CAE Launches CAE 700MR Series Flight Training Device for Military Helicopter Training

Today at the Farnborough International Airshow, CAE announced the launch of the CAE 700MR Series flight training device (FTD), a next-generation FTD designed specifically for military helicopter flight and mission training.

“We listened to our customers to design and develop a high-end flight training device that addresses the highest priorities for military helicopter mission training, such as a realistic tactical synthetic environment, extreme field-of-view visual system, and architecture designed for networking and interoperability,” said Gene Colabatistto, CAE’s Group President, Defence and Security.  “CAE offers the industry’s most comprehensive range of simulation products for aircrew training across civil and military aviation, and we are committed to enhancing our standard product offerings with military-specific features and capabilities in our Mission Reality (MR) Series simulation products.”    

During internal research and development initiatives as well as customer research several years ago, CAE identified a market requirement for high-end, fixed-base helicopter FTDs.  CAE won contracts in 2015 and 2016 to provide two AW101 Merlin Mk4 FTDs for the Royal Navy and seven H135/H145 FTDs for the United Kingdom’s Military Flying Training System (MFTS) program, all of which will be delivered during 2018 and 2019.  Development of these high-end helicopter FTDs led to the further development and refinement of the new CAE 700MR Series FTD.

The CAE 700MR Series FTD offers an immersive, realistic and cost-effective simulator for military helicopter flight and mission training.  The CAE 700MR Series FTD is based on the proven CAE 3000MR Series full-mission helicopter simulator, but in a fixed-base platform with dynamic seat for vibration and motion cueing.  Some of the key features included in the CAE 700MR Series FTD include:

• Extreme field-of-view visual system (240 degrees horizontal by 88 degrees vertical in standard configuration) with CAE Medallion-6000XR image generator to provide immersive training experience;
• Computer-generated forces software for realistic tactical synthetic environment;
• Simulation architecture designed for distributed mission operations and integrated live-virtual-constructive (iLVC) training to facilitate networking and interoperability;
• Support for Open Geospatial Consortium Common Database (OGC CDB) to enhance interoperable training and mission rehearsal capabilities;
• Support for military-specific mission training scenarios, such as ship deck landings, night vision goggle (NVG) training, and confined area landing training;
• Spacious area behind cockpit to support rear-crew training if desired;
• Advanced instructor operator station with easy-to-use scenario development and editing capabilities.

The CAE 700MR Series FTD is designed to meet or exceed global accreditation standards for helicopter flight simulation training devices (FSTD), such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Type IV and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) FTD Level 7.

The comprehensive CAE MR (Mission Reality) Series training equipment suite covers all phases of fixed-wing and rotary-wing training for military aircrews.  The product suite ranges from CAE Simfinity ground school desktop and procedures trainers to fixed-based flight training devices and full-mission, full-motion simulators, such as the CAE 7000MR Series for fixed-wing platforms and CAE 3000MR Series for rotary-wing platforms.