Nigeria’s Caverton Helicopters Limited has signed a Factory Acceptance AW139 Reality HFull-Flight Simulator deal with French aerospace engineering company, Thales Group. This makes Caverton the first company to install a full helicopter flight simulator level “D” in Africa.
The Thales flight simulator is expected to make it possible for Caverton to deliver various state of the art training to helicopter pilots. These training could range from Initial Type Rating, Recruitment Training, Proficiency Checks for Visual Flight Rules, and Instrument Flight Rules. The simulator also helps to train pilots on both offshore and onshore missions, VIP operations, and emergency landing.
According to a report, the Thales Reality HFull Flight Simulator level “D” is the most advanced commercial helicopter simulator in the world. Pilots, who successfully complete the simulator training, often get certified to fly the AW139 under various Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approvals.
While commenting on the deal, the Managing Director of Caverton Helicopters Ltd, Rotimi Makanjuola, stated that it is an important achievement for the company and the African continent as a whole.
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He added that Caverton Helicopters is conscious of the need for aviation safety. For this reason, the company is constantly training its pilots. He, however, did not disclose how much it had cost the company to acquire the simulator. He said:
“We pride ourselves in being pioneers in safety innovation and are committed to providing enhanced training opportunities for our pilots in-country as well as to third party operators across Africa. With this significant investment and with the support from Thales, a globally renowned company, we believe that the simulator will ultimately benefit our customers and increase accessibility to world-class flight simulation training services.”
It should be noted that this new deal between Thales Group and Caverton Helicopters Ltd is coming barely a year after the two companies sealed a separate deal for AW139 pilot training at Caverton’s Aviation Training Centre in Lagos, Nigeria.
Caverton Helicopters is a subsidiary of Caverton Offshore Support Group Plc which is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The company’s share price closed trading at N2.50 on the NSE.
