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ERA Training Centre announces agreement with AgustaWestland for AW139 flight training devices
Era Training Center LLC (Era Training Center) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with AgustaWestland for the construction of two AW139 Flight Simulator Training Devices (FSTDs).
The first FSTD will be installed at Era Training Center’s facility in 2011 and will meet the certification requirements defined by FAA Part 60, Level 6.
AgustaWestland, as prime contractor, has partnered with Frasca International, Inc. (Frasca) to support the development and production of the FSTDs, with work being carried out at Frasca’s facilities in the USA and at AgustaWestland’s facilities in Sesto Calende, Italy. Frasca built the two advanced Level 6 FSTDs, the AS350 B2 and the EC135 CPDS P2+ currently offered for training programs by Era Training Center.
The FSTDs will represent the cockpit of a standard offshore AW139 helicopter, providing high fidelity replications and simulations of the controls, displays and systems to train aircrew on a range of ground and flight operations procedures.
The FSTD’s visual system will provide real time, high brightness and high-resolution imagery with a 200 x 70 degree field of view presented on a spherical screen using TruVision™ Global, featuring worldwide coverage at a base map level. This base map includes over 10,000 runways, coastlines, representative terrain, rivers, roads, and more allowing the pilot to "fly" anywhere in the world and view representative terrain and runways in each area. TruVision™ Global features include: variable time of day, sun/moon/star models, wave or sea state simulation, urban lighting, moving automobile lights at night, improved entity support, and automatic building generation. EMS hospital and scene locations are incorporated into the database along with high resolution modeling of the Gulf of Mexico.
A high-fidelity simulation of the helicopter’s flight characteristics and a high-performance electric control loading system, providing high fidelity control forces, gives pilots a very realistic “flying” experience. To add to the reality, the FSTDs have a high-fidelity simulation of the avionics and helicopter systems (engine, fuel, etc) based on true aircraft data and a digital sound system for both instructor/crew communication providing realistic aircraft and equipment aural cues
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Each FSTD will also have an on-board Instructor Operating System (IOS) located behind the crew seats so that the instructor can monitor crew training and control simulation. Control functionality includes scenario and sortie definition, malfunction injection and parameter freeze via a highly flexible and user-friendly workstation designed to optimise instructor workload. The FSTDs will also come with an off-board PC based debriefing station to review training sessions with the students.
“We are very pleased to be acquiring the AW139 FSTD for our training needs, as well as offering its availability to other operators of this aircraft. Era believes the AW139 provides the highest level of comfort and safety available for our customers and passengers, while ensuring that our flight crews have the necessary reserve power, control authority and stability to safely maneuver during those times when a flight might encounter challenges.
The AW139 FSTD will replicate the aircraft precisely, offer a high level of training for emergencies, as well as honing mission specific proficiency and Crew Resource Management Skills,” states Paul White, General Manager, Era Training Center.
Era Training Center holds a CFR part 142 Certificate designating it as a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Approved Training Center. The Center trains a diverse array of pilots from corporate aircraft providers, helicopter emergency medical flight services, airborne law-enforcement personnel, offshore operators, government entities and other rotorcraft professionals.
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