Naval Air Systems Command officials at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., sought to give airmen around-the-clock access to a virtual training solution, so they are partnering with Binghamton Simulator Co. (BSC), a Concurrent channel partner specializing in military and commercial flight simulation solutions located in Binghamton, N.Y.
BSC won a contract Naval Air Systems Command to build the Aircrew Virtual Environment Trainer (AVET) to train Navy airmen.
BSC engineers designed the AVET prototype with Concurrent’s iHawk real-time multiprocessor systems, powered by the RedHawk Linux operating system, as the simulation host computer.
BSC personnel delivered the prototype AVET to the Fleet Replacement Squadron 2 (FRS 2) at Norfolk Naval Air Station, Va., for a 90-day evaluation in September 2008. The prototype virtual environment trainer also demonstrates technology BSC engineers developed under a Small Business Innovation Research award from the Navy.
“The BSC product line of Aircrew Virtual Environment Trainer solutions provides military personnel with a safer more economical means to increase proficiency in a variety of necessary skill sets,” says Terry Lewis, president of BSC. “Concurrent iHawk-hosted trainers decrease the number of flight hours and airframe time needed for pilots to fly training missions resulting in a better prepared aircrew with a significant cost savings to the customer.”
A completed, functional AVET is scheduled to be delivered to Naval Air Station North Island in September 2009, and is expected to be the first of several units to support U. S. Navy aircrew readiness training, says a representative. Concurrent is providing BSC with integrated iHawk platforms running the RedHawk Linux real-time operating system, as well as Concurrent NightStar advanced debugging and analysis tools and MAXAda 95 language system.
The AVET will provide 24/7 training for crew chiefs, aerial gunners, hoist and rescue personnel (search and rescue), and vertical replenishment personnel.
For additional information, visit Binghamton Simulator Co. and Concurrent online at www.bsc.com and www.concurrent.com, respectively.