Aberdeen Simulators
 

Seems a new dawn for simulators in Aberdeen over the next few months.

Where do they all stand. To my knowledge, there is ........

AS332L - Bristow
S-92 - Bristow
EC225 - Bristow (Due ready some time this year)


AS332L2 - CHC (About ready now)


EC225 - Eurocopter (not sure when its ready)


I know both Bristow and Eurocopter and I believe CHC would appear to have capacity for more simulator bays - The Eurocopter building looks bigger than HeliSim. Does anyone know the plan, and is Aberdeen destined to be the next Forth Worth, Marignane or West Palm Beach ??

It doesn't matter how many simulators you put in, it'll still be Aberdeen :yuk:

CHC L2 - already in service

Bristow EC225 - due end of August if CAA are good to us!

EC EC225 - end of year as far as I know.

So with plenty of competition, perhaps it will be down to who provides the best lunches (in which case the winner will be EC!)

What I think is interesting is perhaps not so much that these devices are in Abz, rather that they represent the new concept of combined FTD3 / FS level B which gives as good a training value as level D (better in many ways) for a fraction of the cost, and with features better orientated to offshore ops rather than being jack-of-all-trades

HC

Well, with climate change, you never know! ;):cool:

Is the Bristow S92 up and running now? I'm pretty sure CHC have capacity for more than 1 box. Always wondered whether they were waiting for the results of the SARH deal before they decided what else to put in there. Get SARH and an S92 is probably justifiable. No SARH then put another L2 in there. Can't see CHC putting an EC225 in with Bristows & EC on the doorstep, however I stand to be corrected.

S76 Sim?
 

Is there going to be a Bristow S76C++ sim in Aberdeen?

Yes, has been for a few months

HC

I never quite understood why Flight Safety put an S-92 Sim in Farnborough. To my knowledge, that is the only UK offshore machine simulator outside of the Aberdeen area. Is that operation busy ? I believe there are a couple of private S-92 operators in the London area and very few in Europe - not much to keep that Sim busy.

Do BI still own the S-61 Sim somewhere down south now ?

OK, it is still Aberdeen, but I'm thinking of moving into the Hotel Business. - 'The Hilton - Kirkton Industrial Estate' has a nice ring to it !

It can only be an improvement on the Thistle!

Mmm, interesting viewoint! I often used to think as I wondered out at 04:00 for the 5th day on the trot - "thank God they aren't busy here, or we'd be getting really crap slot times" :ugh:

The BHL business model would probably make sense without any 3rd party customers, given the volume of training they have internally (don't forget BHL Norway.) With CHC Europe too, it will clearly be very successful. However, that doesn't mean FSI's choice of location wasn't sensible - if you assumed every customer would buy their own simulator, you would never put a sim anywhere! Farnborough is about 35 minutes from LHR and an hour from LGW. They have a large existing facility (13 FW simulators) with all the infrastructure and support in place, thus obviating the need to set up a stand alone facility. In any case, a stand alone facility needs at least 2 if not 3 devices to even get of the drawing board.

Customers currently come (after the exodus to BHL) from Saudi Arabia (16 aircraft,) Cougar, CHC Global, CHC Australia, CHC SAR, BSP, Gulf and others. It's a busy place, I assure you.

That being said, manufacturers and their allied simulator providers should be aware that the significant geographical distances involved in travelling to conduct training are increasingly a real bain. Increasingly, the attraction of cheaper (but generally no less functional) devices - such as the ones now in Aberdeen - is very real for operators large and small.

FSI and others should take note - Darwinism is alive and well and living in the world of FTDs ;)

Any links to more info on these simulators? Manufacturers?

cueSim Ltd
Info on the CHC L2 sim. Click on the "CHC Orders FTD3" button.

Thanks. Wow, those are impressive piece of equipment, I'd love to try one out.

I was lucky enough to be the first course through the S92 sim in March, it's a first class bit of kit and made the transition to the aircraft very straightforward, with a few other bit's I have done in it recently I can now boast 133 hours in the 92 sim, which I think I have only just passed in the real aircraft.

I have to say that I have never felt better prepared for my first flight in the real aircraft than after the sim course. It really is an excellent training tool and a fantastic investment for future 92 crew's. There are a couple of minor simism's which mean that you have to fly a bit of sim technique occasionally, but in the main it's excellent. The tail rotor thrust failure is a hoot, especially given the lack of vertical stabiliser in the aircraft and the double gen failure imc gets your attention!

The sim has become pretty busy pretty quickly.

Sim Manufacturers
 

Any links to more info on these simulators? Manufacturers?

The Bristow Sims (EC225 and S-92) are manufactured by Frasca.

Is there any chance of Bristow putting a S76C++ sim in Aberdeen?

Would make sense seeing all S76 work they just won.

I'd put money on it....and a 139.

EC225 FTD3/Level B
 

The Frasca/Bristow EC225 FTD3/Level B device is now certified and in full service.

Not unless they all become cold, grey, dark and unfriendly!

That's a bit unfair - calling Aberdeen grey:rolleyes:

And unfriendly, unless you're English XD.

LOOL