Kaman Aerospace, the aerospace segment of Kaman Corporation, on July 17 announced that it has opened a new customer service center to support both its K-MAX and SH-2 Super Seasprite customers and inaugurated a K-MAX Flight Training Device (FTD). The new facility is located on Kaman’s Bloomfield, Connecticut, campus and replaces and consolidates legacy Kaman customer service accommodations.
The K-MAX Level 5 FTD is fully operational and ready for pilot transition training. It will be incorporated into the K-MAX initial and recurrent flight training syllabus. The FTD, which is housed in the customer service center, was designed, manufactured and installed by Entrol of Spain. Entrol develops and manufactures aircraft FNPT and FTD simulators and devices designed to CS-FSTD and FAA FTD directives. The customer service center also houses the K-MAX customer service team, Kaman pilot offices, training space and office space for customers while they are on site.
“Given our increased levels of pilot training, the simulator will be an effective tool to cost effectively enrich the pilot training experience,” stated Darlene Smith, vice president and general manager of Kaman’s Air Vehicles division. “In addition, we are very proud of the new customer service center, which brings together under one roof a number of customer support functions. We look forward to providing a higher level of service and support for customers of both of our aircraft platforms.”
Development of the K-MAX aircraft was led by Kaman founder and former CEO, aviation pioneer Charlie H. Kaman, and received Federal Aviation Administration certification in 1994. The K-MAX is a rugged low-maintenance aircraft that features a counter-rotating rotor system and is optimized for cyclical, external load operations. The aircraft can lift up to 6,000 pounds (2,722 kilograms). The SH-2 Super Seasprite is a naval maritime aircraft with an existing fleet in service with allied nations around the world.
