Thales introduces first A400M flat panel flight trainer
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The training device allows air crews to familiarise themselves with the A400M cockpit environment and with the aircraft systems’ functionalities and procedures, as well as flight laws. It represents the aircraft cockpit using a combination of simulated or actual aircraft hardware with high-quality interactive graphical panels displayed on LCD touch screens.
The Flat Panel Flight Training Device provides procedural training to flight crews as part of type certification, tactical training and mission rehearsal, during which the trainee is briefed about normal and abnormal procedures under a step-by-step flow, before carrying out the procedure in the real cockpit environment.
The device is particularly useful for instructional use as it provides overthe-shoulder training in a classroom-style environment. Its layout makes it easy for an instructor to physically demonstrate or identify equipment or operator issues. Training can be self-driven by the student and lesson support material can be displayed on dedicated screens.
Thales has also designed and built an A400M Full Flight Simulator (FFS) for Airbus Military which received qualification for training in June 2013. Thales is also manufacturing three further Full Flight Simulators for delivery to France, Germany and the UK MoD and a second FPT for delivery to Germany.
Through a joint venture with Airbus Military, Thales has also been selected by the UK MoD for the provision of its through life support training service, which includes the design, construction and management of the A400M training school, the installation and maintenance of full flight simulators and all synthetic training, equipment, and support to the RAF’s own course design team and training staff.
The training school is being built at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, with work planned to complete in spring 2014. The school will train a range of aircrew and ground crew in the operation and maintenance of the RAF’s 22 A400M Atlas aircrafts.
Thales has provided training services for more than 30 years and Thales UK employs around 7,500 staff based at 35 locations. In 2012 Thales UK's revenues were around £1.3 billion. Peter Hitchcock, vice president of Avionics for Thales UK, said: "Thales has an excellent track record and long-standing experience in the provision of military training solutions. The Flat Panel Flight Training Device that we have just delivered for A400M shares the same heritage as the Full Flight Simulator delivered earlier in the year. They are good examples of the tailored solutions we offer to our customers in response to their need for a family of training products at different price and performance points.”
Thales is a long-standing Airbus partner: Thales is also the main supplier of the A400M’s Cockpit Display Systems (CDS). Its technology can also be found throughout the aircraft’s avionics system, covering navigation, flight controls, electrical systems and utilities such as door management systems.
