Coptersafety’s AW169 simulator installed

The installation work has been carried out at Coptersafety’s headquarters in Helsinki in co-operation with experts from TRU Simulation + Training and Rockwell Collins, which were responsible for delivering Coptersafety’s previous simulators.

“We started the construction project of the simulator at the beginning of summer 2020. Now, despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve managed to move onto the next stage of flight tests, which is currently on its way. At this point, it looks very promising. If everything goes according to the plan, we are expecting the simulator to be ready for Traficom – the Finnish civil aviation authority – evaluation in February,” said Kim Rognli, AW169 Lead Instructor at Coptersafety.

Addressing the training needs of the helicopter operators

Despite it being a relatively new machine, there are already a significant number of AW169 operators within the aviation market. The simulator training, however, is lagging behind, with only one simulator currently in existence in the world at the moment.

“With a new AW169 Level D Full Flight simulator, Coptersafety can extend its offer of training scenarios and operational training for multi-engine helicopter operations for yet another helicopter type. I believe that by now we are already known for the quality of our training services and with the AW169 we also aim to achieve the same level of professionalism and excellence,” stated Mikko Kallio, Head of Training at Coptersafety. “When the training is not limited to a set of emergencies, it becomes more efficient and realistic, and therefore, can better prepare the pilots for the missions ahead. Using flight simulators in training also reduces risks associated with hazardous training scenarios, e.g., flight training for a loss of hydraulic power, or engine fire.”

Ready for training in February

Even though the AW169 simulator is expected to be ready for training at the end of February, the booking is already open through Coptersafety’s sales department.

Recently, AirMed&Rescue spoke to Manolo Guillen, AW139 Lead Instructor for Coptersafety about his newest role with the simulation training company, and his history in HEMS, SAR and aerial firefighting cockpits in Spain.