RAF receives A400M cargo hold trainer

The British Royal Air Force (RAF) has taken delivery of an A400M Cargo Hold Trainer – Enhanced (CHT-E) from Rheinmetall and Airbus Defence and Space, Rheinmetall announced on 4 November.

The training system is located at the National Training Centre at RAF Brize Norton. The CHT-E is designed to provide realistic training for cargo hold and ground personnel without needing to use the original equipment. Initial and advanced training as well as refresher courses and preparation for specific operations can be carried out on the system.

Training options include mission-specific reconfiguration of the cargo hold, preparation for loading, loading and unloading, airdrop procedures, standard operating procedures while in flight and on the ground, and cooperation between multiple crews. 

The system, supplied by Rheinmetall under contract with Airbus D&S, is an exact replica of the A400M cargo hold, encompassing all of the operator interfaces, control stations and technical features of the original equipment. The package includes an instructor control station, where exercises can be prepared, monitored and evaluated. 

The first CHT-E has been in operation at the Airbus International Training Centre in Seville, Spain, since September 2013; and the German Air Force received its CHT-E in July 2015.

Doris Lilkendey, head of the flight simulation product unit of Rheinmetall Defence Electronics, said: ‘With the CHT-E, we are contributing to the operational safety of future A400M crews. We are proud of this. We would like to thank everyone involved in the project for the magnificent cooperation, which resulted in its swift, smooth implementation. This is what made today’s milestone possible.’