L-3 Awarded Contract to Build CH-47F Operational Flight Trainer

L-3 Link Simulation & Training (L-3 Link) has been awarded a $31.8 million contract modification from Computer Sciences Corporation in support of the U.S. Army’s Flight School XXI program.

Under this contract modification L-3 Link will provide CH-47F Chinook simulation support over the life of the Flight School XXI program. To accomplish this scheduled upgrade, L-3 Link will build the program’s first full motion, high fidelity CH-47F Operational Flight Trainer.

Building this simulator represents the 31st training device L-3 Link will have delivered in support of the Flight School XXI program. The CH-47F Operational Flight Trainer is scheduled to complete accreditation testing and gain release for training authorization in November 2011.

“When this operational flight trainer enters service the U.S. Army will have a modern simulation system for the CH-47F multi-mission platform,” said Bob Birmingham, president of L-3 Link.

“This high fidelity simulation will enable CH-47F aircrews to hone their skills while conducting individual or networked training exercises across the platform’s complete mission spectrum.”

The CH-47F Operational Flight Trainer will be integrated with a six degrees-of-freedom electric motion system and a secondary motion system to simulate aircraft vibrations.

Chinook aircrews will view out-the-window computer generated imagery, produced by a personal computer-based image generation system, through both wide field-of-view and chin window displays. The wide field-of-view visual display, which will be integrated with modern Liquid Crystal on Silicon projectors, will span 200° horizontally by 45° vertically.

The trainer’s high fidelity cockpit software will accurately simulate the CH-47F’s engine, electrical, hydraulic, navigation and communication systems, in addition to weapons, sensors and aircraft survivability equipment.

An electrically-driven servo flight control system and sticks and grips that replicate CH-47F hardware combine to provide high fidelity aircrew training under either normal or emergency conditions. This will be the first simulator built by L-3 Link to incorporate a Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) simulation, which includes five 6” x 8” night vision-compatible multi-function displays and two control display units.