In early January, KF Aerospace, through its subsidiary KF Aerospace Defence Programs, received a contract award from Canada’s Department of National Defence (DND) to provide a new Bell 206 Level 7 flight training device (FTD) for the Contracted Flying Training and Support (CFTS) Program located in Southport, Manitoba. This new capability, representing a capital investment of over CAD$6.5 million, is part of a larger scope of work by KF Aerospace Defence Programs to provide the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with primary, basic, rotary-wing and multi-engine pilot training at CFTS until 2027.
Built by Frasca International Inc., the new Level 7 FTD will provide helicopter pilot trainees and instructors with the most up-to-date flight training simulator available. The Frasca FTD system is the first configuration of its kind in Canada, and is equipped with a 220-degree field of view visual system, and six degrees of freedom (6-DoF) cueing and vibration systems.
The device also incorporates Frasca’s proprietary SimAssist software, which provides varying levels of automatic instructor assistance during the earliest phases of helicopter flight training. The simulator will be installed at the CFTS Training Centre as part of the flight training program led by KF Aerospace Defence Programs and supported by a pan-Canadian team consisting of Bluedrop Training & Simulation, Canadian Helicopters (HNZ) Ltd., and Canadian Base Operators.
“We are very pleased to provide cutting edge training systems for the CFTS Program,” said Peter Fedak, site manager for the CFTS program. “Introducing devices like the new Bell 206 FTD is one example of how we’re continually honing our training system to provide exceptional service, efficiency, and throughput for our Canadian Armed Forces customer. This new capability will continue the CFTS Program’s status as a leader in supporting the RCAF simulation strategy.
“The FTD will provide the RCAF with the ability to decide what flight training regimes are best suited for simulation and which operations require an actual aircraft. This will ensure that RCAF aircrew receive the right training, to the right people, and at the right time.”
“In addition to enhancing our ability to train emergency and other procedures, the new simulator will yield cost benefits as it will eliminate the need to increase our flying fleet by four aircraft,” said Fedak. “The new FTD may also be adaptable to the future rotary-wing training requirements of DND’s FAcT program.”
The CFTS Program trains 100 percent of the pilot candidates seeking to become RCAF pilots, and has a majority role in training 80 percent of new pilots inducted into the RCAF every year. KF Aerospace also provides the Lead-in Air Navigator Training Course (LANTC) to all potential air combat systems officers (ACSOs) for the RCAF.
The Bell 206 FTD will begin service with the CFTS program in April of 2018.
