Story ID: 
Lufthansa Aviation Training Adds First Helo Sim
By: Kerry Lynch
Caption: Lufthansa Aviation Training marked an expansion in HEMS training with German approval of its Airbus H145/135 Level D full-flight simulator.
Word Count: 263
Lufthansa Aviation Training (LAT) has received German Federal Aviation Authority approval for its first helicopter full-flight simulator—a level-D trainer for the Airbus Helicopters H145/135. Now available for training, the simulator joined LAT’s training fleet at its Frankfurt facility. Manufactured by Reiser Simulation and Training, the simulator can display numerous realistic landing scenarios with moving objects at different locations such as airports, hospitals, ships, oil platforms, or confined terrain.

High resolution of visuals enables the depiction of flight procedures with night vision equipment. It has an interchangeable flight deck to simulate both the H145/135 types and comes with a briefing station. Plans call to add a third crewmember station with virtual reality technology and virtual helicopter hoist operation in early 2021.

The training device is only one of four full-flight simulators in operation for the H145 to date.

The addition of the H145/135 simulator marks an expansion for LAT in the helicopter training segment, a move made in cooperation with H145 HEMS operator DRF Luftrettung. "With its great experience in HEMS missions, the DRF Luftrettung is a strong partner in pilot training and further education,” said Tiziana Heilig, managing director and CFO of LAT. “This is also beneficial for our customers—all procedures that had to be flown in real life in the helicopter so far can now be simulated in the full flight simulator due to the outstanding features of the new helicopter simulator and the great closeness to reality.”

LAT said this new market is particularly important during the coronavirus pandemic.