Collaboration and teamwork keep NSW Police flying during COVID
- First rotary wing flight simulator to achieve dual military and civilian qualifications in Australia.
- This qualification allows NSW Police pilots to continue flying, whilst overseas training has been interrupted due to the COVID Pandemic.
In an Australian first, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has granted one of the Australian Defence Force鈥檚 Thales Reality H EC-135 flight simulators a dual Flight Simulator Level B/Flight Training Device Level 3 qualification.
The qualification opens the door for NSW Police EC-135 pilots to use the simulator to maintain currency and keep the fleet of NSW Police aircraft flying, as the COVID-19 Pandemic has prevented them from conducting training overseas.
The certification by CASA is a triumph of collaboration and teamwork across multiple government organisations and industry partners with NSW Police, ADF, CASA, Thales Australia and Boeing Defence Australia all working together to meet the rigorous requirements of civilian qualification in a compressed timeframe, all in an effort to keep the fleet of NSW Police EC-135s in the air during this critical time.
NSW Police鈥檚 Aviation Commander, Superintendent Matt Appleton, said having access to the simulation training was vital for the force鈥檚 pilots.
鈥淒espite the current pandemic, state and federal law enforcement agencies are working together to ensure that our officers receive the necessary training and qualifications, we鈥檙e very grateful that we can utilise this simulation training so we can continue to provide excellent service to the people of NSW,鈥 Superintendent Appleton said.
Thales Australia鈥檚 Director of Training and Simulation, Michael Otero, said Thales is delighted to work with Defence and its industry partners to deliver this essential training to the NSW Police Force.
鈥淭his collaboration has seen that together the ADF, law enforcement agencies and emergency rescue services deliver and enhance their aviation training needs,鈥 Mr Otero said.
With all three 723SQN flight simulators having already been qualified by the ADF, this is the first time a rotary wing flight simulator has achieved dual military and civilian qualifications in Australia.
The evaluation of the 723SQN simulator, located at HMAS Albatross occurred in 2020 during the COVID Pandemic.
About Thales
Thales in Australia is a trusted partner of the Australian Defence Force and is also present in commercial sectors ranging from air traffic management and ground transport systems to security systems and services. Employing around 3,900 people, Thales in Australia recorded revenues of more than A $1.39 billion in 2018 and export revenue of over A$1.6 billion in the past 10 years.
Thales Australia has a history of patient investment to build advanced in-country capability across manufacturing, critical systems and services. Close collaborative relationships with local customers, Australian SME suppliers and research institutions combined with technology transfer from our global business enables Thales to tailor high quality solutions for Australian and export markets.
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global technology leader shaping the world of tomorrow today. The Group provides solutions, services and products to customers in the aeronautics, space, transport, digital identity and security, and defence markets. With 80,000 employees in 68 countries, Thales generated sales of 鈧19 billion in 2018 (on a pro forma basis including Gemalto).
Thales is investing in particular in digital innovations 鈥 connectivity, Big Data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity 鈥 technologies that support businesses, organisations and governments in their decisive moments.