Training organisation Silver State Helicopters has ordered 10 flight training devices (FTD) from Frasca International for installation at locations in Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah.
The devices are reconfigurable between the Robinson R22 and R44 and Schweizer 300 piston-single helicopters.
Las Vegas-based Silver State is launch customer for Frasca's TruFlite H helicopter FTD.
Launched last year, the TruFlite general aviation training device combines computer-generated instrumentation with instrument-panel overlays to allow rapid reconfiguration between aircraft types. Frasca says it has sold more than 30 units so far.
Silver State's training devices will feature a two-seat cockpit, interchangeable cyclic controls and single-channel projected visual system.
The company bought nine training devices from Flyit in 2002. "Through hands-on experience, we found that these were not robust enough and the company was not responsive to our needs," says Chad Stone, director of information technology.
Helicopter FTDs are gaining acceptance. The UK's Bond Helicopter Services recently awarded CueSim a contract to develop a Level 3 FTD, with full six-axis motion, for the Eurocopter EC135.
In the USA, Stat Medevac is using a full-motion EC135 training device developed by Fidelity Flight Simulation.
Middle Tennessee State University has ordered a Frasca flight training device for the Diamond DA40 piston single.
Frasca says this will be the first FTD to feature Garmin 1000 integrated avionics.
Source: Flight International
