Airbus Helicopters upgraded its full-flight simulator at its training center in Singapore to provide highly realistic training in both day and night search and rescue operations

SINGAPORE, 23-1-2015 — /EuropaWire/ — The AS365 Dauphin rotorcraft full-flight simulator at Airbus Helicopters’ Singapore-based training center has been upgraded to provide highly realistic training in both day and night search and rescue (SAR) operations, offering pilots the unique capability to safely practice these demanding life-saving missions.

The upgrade was made by Airbus Helicopters Southeast Asia at its Seletar Aerospace Park facility, incorporating a CMA9000 flight management system into the AS365 motion-based flight simulator, and updating its APM 2010 4-axis autopilot with the SAR mode. It is the interface between these two avionics units that enhances the SAR operations training.

This will enable flight crews to experience the operational environment during SAR missions while using all capabilities of the CMA9000 system and APM 2010 autopilot – including flying with precision navigation guidance, performing search patterns and hovering, as well as scenarios for deploying rescue dinghies, flares and smoke markers.

The CMA9000 is a highly capable flight management system used on helicopters operated by many emergency services providers, law enforcement organizations and government agencies. The APM 2010 is a digital dual-duplex autopilot that reduces pilot workload for increased mission effectiveness and enhanced situational awareness – while providing unique automatic hover stability with very high precision.

“Airbus Helicopters’ firm commitment to flight safety is underscored by our upgrade of the flight simulator, which becomes the only system of its type in the world with this SAR mission training capability,” said Derek Sharples, the Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters Southeast Asia. “Operators who fly Dauphin family rotorcraft, in particular the AS365 N3/N3+ civil version and the Panther AS565 MBe military variant, will benefit greatly from this training to handle SAR, which is one of the most challenging missions.”

Sharples added that pilots qualified on other aircraft that are equipped with the same systems also could utilize the simulator as a training device for system knowledge and familiarity.

Search and rescue training with the newly enhanced full flight simulator at Airbus Helicopters Southeast Asia will begin in March, with the Royal Thai Police as the inaugural customer. This law enforcement agency currently operates one AS365 N3+ Dauphin configured for SAR missions with the CMA9000 flight management system, as well as an electrical hoist, rappelling installation, cargo sling and search lights. A second similarly-equipped AS365 N3+ will be delivered to the Royal Thai Police later this year.

The AS365 Dauphin full-flight simulator at Airbus Helicopters Southeast Asia began operation in April 2012, and to date has been used for the training of more than 300 pilots from over 20 countries.

About Airbus Helicopters Southeast Asia
Airbus Helicopters Southeast Asia (AHSA) is the regional headquarters of Airbus Helicopters, the world’s leading helicopter manufacturer. Established in 1977 in Singapore, AHSA is the training and technical hub, and handles sales and customer support activities of 15 territories in total. In 2013, AHSA achieved a turnover of 112 million euros. With a staff-strength of more than 220 professionals, the company has developed a successful commercial network of Singapore-based sales team and regional sales managers and technical representatives, servicing and maintaining more than 300 helicopters in the region. Website: www.airbushelicopters.com.sg

About Airbus Helicopters
Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With 46 percent market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company’s fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in approximately 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters’ international presence is marked by its customer centers and participations in 21 countries, and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters’ range of civil and military helicopters is the world’s largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company’s chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.

For more information please contact:

Stéphane Chéry
Tel: + 33 (0)4 42 85 60 51
Mob: + 33 (0)6 23 93 71 23
stephane.chery@airbus.com

Claas Belling
Tel: + 49 (0)906 71 4565
Mob: +49 (0)151 6885 4939
Claas.belling@airbus.com

Priscilla Yip
Tel: +65 6592 7217
Mob: +65 9660 7040
Priscilla.yip@airbus.com

Erin Callender
Tel: + 33 (0)4 42 85 51 31
Mob: + 33 (0)6 72 86 68 03
Erin.callender@airbus.com

Gloria Illas
Tel: + 33 (0)4 42 85 58 89
Mob: +33 (0) 6 31 47 08 99
gloria.illas@airbus.com

Julia Sailer Tel: + 49 (0)906 71 2129
Mob: + 49 (0)151 2645 0997
Julia.sailer@airbus.com

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AS365 N2 Marine performing SAR mission (Ref. EXPH-0036-53, © Copyright Anthony Pecchi).