WORLD CLASS HELICOPTER SIMULATOR FOR THE ADF

Chief Executive Officer of the Defence Materiel Organisation, Warren King, today formally accepted the delivery of the first of two MRH90 helicopter simulators at the Army Aviation Training Centre in Oakey, Queensland.

The simulator allows Army and Navy pilots to practice their skills in all flight regimes, day or night, and accurately reproduces the feel of the aircraft in flight.

Mr King acknowledged the contribution made by DMO, Army, Navy and industry for their contribution in developing and supporting Australian Defence Force (ADF) MRH90 helicopter training.

“This world leading flight simulator will contribute to the ADF’s helicopter capability for many years to come,” Mr King said.

“The MRH90 simulator has a cockpit that functions just like that of a real aircraft, and replicates the aircraft’s unique instrument display that is projected onto the pilots’ visors,” he said.

Commandant of the Army’s Aviation Training Centre Colonel David Burke said the MRH90 simulator was the best he had flown.

“This simulator allows instructors to present pilots with a wide range of operational training scenarios such as flying in to remote bush landing sites, flying in formation with other aircraft, and being safely exposed to complex emergency situations,” Colonel Burke said.

“The majority of basic training will now be conducted in the simulator before pilots get to the real aircraft.

“The aim of the training is to immerse the pilots in the simulation, so they feel as though they are flying the real aircraft, completing real missions and dealing with real emergencies,” he said.

The MRH90 simulator is state of the art, and is fully accredited to meet the highest standards of fidelity, known in the aviation industry as ‘level D’, meaning that an hour in the simulator equates to an hour in the real helicopter.

A second simulator will be installed at the main MRH90 operational base in Townsville during 2014.