Kawasaki plans H145 multi-pilot VR simulator deployment in Japan
Kawasaki Heavy Industries plans to introduce a Loft Dynamics Airbus Helicopters H145 Multi-Pilot virtual-reality simulator at its training center in Gifu, Japan, according to a Loft Dynamics announcement issued August 20. The company said Kawasaki will be the first organization in the Asia-Pacific region to adopt the newly released device.
Loft Dynamics said the simulator is intended for initial type-rating, instrument, multi-crew cooperation, recurrent-training and checking activity. Kawasaki is expected to make the device available to H145 operators serving emergency medical, law-enforcement and disaster-response missions, among other roles. Installation timing and the simulator’s regulatory approval status for individual course credits were not specified in the announcement.
The Gifu site is already an Airbus Helicopters-approved H145 training academy operated in partnership with Kawasaki. Airbus says the academy, established in 2019, provides H145 training for domestic and international customers and has training devices including mockups, a Helionix cockpit familiarization tool and a virtual maintenance trainer.
Why it matters
The proposed deployment would add a multi-crew VR training option to the Asia-Pacific H145 support network. If brought into service as described, it could give regional operators more local access to scenario-based simulator work, while the eventual training-credit arrangements will remain important for operators planning type-rating and recurrent programs.
Sources: Loft Dynamics announcement; Airbus Helicopters Training Academy in Japan; AirMed & Rescue report
