Black Hawk Training in Brunei for PAF Launched

13 Desember 2021

The Black Hawk simulator at CAE Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Centre (MPTC) has been formally certified by the EASA (photo : Brunei Today)

Bandar Seri Begawan, 03 December 2021 – The S-70i Black Hawk flight simulator training for pilots of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) was launched today at the Canadian Aviation Electronics (CAE) Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Centre (BMPTC).

The launching ceremony for the training was attended by Chargé d’Affaires (CDA) of the Philippine Embassy Minister Pete Raymond V. Delfin, Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attaché Colonel Angelo Gerard P. Ariles, RBAirF Ops Group Commander Colonel (U) Hismawadi Bin Hj Mohammad Said, Lt. Col (U) Muhammad Walee Bin Hj Roslie and CAE-BMPTC General Manager Mr. Rozman Junaidi.

During the simple ceremony, Colonel Said welcomed the Philippine Air Force pilots and expressed the continued support of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, the Royal Brunei Air Force in particular, for future collaborative trainings.

CAE Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Centre (BMPTC) as well as the CAE 3000 Series S-70i simulator (photos : PH Embassy in Brunei)

“The Philippine Government conveys its deepest appreciation to His Majesty the Sultan and the Ministry of Defence of Brunei Darussalam for its continuing active engagement and valuable contribution to the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” said CDA Pete Delfin.

“This is a milestone in our bilateral defense relations with Brunei. Notwithstanding the strong and dynamic defense cooperation between our countries, the program represents a practical option for S-70i Black Hawk training as PAF pilots need not proceed to outside the ASEAN region. It opens up more opportunities for PAF pilots and allows greater interaction and exchanges between our Armed Forces.” the Chargé d’Affaires added.

An agreement was inked earlier this year between the PAF and the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF), as part of the continuing implementation of a bilateral MOU on Defense Cooperation signed in 2001.

“The Royal Brunei Air Force will continue to be a strong partner of the Philippine Air Force in its quest for the continued modernization of its air Service, in the future we would be willing to welcome your pilots as well as other personnel involved in the operation of the S-70i Black Hawk aircrafts for collaborative efforts in sharing our experiences with the said aircraft,” said Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Mohd Sharif bin Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim, Commander of Royal Brunei Air Force.

CDA Pete Delfin also conveyed his appreciation to Dato Sharif for the valuable assistance of providing the Instructor Pilots for the PAF trainees as well as the opportunity to share the “best practices” in the utilization and maintenance of the S-70i Black Hawk aircrafts.

The first batch of Philippine Air Force arrived at Brunei from Manila on 08 November 2021, and underwent the mandatory seven-day quarantine as the health-related arrival protocol being already fully-vaccinated upon entering the sultanate. The said Flight Simulator Training will be done in six (6) batches that start 16 November and will conclude on 27 December 2021. The training of the PAF pilots in Brunei is not only cost effective due to the proximity of the sultanate, but also a good demonstration of good regional partnership with a fellow ASEAN member state. Under a multi-year contract, subsequent batches of PAF pilots will participate in the program in the next few years.

As part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Modernization Program, the Philippine Air Force has been continuing to acquire S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters (CUH) that can be rapidly configured and deployed to perform various military and humanitarian missions

"We are pleased to welcome the Philippine Air Force to CAE-BMPTC,” said Mr. Junaidi. “The Royal Brunei Air Force has established with us a comprehensive S-70i program that enables simulation-based training to enhance safety, efficiency and aircrew readiness.”

The Black Hawk training facility in Brunei was established as a joint venture of Canadian Aviation Electronics Ltd. of Canada and the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MOFE) of Brunei Darussalam.

The CAE 3000 Series S-70i simulator located at CAE-BMPTC provides an immersive experience for the full range of pilot training requirements for the S-70i Black Hawk. The simulator offers a direct projection 12-foot dome display and high-fidelity CAE image generator to provide an extreme field-of-view visual system, delivering a highly realistic synthetic environment.

It also features chin window coverage, high resolution projectors, support for night vision goggle (NVG) flying, full six degree-of-freedom (DOF) electric motion system and a three-DOF vibration system to provide realistic cues to the pilots. The simulator is equivalent to a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Level D standard, the highest qualification for flight simulators.

The CAE 3000 Series S-70i simulator can be used for a range of mission training and rehearsal, including search and rescue, firefighting, NVG flying, formation flight, winching and stretcher lift, mountain flying, shipboard landings, oil rig platform landing, over water flight, and special missions.

(PH Embassy in Brunei)