Having done a bit of flying with ze germans in Buckeburg on the EC135 and a bit of an overview / study of their training system, it works very well. Their trainees do not do any fixed wing flying at all - YES, THE FIRST AIRCRAFT THAT THEY FLY IS THE EC135. So what if it is twin? Their accident rate is far less than nearly all civil flying schools and other foreign militaries and they do some pretty funky flying in those EC135's as well.
Additionally, have the critics of the "Learning to fly on such a expensive bit of kit is a waste of tax payers money" considered that simulators are used?
The German trainees spend approx 15 hours in the sim prior to their first flight - the system works bloody well and is much faster than most other militaries. Mind you, I guess we should expect that, being German and all.
The A109 will serve the K one W ones very well. Good buy and decision I believe. A training fleet that can be employed in other C&L roles as well, imagine that? Efficiency is golden.
