Final HATS Helicopter Arrived in Australia

13 Oktober 2017

Airbus Helicopters EC135 T2+ (photo : Airbus Helicopters)

Defence Receives Final HATS Aircraft

An aerospace giant has completed delivery of the Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) to the Australian Defence Force.

Boeing has confirmed the final Airbus Helicopters EC135 T2+ aircraft arrived in Australia in late August. The last aircraft delivery marks the completion of the training fleet for the program, which will provide ab initio training to Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army students at HMAS Albatross in Nowra, NSW.

Program director for HATS Darryn Fletcher said the prime and its partner Airbus have marked an important milestone and are now working towards the next stage of the program.

"The arrival of the final EC135 helicopter by our partner, Airbus, marks an important achievement as we prepare to accept the first Navy and Army trainees in mid-January 2018," Fletcher said.

"We are now working with our partners to complete qualification of the simulators, finalise the training courses and complete the delivery of synthetic devices."

Since being introduced to the program, the EC135 fleet has exceeded 1,200 hours of flying.

The first conversion training course to upskill the Boeing and ADF instructors who will support the next generation of Australia’s future combat helicopter pilot and aircrew has now been completed, and Boeing confirmed it is happy with the progress of the live and synthetic training and materials.

(DefenceConnect)