England's MOD tasks AgustaWestland to build Lynx Wildcat helicopter training facility

Posted by John McHaleLONDON, 29 March 2011. Officials with England's Ministry of Defence (MoD) selected AgustaWestland to design and develop flight training solutions and a new flight training center for the AW159 Lynx Wildcat helicopter. Plans are for the new center to be located at Royal air force station Yeovilton in South West England, alongside Royal Navy and British Army AW159 Lynx Wildcat squadrons. The facility will provide training courses for English army aircrew and maintainers starting in January 2013, with training for Royal navy aircrew and maintainers starting January 2014.The Wildcat Training Centre will be equipped to provide air crew and maintainer training using a wide range of synthetic training technology including two full mission simulators (FMSs), flight training device (FTD), and cockpit procedures trainer (CPT). All devices will be capable of delivering army or Royal navy conversion and mission training. Each of the FMSs has six degrees of freedom to provide the acceleration sensations associated with helicopter flying together with a visual system that complies with JAR-FSTD-H Level D, to give highly realistic and cost effective training. The maintenance training facility will be equipped with a suite of synthetic training devices covering the aircraft's mechanical, avionics, and weapon systems."This contract represents a step change in the way AgustaWestland is partnering with the MoD to deliver world-class training for front line crews, whilst ensuring we provide value for money within every part of the service," says John Ponsonby, senior vice president training at AgustaWestland. The training center will also contain a suite of briefing rooms, integrated electronic classrooms, and a learning management system will be operational and providing training for the army from early 2013 and for Royal navy from early 2014. Suppliers on the program include Indra, who will supply FMSs and other aircrew training equipment and Pennant Training Systems, who will supply a suite of maintenance training aids. Development of training devices, equipment and media will start immediately, with the contract for construction of the facility to be awarded later this year.