News
Rotorism continues aggressive expansion

Rotorsim will add the world's first-ever AW169 full-flight simulator to the Rotorsim Training Centre, which is part of the AgustaWestland 'A. Marchetti' Training Academy in Sesto Calende, Italy. The CAE 3000 Series AW169 simulator will be ready-for-training in mid-2015.

Rotorsim is also acquiring its second AW189 full-flight simulator and will deploy this simulator to a training centre in Aberdeen, Scotland. This CAE 3000 Series AW189 simulator, designed specifically to support training for search and rescue operations, will be ready-for-training in mid-2015 and be used to support Bristow Helicopters and other North Sea operators.

"We look forward to bringing the new AW169 simulator online in 2015 to support training for our new 4.5 tonne class helicopter," said John Ponsonby, AgustaWestland's senior VP customer support and training. "We are also excited to introduce AW189 simulator training in the United Kingdom to support search and rescue operations. Simulation-based training is a safe and effective method for training the challenging and demanding tasks associated with the SAR mission."

"Helicopter operators continue to recognize the value of simulation-based training for improving safety, operational efficiency and mission readiness," said Ian Bell, CAE's vice president and regional business leader – Europe. "CAE is proud to be AgustaWestland's partner of choice in developing high-fidelity training systems for operators of AgustaWestland helicopters."

Both the AW169 and AW189 full-flight simulators will be developed jointly by CAE and AgustaWestland and qualified to Level D, the highest qualification for flight simulators. The CAE 3000 Series helicopter mission simulator features unprecedented realism for helicopter-specific mission training, including offshore oil and gas producer (OGP), search and rescue (SAR), law enforcement and other types of operations. The simulators enable pilots to practice – without risk – challenging procedures such as low-level flight, confined area operations, autorotation and landing on platforms at sea.

Both the AW169 and AW189 simulators for Rotorsim will feature AgustaWestland-certified avionics and aircraft software combined with CAE core simulation technologies, including: CAE True six degree-of-freedom (DOF) electric motion system and high-performance vibration platform to replicate vibration cues critical to helicopter pilots; a high-fidelity CAE Medallion-6000 visual system; and a direct projection 210 degree by 80 degree extreme field-of-view dome display system.

Rotorsim was established in 2003 as a joint venture of AgustaWestland and CAE to provide synthetic training solutions for AgustaWestland AW109 and AW139 helicopter operators, and has now expanded to include AW169 and AW189 training. The Rotorsim training centre in Italy is located within the AgustaWestland 'A. Marchetti' Training Academy in Sesto Calende. Rotorsim also offers training on a CAE-built AW139 simulator located at CAE's North East Training Centre near New York City, and provides training in Sesto Calende, Italy, on the NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH)/ Tactical Troop Transport (TTH) reconfigurable simulator.