The establishment of comprehensive AW139 training capabilities in Japan

Leonardo announced the purchase of an AW139 Level D Full Flight Simulator by Suzuyo & Co of Japan. The AW139 FFS will be manufactured by Leonardo in collaboration with CAE and installed at Suzuyo & Co facilities located in Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport and will be operated by its subsidiary Shizuoka Air Commuter Corporation (SACC). The contract marks the introduction of the first AW139 FFS in Japan which will further enhance safety and operation training effectiveness. 

Leonardo will also provide Suzuyo with briefing and debriefing capabilities and additional training aids developed by Leonardo such as E-Learning to support ground training delivery and the ETD Lite-5 advanced procedural trainer capable of being reconfigurable to support both AW139 and AW109 GrandNew helicopters.

This step confirms Leonardo’s commitment to a continued enhancement of safety standards as an uncompromising value and a core contributor to mission effectiveness and safety, for pilots, crew members and technicians, helping assess any mission risk.  

With around 60 AW139s in-service in Japan today performing a wide range of roles such as law enforcement, search and rescue over land and sea, fire-fighting and electronic newsgathering, the provision of pilot training services combining a FFS and other training tools and distance learning capabilities at SACC will further reinforce the level of service provided to existing and future operators of the most successful helicopter in its category. This initiative is in line with Leonardo’s Industrial Plan to deliver a greater range of services closer to its customers.  

With a world network of Helicopter Training Academies and Authorised Training Centres, over 10,000 students are trained every year and more than 41,000 helicopter simulator flight hours are logged yearly, Leonardo is extending its global support reach to maximise mission effectiveness and safety of operations.