CAE To Train US Army, Air Force Fixed-Wing Pilots

CAE announced Thursday that it has won a contract from the US army to provide initial and recurrent training for more than 600 US Army and US Air Force fixed-wing pilots annually.

The total value of the contract over the next eight years is expected to be approximately US$200 million.

Under the contract that was awarded for over US$29 million for the base period and six one-year options through September 30, 2023, CAE USA will provide turkey training services at a new company’s  training center.

The Army and CAE will also be implementing a new initial-entry fixed-wing (IEFW) training program so that entry-level Army students can begin their career track to fixed-wing aircraft much sooner. The Army Fixed-Wing training program also serves as the formal training unit for Army C-12/RC-12 King Air recurrent training, as well as providing annual training to US Air Force C-12 King Air pilots.

Gene Colabatistto, Group President, Defense & Security, CAE said, "We will be bringing together live, virtual and constructive training by providing the US Army with a modern and flexible training program that will help ensure safe, high-quality training for Army fixed-wing aviators.”

CAE will begin construction immediately on a new training center at Dothan Regional Airport featuring state-of-the-art classrooms; training system integrated learning environment and other modern facilities.

The company is manufacturing a suite of training devices with existing design. The suite of training devices includes two CAE 7000XR Series C-12 King Air full-flight simulators (FFSs) and two reconfigurable CAE Simfinity C-12 King Air integrated procedures trainers (IPTs).

In addition, CAE will be developing two other CAE 7000XR Series FFSs, referred to as mother ships, featuring CAE's roll-on/roll-off (RORO) cockpit design, which will enable cockpits to be used in the full-flight simulator.

Besides, CAE will also develop four RORO cockpits of the C-12 King Air aircraft. When two of the cockpits are installed on the full-flight simulator mothership, the other two can be connected to a docking station and be used as Level 6-equivalent flight training devices.

The comprehensive Army Fixed-Wing training program will also feature live-flying training provided by CAE. The transition of Army rotary-wing aviators and training of Army initial-entry fixed-wing students will use six new Grob G120TP aircraft that will be acquired by CAE.

 In addition, CAE will design and manufacture two Grob G120 TP flight training devices and a suite of desktop trainers and courseware to support the training program. A fleet of 10 C-12U King Air aircraft owned and maintained by the U.S. Army will also be operated by CAE instructors to deliver live flying C-12 King Air training.

Ray Duquette, President and General Manager, CAE USA. "We will be leveraging our latest training capabilities, such as upset recovery training and CAE Flightscape brief/debrief systems, to deliver scenario-based training specific to the Army's fixed-wing requirements”.