SINGAPORE: Singapore is fast becoming a regional hub
for training helicopter pilots - with a new full-flight simulator
that went operational in early April.
Besides France, the Republic is the only country to
have this high-tech machine, sited in Seletar Aerospace
Park.
About 40 pilots from five nations, including
Australia, India and the United Arab Emirates, will train at the
Eurocopter simulator this year.
In Eurocopter's helicopter simulator, trainees experience flying
over France and get a hand at executing different chopper
manoeuvres.
Park Chang Sung from the South Korean Coast Guard has trained with
the simulator.
"It's hard to practice emergency situations because it is very
dangerous. So this simulator lets us practice in safety," he
said.
Scott Kitchen, who trained Mr Park, said simulators make pilot
training safer.
"It also saves valuable training dollars for any company or any
organisation because the cost for a flight hour is much more than
what it costs to run the flight simulator," said Mr Kitchen.
Eurocopter's training centre in Seletar Aerospace Park also has
another simulator, used by Singapore's Air Force.
An average of 50 of its pilots train with it annually.
Ronnie Chan, an instructor for the simulator, said it plays a
crucial role in honing pilot skills.
"Sometimes when you practice in the air, you feel a bit lost
because you don't know what to do. (In the simulator),
technique-wise, if you are wrong, we'll correct you," said Mr
Chan.
Eurocopter said many more bookings to use their training services
are in the pipeline.
- CNA/cc
