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Full Speed Ahead

The entry into service of the NH90 is imminent and the pilots and technicians of the different customer countries have already started their training at ETS (Eurocopter Training Services) in France and the Training Academy in Germany..

Since the summer of 2005, classroom training has been given to 85 technicians from Finland, Greece, Sweden and Australia to familiarize them with the operation of the NH90.

The training of pilots and technicians on the NH90 is based on three steps. The first step includes theoretical courses to familiarize the pilots and technicians with the operation of the aircraft. Since the summer of 2005, approximately 85 Finnish, Greek, Swedish and Australian technicians have received this theoretical training in France.

At the same time, Eurocopter has trained its own Tech Reps so that they can be deployed as quickly as possible in the field when the first NH90s are delivered. In all, approximately 400 people are scheduled to undergo this type of training, a work load equivalent to 80 weeks of courses per year. In Germany, the pilot and technician training for the Bundeswehr (German Army) also began last summer.

By June 2006, 150 technicians and flight engineers had already been trained on the two basic (avionics and transmission system) modules. Other more specific modules (weapon systems, engines, airframes, electrical systems, etc.) are also available and can be offered according to the requirements of each trainee. The training lasts between two to six weeks. Flight engineers, however, also follow the pilot training, whose course content is focused on specific subjects such as use of instruments and the instrument panel.

The duration of this training is approximately seven weeks. The second step of the NH90 training involves the SPHERE simulator and the Light Training Devices. SPHERE is based at Eurocopter Marignane and has been specifically designed to be as realistic as possible before the arrival of the Full Flight Simulators in mid-2008. Thirty future NH90 pilots have already flown 180 hours on the SPHERE flight simulator and, over the next three years, ETS predicts that approximately 450 flight hours will be performed on this simulator as part of the NH90 training. In addition, instrument panels, Flight Control Displays, and the Part Task Trainer (PTT) (see inset) are at the pilots’ disposal.

Thirty future NH90 pilots have already flown 180 hours on the SPHERE flight simulator. The pilots undergo a training course lasting about seven weeks and focusing on specific subjects (use of instruments, instrument panel, etc.).

Putting It All Into Practice…
The third step concerns flight training. Until now, 40 pilots have been instructed by the Eurocopter Flight Test Department. From September, ETS will take over the controls. In Germany, the practical courses for the instructor pilots and flight engineers will begin as soon as the first NH90 in its TTH (Tactical Transport Helicopter) version is delivered to the German Army.

The standard flight training will last seven weeks, but the instructor pilots must undergo a very detailed program lasting three months. All the practical courses will be given by a Eurocopter team assigned to the Bückeburg German Army base for a period of three years.

In 2007, 100 pilots and 132 technicians from Germany should be trained here, followed by the pilots and technicians from France. In 2008, the teams and crews from the Sultanate of Oman will begin their training.

By June 2006, 150 technicians and flight engineers from the Bundeswehr had already been trained on the two basic (avionics and transmission system) modules.

Vanessa Schmidt-Creton

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	Training Offer
	For the first time, the Eurocopter Training Academy in Kassel has provided the training for the “Certifying Staff B2” diploma, with an avionics specialty. This new training complies with the directives of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and, on 28 April 2006, the trainees - including two Eurocopter employees - passed their theoretical exam after 97 days of instruction. The Training Academy in Kassel is one of the few PART 147-certified training centers to propose all the “Certifying Staff” training categories (CAT A, CAT B1, CAT B2). The Training Academy is also an approved “professional training center” for Class 1 and 2 aircraft avionics and airframe/engine inspector courses for the Länder (State) police units, the Federal Police, and certain German companies.

Delivery of the First Part Task Trainer

The Part Task Trainer (PTT) is an interactive simulator for familiarizing pilots, co-pilots, and flight engineers with the NH90 avionics. The PTT makes the SPHERE simulation available in a standard environment. With two computers and four screens, this simulator was developed by Eurocopter and, in mid-July, the first of the 15 PTTs ordered was delivered to NAHEMA, the NATO agency representing the French, German, Italian, Dutch, and Portuguese governments: the NH90 program partners. The PTTs will be used by France, Germany, Italy, and Finland and, with this equipment, the pilots, in their units, can learn the main functions and sub-systems of the NH90. This system offers several advantages: it is less costly than flight hours on the helicopter, it is easy to install at the customer base, and it simulates dangerous and complex situations such as failure management, and the man/machine interface. The instructor can also use recordings to provide in-depth analyses. The final word comes from Wolfram Lange, the Training and Simulation Engineering manager at Eurocopter: “The PTT provides very intensive training by simulating different missions and progressively raising the difficulty level for trainees.”

	Teamwork
	For the first time, the Eurocopter Training Academy in Kassel has provided the training for the “Certifying Staff B2” diploma, with an avionics specialty. This new training complies with the directives of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and, on 28 April 2006, the trainees - including two Eurocopter employees - passed their theoretical exam after 97 days of instruction. The Training Academy in Kassel is one of the few PART 147-certified training centers to propose all the “Certifying Staff” training categories (CAT A, CAT B1, CAT B2). The Training Academy is also an approved “professional training center” for Class 1 and 2 aircraft avionics and airframe/engine inspector courses for the Länder (State) police units, the Federal Police, and certain German companies.