Grand Prairie, TX – American Eurocopter announced today that pilots from the Utah Highway Patrol Aero Bureau have completed the inaugural training course conducted in the company’s new AS350 Flight and Mission Simulator. The Aero Bureau is the first customer to utilize the new simulator in support of their training efforts.

The AS350 Flight and Mission Simulator was designed to provide pilots and crews with a safe environment in which they can practice emergency procedures and mission scenarios that they normally could not do in training in their actual aircraft.

“American Eurocopter’s AS350 Simulator is an excellent training tool,” said Steve Rugg, Captain, Utah Highway Patrol Aero Bureau. “The response was a lot like the real aircraft and with the realistic environments, we were able to practice our emergency procedures in actual mission scenarios.”

“We are providing our customers with the highest fidelity, mission-specific helicopter simulation tools on the market, at an affordable price. As a result, our customers are able to maximize the value of their training experience and are more prepared to safely respond to emergency situations both inside and outside of the helicopter,” explained Andy Litteral, American Eurocopter’s Sales Manager for Training Services. “Utah Highway Patrol’s positive experience with our new AS350 Level B simulator is a perfect example of why we designed it this way.”

The new AS350 flight and mission simulator has been designed to provide options to meet the needs of AS350 customers for complete aircraft emergency procedure training, Crew Resource Management (CRM) training, NVG training, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) mission training, and Airborne Law Enforcement (ALE) training. It is convertible from an  AS350 B2 to an AS350 B3 and is equipped with a full-motion platform, a full cabin for “true” CRM training, VEMD, NVG, auto pilot, FLIR Star Safire III (including hand controller, TV and IR mode), moving map functionality, and a SpectraLab SX-16 slaved searchlight.

“We plan to work the AS350 simulator into the mix for our training programs, because we can train in the simulator in ways that we could not do in an actual aircraft,” explained Rugg. “American Eurocopter’s program allows us to customize the mission scenarios and practice in settings similar to our actual mission environments. It is a better bang for the buck and allows us to train better for emergencies, which will help create better pilots.”

The Utah Highway Patrol Aero Bureau has two AS350 B2 helicopters that are used as direct-support force multipliers. The Bureau’s mission is to provide professional, timely, safe aviation support to the Utah Department of Public Safety and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in order to provide a safe and secure environment for the citizens of the State of Utah.

About American Eurocopter
American Eurocopter is a helicopter manufacturer that produces, markets, sells and supports the broadest range of civil and para-public helicopters offered by any manufacturer in the United States. The company is a subsidiary of EADS North America Holdings, the North American operations of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defense and related services, and is an affiliate of Eurocopter, the largest helicopter manufacturer in the world. American Eurocopter’s product line represents the most cost-effective, technologically-advanced helicopters, ranging from light single to heavy twin, serving all markets and missions. Company headquarters and main facilities are located in Grand Prairie, TX, with a large manufacturing and production facility in Columbus, MS, that produces the UH-72A for the U.S. Army’s Light Utility Helicopter program.