Stewart Penney/MOOSE JAW
Bombardier is preparing to expand its NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) programme. The first three courses of student pilots have started training and Bombardier is shortly to sign a deal for an additional BAE Systems Hawk 115 advanced trainer.
Bombardier supplies Raytheon T-6A Harvard II basic trainers and Hawks, plus maintenance, simulators and other services. The Can-adian Forces and participating nations provide flying instructors.
Zev Rosenzweig, vice president aviation training, Bombardier Aerospace Defence Services, says another Hawk is to be bought soon, taking the number on order to 19. He adds that another six could be ordered in the near term.
Rosenzweig says: "I hope to have a letter of intent from another customer by the end of the year, with possibly two more early next year."
Sweden and the UK's Royal Navy are due to make NFTC evaluation visits by the end of this month. Switzerland and Finland are also expressing an interest.
He says Bombardier has also looked at exporting the NFTC concept to other areas and "how we would want to partner with local industry [in those areas]". Asia and South America could be targeted with a modified concept that better suits air forces without fourth generation fighters. Any such move could include the NFTC courses plus a Phase I flight screening programme.
NFTC is split into four elements: Phase II basic training on the Harvard - at CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan - after which students are streamed to fast jets, helicopters or multi-engined aircraft. The latter two types of pilot pass out of NFTC, while those for fast jets move on to Phase IIA, also on the Harvard and then Phase III advanced training on the Hawk. This is followed by Phase IV tactical training on the Hawk at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta.
While the UK's Royal Air Force has committed to only Phase IV, the RN is interested in sending students on Phases II and III as well. Other international customers are Denmark, Italy and Singapore.
Source: Flight International
