US Army Selects Ryan Aerospace Australia's Helicopter Simulators

Ryan Aerospace Australia has been awarded a contract tosupply more than 30 HELIMOD Mark III helicopter simulators for the US Army atFort Rucker, Alabama.

The contract is part of the Army’s “Aviator Training Next”or “ATN” Program, an experimental new way to provide helicopter pilot trainingduring the primary phase using the latest in virtual reality (VR) technologyand high-end, commercially available helicopter simulator equipment.

The system is supported by an after-action review softwarepackage that automatically assesses, grades and logs the student’s performance.

The project is multi-faceted, and many teams are workingtogether to ensure the best possible outcome. A team based at West Point (TheUnited States Military Academy) will be conducting a thorough research projectto objectively assess the outcomes of the project and report back on ways toimprove it even further. The experiment will run until mid-2020, upon which theUS Army will decide if this is a valid means of training.

All 31 systems have been delivered and installed ahead ofschedule, and the US Army Aviators have commenced the experimentaltraining.

Ryan Aerospace (Australia) has been working with PrecisionFlight Controls based in Sacramento, California, to support the project.

This contract has helped win Ryan Aerospace a Queensland Premier’s Export Award and made them finalists in the upcoming National Awards.

The company recently won Honorable Mention for Outstanding VR/AR/MR Application in MS&T's Simulation & Training Awards.