COPTERSAFETY IS UPGRADING THEIR AW169 FULL FLIGHT SIMULATOR TO AVIONICS PHASE 8

HELSINKI, Finland – Coptersafety announced that they are upgrading their TRU Odyssey H AW169 Full Flight Simulator to Avionics phase 8. The simulator is estimated to be ready by the Q4 of 2024.

Head of FSTD at Coptersafety, Toni Rönnberg, said “I’m pleased to announce that Coptersafety is upgrading its TRU AW169 FFS to the latest Avionics phase 8 this year. This will ensure our customers can use the latest avionics and features to support their training.”

Coptersafety is an independent helicopter pilot training provider for commercial, government, and private organizations. With a mission to improve safety in the rotor-wing industry, Coptersafety provides simulator training for pilots from around the world.

The TRU Odyssey H AW169 full flight simulator is Coptersafety’s most recent simulator, installed in 2020 and operational since early 2021. The simulator has extended Coptersafety’s options of training scenarios and operational training for AW169 helicopter operations.

Coptersafety is continuously working to improve and standardize training, while fulfilling demands and exceeding expectations of their customers. With the increasing use of the AW169 aircraft by operators, the upgrade to Avionics phase 8 will provide a higher-level of training for current and future customers.

Due to the lengthy process of upgrading the avionics in a full flight simulator, Coptersafety’s AW169 full flight simulator will be unavailable for training starting from April of 2024.

The AW169 full flight simulator with Avionics phase 8 is scheduled to be ready by Q4 of 2024. The upgraded full flight simulator will initially be authorized by EASA and UK CAA, followed by the FAA and Transport Canada, and others as required.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND PRESS IMAGES

Hannu Marjoniemi, Commercial Director, Coptersafety Ltd.

hannu.marjoniemi@coptersafety.com

Isabella Presnal, Customer Experience and Marketing Manager, Coptersafety Ltd.

isabella.presnal@coptersafety.com

About Coptersafety

Coptersafety is an independent helicopter pilot training provider for commercial, government and private organizations. The company provides simulator training for helicopter pilots around the world at its training facility next to Helsinki Airport. Coptersafety has taken the initiative to genuinely improve pilot training to ensure the safety performance of the operators.

SIMULATION WIZARD VISITS COPTERSAFETY

SUPPORTING RESEARCH ABOUT SIMULATOR EDUCATION

Recently, Coptersafety was visited by Anssi Salmi, also known as the Simulation Wizard. He tested out our AW169 full-flight simulator with Coptersafety instructor Matti Rytkönen, as part of Anssi’s research.

It is always nice to see how advanced aviation simulations are especially in point of pedagogical view. – Simulation Wizard.

Anssi is a PhD student at Aalto University, and senior lecturer at XAMK University of Applied Sciences. He is researching the use of simulators of all kinds as a learning device. Specifically, the research dissertation is titled “How to build an effective Simulation Learning Environment”.

The aim of the dissertation is to answer questions such as; What constitutes an effective simulator exercise? How great is the impact with realism? What about pedagogy? How is it possible to build an exercise which serves both the simulator and the real world? You can watch the full explantation of Anssi’s research in his video:

The research covers the use of simulators in various industries, not only helicopters and aviation. Other industries included thus far have been healthcare, forestry, logistics, and driving schools.

The result of the research will be a model for efficient simulation teaching environment. The aim is that the model will help educational institutions, as well as simulator manufacturers.

As part of the visit, Anssi spoke with Sanna Kotomäki, our Communication and Business Development Director, about Coptersafety’s operations and the use of full-flight simulators for helicopter pilot training. He also flew in our TRU Odyssey H AW169 full flight simulator with Matti Rytkönen, to gain knowledge in the realism of the device.

You can watch Anssi’s video from his visit, now on the Simulation Wizard YouTube channel (in Finnish with English subtitles):

We are happy to have been able to provide a rotor input into Anssi’s research. We look forward to his final dissertation in a few years. You can follow along to Anssi’s journey @simulationwizard or follow his podcast (in Finnish).

MAINTENANCE TEAM SAFETY TRAINING

SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. FOR EVERYTHING.

At Coptersafety, safety is our priority. Our entire business is built around making a safer helicopter industry. Our focus for safety expands beyond pilot training, to act as a function of every part of our business and base. We are committed to developing, implementing, and constantly improving the strategies and processes to ensure all our activities meet all applicable standards of safety.

One aspect of safety we practice, is safety training for our maintenance team. Our team of simulator engineers are responsible for maintaining our five full flight simulators, so that we can keep training pilots. Sometimes, that means the crew needs to work on the simulator projectors situated on the top of our full flight simulators. Which is 8 meters (or 26 feet) above the ground. That is why it is vital that our team knows the right and safest practices.

Photo of a maintenance team member practicing the proper safety attachments with the rope and clips.

MAINTENANCE TEAM SAFETY TRAINING

In early December, we were visited by Alexander Heinonen from Safeguard Engineering. A company solely specialized in working at high heights and fall protection. They offer comprehensive height services from trainings, installations, and other products.

Alexander gave a short and basic but simulator-specific training on the safe practices for working at high heights. Due to the specifications of the space, it was important to focus and practice on top of the simulator to ensure the safest practices are met. As our crew said after the training;

It was a good reminder of what you’re supposed to keep in mind to stay safe.

A maintenance team member and the instructor looking at the various attachment points

View from below the simulator and the maintenance team with the safety instructor

We pride ourselves in providing high-quality training and outstanding services. That’s why we chose to work with Alexander and Safeguard Engineering, because they also understand and provide qualified training where trainees learn valuable skills. At the same time, trainees are training and asking questions based on their own experiences and environment.

This is not a training that is mandatory by Finnish law but is a Coptersafety rule; that all maintenance team members must take a training of the safe practices for working on top of the simulator at one point, typically when they start at Coptersafety. While the maintenance crew may only need to go on top of the simulators a few times a year, safety is not something we’ll ever compromise on.

Safety comes first. Here at Coptersafety we are committed to implementing and constantly improving the strategies and processes to maintain the highest levels of safety, in and out of the simulator. Join us in making the helicopter industry safer.