and flotation system.

The new AW101 service in Sola will be a dedicated satellite of Leonardo Helicopters’ Yeovil Training Academy, marking a further expansion of its Regional Training Centres.

In December 2013 Leonardo Helicopters signed a contract with the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security for 16 SAR configured AW101 helicopters plus support and training services for the initial 15 years.

Through its training academies in Italy, UK, USA and Malaysia, Leonardo Helicopters enjoys an enviable track record in successfully training both commercial and military helicopter pilots and maintainers from all over the world. Training programmes are tailored to meet a customer's individual needs and operational requirements using established analytical processes. Training solutions and services are designed, developed and delivered through the entire lifecycle of the product to meet the demands of long-term operational support. Extensive use is made of multi-media tools and an expanding range of synthetic training devices ranging from e-learning, part-task maintenance and procedures trainers through to full mission and flight simulators.