CAE: Launches world-class Helicopter Training and R&D Centre in Newfoundland

CAE, a leading Canadian provider of helicopter training and simulation technologies is now located in the heart of the offshore industry in Mt. Pearl, Newfoundland.  The Hibernia Management and Development Company Ltd. (HMDC), the Research & Development Corporation (RDC) and CAE formed a collaborative union that now oversees the new helicopter training and research and development (R&D) centre.

Funded by HMDC and RDC, this flight training centre features the first civilian Level D helicopter simulator with night vision in Canada. The simulator provides unprecedented realism for offshore facilities and local weather conditions offering efficiencies, cost savings and optimal training for helicopter personnel working in the region.

HMDC

Hibernia Management and Development Company Ltd. (HMDC) is the operator of the Hibernia field which began petroleum production offshore Newfoundland and Labrador in November 1997 and they have a vested interest in helicopter operations efficiency, safety and effectiveness in the region and has invested in the project proving their commitment to helicopter operations offshore Newfoundland.

HMDC helicopter service provider Cougar Helicopters has started training its pilots at the centre. “Cougar Helicopters has very high flight crew training standards for our offshore oil & gas and SAR operations and our pilots train multiple times annually to maintain that standard. This simulator provides training for our low visibility and offshore approaches and simulates turbulence and icing conditions accurately to match the conditions in which we operate,” said Hank Williams, Chief Operating Officer of Cougar Helicopters. “A training centre right here in the province provides more efficient scheduling of training, less travelling and therefore less fatigue for our flight crews.”

CAE

CAE is a global leader in the delivery of training for civil aviation, defence and security, and healthcare markets. CAE designs industry’s training solutions, anchored by the knowledge and expertise of our 8,000 employees, our world-leading simulation technologies and a track record of service and technology innovation spanning seven decades.  CAE has a global presence with 160 sites and training locations in more than 35 countries, including their joint venture operations, and the world’s largest installed base of flight simulators.

Each year, CAE trains more than 120,000 civil and defence crew members, as well as thousands of healthcare professionals. “CAE is proud to offer the highest quality flight and mission training to offshore and search and rescue crews in the province, including Cougar Helicopters. We also look forward to the research and development projects aimed at making helicopter training more efficient and safe,” said Nick Leontidis, CAE Group President, Civil Aviation Training Solutions, at the opening-of-the-facility event. “Through this partnership with the Research & Development Corporation, we will develop local R&D expertise to support the needs of the Newfoundland and Labrador oil and gas industry.”   

RDC

“RDC is excited to partner with CAE to enhance R&D capabilities in this industry,” said Mark Ploughman, Acting Chief Executive Officer of RDC. “CAE is a recognized global leader in training and with the completion of this new facility, together we are enabling research that will further enhance transportation safety and efficiencies for aircrew and personnel working in Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore industry.”

“This training and R&D centre creates local jobs, builds local expertise, and supports local research that is specifically designed for our regional environment and our offshore needs,” said Len Coughlan of HMDC. “Having this facility in the region increases the level of research related to helicopter operations, which will contribute to improved operations and flight safety.”

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Tina Olivero

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