RSAF GETS NEW TRAINING SIMULATOR FOR CHINOOK PILOTS

Major-General (MG) Lim Kim Choon was involved in a daring combat search and rescue mission on 29 Apr.

The Chief of Air Force had to 'fly' a Chinook helicopter to a crash site to rescue a pilot and send him to a Landing Ship Tank out in the South China Sea for immediate medical attention.

During the mission, MG Lim had to evade enemy fire and transport a load, while battling heavy rains and incessant thunder.

This was just one of the hundreds of scenarios the new Chinook Full Mission Simulator (FMS) trainer, located at the Helicopter Simulator Centre (HSC) in Sembawang Air Base, is able to generate.

MG Lim had the opportunity to 'pilot' this simulator during a 30-minute flight demonstration, after he commissioned the equipment, which is the first simulator trainer for Chinook pilots in Singapore.

In the past, the Air Force's Chinook pilots were sent to the United States and the United Kingdom to train in such simulators.

While the use of flight simulators for training is not new to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), Commanding Officer of the HSC, Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) Cheong Hon Seng, said the "state-of-the-art FMS is at least one generation ahead" of other RSAF simulators.

"The images created are of very high resolution, resulting in very good and realistic visuals for the pilot to train in," he said.

"Also, a total of 200 computer-generated forces can be inserted into a single scenario, causing the trainee to have to carry out different actions. If the trainee infringes into 'hostile' territory, he can be engaged and shot at, so he has to follow the rules of engagement," added LTC Cheong.

"Also, a total of 200 computer-generated forces can be inserted into a single scenario, causing the trainee to have to carry out different actions. If the trainee infringes into 'hostile' territory, he can be engaged and shot at, so he has to follow the rules of engagement," added LTC Cheong.

The FMS can generate up to 500 different scenarios, including attack from ground troops or air defence artillery fire, and winching operations.

"Helicopter accidents usually occur because of mishandled emergencies," said LTC Cheong.

"With the FMS, trainees can practise the procedures again and again, to hone their emergency handling skills."