The new Bell Helicopter Training Academy in Valencia, Spain, is on track to be operational by year-end, parent company Textron announced late last week. It is designed to serve the training needs of European customers, beginning with pilot training on the Bell 429. Training will be conducted through a full-motion simulator designed and manufactured by Bell sister company TRU Simulation + Training.
According to Bell, this helicopter simulator has already arrived in Spain and is undergoing reassembly and final preparations for its certification by EASA. It will be the first Bell 429 level-D simulator with FAA and EASA qualifications for pilot training. Meanwhile, instructors have completed their necessary training for the 429 with both the Bell Helicopter Training Academy and EASA.
“We are preparing for completion by year-end, with regularly scheduled classes starting in January,” said Bell Helicopter global customer training general manager Ray Lamas. “We have received a significant amount of interest from a variety of worldwide operators, with training contracts in process in Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.”