Airbus Helicopters Japan today inaugurated Japan’s first full flight simulator (FFS) for helicopters, with this high-fidelity training system now ready for service at its facilities located in the Kobe Airport vicinity.

The simulator is configured to represent Airbus Helicopters’ light twin-engine EC135 P2+ rotorcraft, and has received Level C certification from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB). With such airworthiness authority approval, training hours accumulated by pilots in the full flight simulator are now authorized to be logged as actual flight hours.

“Flight safety is our first priority at Airbus Helicopters,” said Stephane Ginoux, President of Airbus Helicopters Japan. “By introducing the first full flight simulator in Japan, we are contributing to enhancing the safety of helicopter operations. With this system now operational, the world standard in training is available for the country.”

This full flight simulator accurately represents the helicopter’s cockpit, instruments and systems, enabling aircrews to experience operations in all conditions – including emergency situations and flight in bad weather. With the simulator capable of reproducing various circumstances, pilots and maintenance technicians are able to refine their skills more efficiently and safely at lower costs, reducing training time on the actual aircraft.

Incorporating a standard EC135 flight data package developed by Airbus Helicopters, the simulator allows a full representation of the rotorcraft’s functionality, including its engines, autopilot, and all other systems by using real software and components. It is capable of simulating up to 195 malfunction situations, greatly enhancing the crews’ emergency handling abilities.

The EC135 is a twin-engine rotorcraft used worldwide for rescue, emergency medical transport, fire-fighting, coastal patrol, law enforcement, electronic news gathering and other missions. Also highly popular in Japan, there are about 77 EC135s operating in the country today.

Airbus Helicopters Japan’s training center, which is the first of its kind in the country, was officially established in 2012 at Kobe Airport. With qualified Japanese instructors, this facility provides such courses as emergency procedures training, recurrent training, type rating training and mission training through a wide variety of solutions. In 2013, 30 pilots and 185 maintenance technicians attended its training courses.

Airbus Helicopters has 25 training centers around the world, providing a complete range of services for civil and military pilots, maintenance technicians and other industry personnel. In order to improve flight safety, Airbus Helicopters continues to enhance the quantity, quality and cost efficiency of its training solutions offered to customers by placing full flight simulators closer to their operational bases. A total of 21 such simulators are operated around the globe by Airbus Helicopters.