Philip Smart | Avalon Airshow
Toll Group will bring a $15 million level-D AW139 helicopter simulator to Sydney’s Bankstown Airport as part of a new aeromedical training centre to support a 10-year eight-aircraft contract with New South Wales Health, announced in December.
Toll has signed a deal with AW139 manufacturer Finmeccanica – AgustaWestland to become the first in-country OEM authorised training centre.
A CAE 3000 full-flight motion simulator, one of only eight in the world, which will train all Toll pilots and be available for the growing number of Australian AW139 operators.
Pilot training includes about 80 hours in the simulator, with the nearest sim located in Malaysia at present.
The training centre will also include include an advanced underwater escape training complex and wet and dry winching practise towers and may be further developed to support AW169 and AW189 helicopters in the future.
“Being an authorised AgustaWestland training centre means Toll staff working for NSW Ambulance will be trained to international standards utilising the latest training programs, techniques and technology,” said Toll Resources and Government Logistics CEO David Jackson.
The training centre is expected to be operational by late 2016, with NSW Health flight operations starting in January 2017.