CAE USA, which operates flight simulators among other products and services, has secured a contract worth $40m.
The company will train military pilots from other nations to fly the C-130, a transport aircraft. The contract will be in place for the next five years. The Hercules C-130, which is built by Lockheed, is a large cargo/transport plane that has been in service, in various configurations, since the C-130A began flying in 1956.
Ray Duquette, CAE's President, says the United States Air Force wants to make certain foreign pilots are well trained so they can handle missions of their own, and also support U.S. operations when needed. Foreign military establishments send their pilots to CAE to avoid having to use real aircraft in training. The CAE simulators replicate every button and switch in the C-130 cockpit, and the software associated with the simulator can replicate the lighting, weather, terrain, and other characteristics of the pilots' home countries. Operating the simulators is also far less expensive than sending pilots on training flights using operating aircraft.
Under the recently-awarded contract, nearly 1,500 pilots annually will train in Tampa. Some of them are already experienced and need only to learn the C-130, and may only be in Tampa for a week. Others are at a much more basic level and could live in the city for months, thus boosting the economy.
Trainers in situations like this can work with booklet printing companies to create well-organized course materials.
