One Full Flight Simulator and Two Flight Procedures Trainers

Airbus Helicopters contracted Thales to provide a REALITY H Full Flight Mission Simulator (FFMS) and two trainer stations for flight procedures and tactical training for the Kuwaiti Armed Forces.

The simulators will support the Kuwaiti CARACAL helicopter fleet, of which the Air Force has ordered 24 and the National Guard six rotorcraft for transport, ground support and SAR missions. The combination of simulators will allow pilots to receive training – in a realistic tactical visual environment – in normal navigation procedures, instrument flight, failures and emergency procedures not easily accomplished on real helicopters. The communication systems, weapons and self-protection systems, as well as the in-flight refuelling function, are identical to those of the real helicopter, to ensure pilots receive training in conditions as near to real-life as possible.

Providing training in flight procedures for new pilots and tactical training for captains and crews, the simulators are fully interoperable and can be networked for collective training exercises and to prepare crews for complex missions. The contract also covers maintenance of the simulators in operational conditions for at least three years.