The largest independent helicopter pilot training center in the world

You’ve had a long career in aviation, what did you think during your first flight lesson?

I joined the US Army in 1995, and my first flight as a helicopter pilot was a few years later at Fort Novosel, Alabama, after completing US Army Warrant Officer Candidate School in the TH-67 Creek helicopter. The flight instructors there made it all look so easy on the first day in the helicopter. They were flipping switches, pressing buttons, making radio calls, and I was about a mile behind the aircraft when the instructor looked at me and said: “It’s all yours, take the controls!”

How did you transition to overseeing pilot training from being a helicopter pilot?

After being an OH-58D pilot in the US Army, I was flying helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) and firefighting in the Colorado mountains as a company training pilot and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Check Airman. I then went on to work as a Chief Program Pilot, Site Manager and Field Service Representative with Sikorsky. Through the years, I was always instructing both in and out of the helicopter. So, I naturally found my way to the most unique training center in the world. I am currently the Chief Theoretical Knowledge Instructor at Coptersafety in Helsinki, Finland, and oversee all ground training programs for the H125, H145, AW139 and AW169 helicopter types. We provide helicopter specific initial training, type ratings, airline transport pilot, recurrent and specialty tailored training.

What makes Coptersafety stand out?

Coptersafety is the world’s largest independent simulator training center, located in the happiest country in the world. We offer a full range of helicopter training courses in our H125, H145, AW139 and AW169 Level-D full-flight simulators. We are an European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certified aviation training organization, FAA Part-142 certified training center, and UK Part-ORA certified training organization, among others. What differentiates us is our flight instructors, who actively fly and instruct in helicopter operations such as in HEMS, offshore, and search and rescue (SAR). This provides our students with the knowledge of real-world operational flying experience in the helicopter they are training in. Our vast qualifications allow us to train pilots from around the globe, and our location, four minutes from the Helsinki International Airport, makes us a convenient training center to get to from any international airport.

As a European-based training center, do you also offer FAA training?

Yes. Coptersafety initially received the FAA approval as a Part-142 Training Center in 2021. Under our Part 142 program, we provide AW139 type rating, airline transport pilot and recurrent training courses, as well as H145 initial, airline transport pilot and recurrent training courses. Coptersafety’s H145 D-2, CAE AW139, and TRU AW139 full-flight simulators are Level-D qualified by the FAA’s National Simulator Program. A Level-D qualification is only assigned to full-flight simulators that meet the highest standards. We are proud that our H145 D-2 simulator is the first one qualified by the FAA outside of the USA, as well as the first H145 D-2 qualified for night vision goggles training tasks outside of the USA.

How does simulation fit into training and safety?

Statistically, 20% of helicopter flight-related accidents occur during flight training. Simulators are suited for training situations that are impractical, dangerous, or expensive to reproduce in a live environment. In a simulator, the environment is designed and controlled to avoid hazards. A trainee can make errors and then learn from them, as well as repeat normal and abnormal procedures that may not be considered appropriate or safe to train in the actual helicopter.

The technological capabilities in today’s glass cockpits and automation are astounding and sometimes can be quite overwhelming. This can bring challenges to training safely and effectively. Until recently, most commercial helicopter flight simulators were limited to typerated aircraft, or military aircraft applications. We are now starting to see light and medium twin-engine helicopters able to train in-flight simulators, such as our H125 and H145 fullflight simulators. Now pilots can receive the type of training that used to be reserved only for larger helicopter types. I think this is a move in the right direction for the industry.