UK-based Bond Air Services says it is now able to train its helicopter pilots to handle high-risk flying situations to a standard not before attainable in a low-cost simulator.
This follows certification of its new flight-training device (FTD) to Level 3 standards under the European Joint Aviation Authorities JAR-STD 2H requirement, which is a world first, says UK-based simulator manufacturer CueSim.
The new FTD, operating at Bond’s Staverton, Gloucestershire training centre, provides full-motion simulation of Bond’s Eurocopter EC135 helicopter cockpit with a high-resolution external visual system. Bond’s head of flight operations Capt Merrick Forsyth says: “The FTD will allow us to develop the ability of our own pilots as they will be able to train with greater flexibility and to higher levels. In short, this device allows the pilot to learn the toughest lessons in the safest place.”
Bond’s managing director Trevor Larman adds: “The training credits [exercises that may be completed in the simulator alone without real flight time] are exactly what we hoped for – if not more.”
CueSim, which is a fully owned subsidiary company of UK-based defence and security equipment company Qinetiq, specialises in providing low-cost FTDs and training devices for other types of vehicle by using its own software to drive simulators largely made with from commercial off-the-shelf equipment.
CueSim says that it will shortly be offering a 3 full-flight simulator (FFS) “using similar technology, but with improved, targeted fidelity to achieve the increased criteria required by the FFS standard”.
In addition to training its own pilots, Bond says it will be offering third-party training using its new FTD to provide “the highest level of training at a very realistic price”.
DAVID LEARMOUNT/LONDON
Source: Flight International
