KF Aerospace in Southport has recently acquired a new one-of-a-kind flight simulator device (FTD) to be used for flight training.

Site Manager Peter Fedak says it's a five-million-dollar device contracted out by the Government of Canada, which will be used in the Contracted Flying Training and Support Program (CFTS). He explains what it means for Southport to have in their posession.

"This is to show the advanced technologies that we have coming out here and what we have to provide," says Fedak. "We can market these commercially to third parties to come out and use these things. Anything we can do to showcase the technologies we're capable of here, including the facilities, the infrastructure, and our capabilities to run projects. It just bodes well for any future endeavours that may want to come out here, including continued Airforce support or other commercial flight training."

The Bell 206 Level 7 FTD features a 220-degree field of view visual system, and six degrees of freedom cueing and vibration systems, built by Frasca International. The system includes various maps of nearly all airports around the world, while the screens require eight projectors to produce the proper images used to simulate flying.

Fedak says it's the only device of its' kind in North America.

"We've really tuned the device to fly as close as possible to the real helicopter," Fedak says. "Most other simulator training is an advanced training for already qualified pilots to come out and do crew training or emergency training. This is going to be a new ground where, pilots that've never flown helicopters before, are going to use this for some of that very basic ab initio training, prior to going out to the real helicopter."

Along with the five-million-dollar price tag that includes equipment and installation costs, Fedak says the FTD will cost about another million dollars in maintenance and operation over the next ten years, noting it uses a lot of electricity. Though he adds it's a third to a quarter of the cost of the other devices they already use.

In two weeks, Fedak says Transport Canada will come out to give certification for the FTD.

"It's very exciting, because this is all new," Fedak says. "We're treading new ground with Transport Canada, and they're very excited to see what they can actually certify this to do. Once that's done, it's fully ready for the Airforce to conduct any flight training sequences they desire, or other civilian companies we can market this to, to do any of the flight training that they need."

Fedak adds he's very excited to have this device for the Airforce and to really help expand and improve the flight training they already provide.