Facility Will Feature Frasca Simulators

Era Helicopters LLC (Era) announced this week it will open a new 7,694 square foot helicopter training facility in Lake Charles, LA early next year. The facility, Era Training Center LLC, will feature two helicopter Flight Training Devices (FTDs), an AS-350B2 FTD and an EC-135 CPDS P2+ FTD, classrooms, custom briefing areas and administrative offices.

The training devices will be provided by Frasca International, provider of flight training equipment for airlines, flight schools, universities and military organizations worldwide.

The Era Training Center will provide training for Era Helicopters and third-party operators. Paul White, Era Training’s Manager, stated, “One of our primary goals is to make Era Training Center a benchmark for industry-wide safety and excellence in helicopter training. The Center will offer a broad range of courses and, because of its proximity to our Lake Charles operations base, real-time training can be incorporated with Era’s diverse fleet of light, medium and heavy aircraft.  Era Training Center offerings will include programs designed for air medical operators, corporate aircraft owners and airborne law enforcement personnel.”

Era announced in August its receipt of a $2.1 million RRF (Rapid Response Fund) Grant from Louisiana Economic Development (LED), for the purpose of providing a training facility in proximity to its operations base on the Lake Charles Airport property. The Rapid Response Fund is intended for economic development projects beneficial to the State of Louisiana by providing new jobs and capital investments within the State of Louisiana.

"Frasca is pleased to provide the AS350 and EC135 FTDs for the new Era Training Center," commented John Frasca, Vice President of Frasca International, Inc. "Frasca's experience in rotary wing simulation will ensure that Era Training Center is equipped with the best helicopter FTDs available. Era's experience in both helicopter training and helicopter operation provides invaluable feedback which will enhance the performance of the Frasca simulators. This cooperation will ensure that helicopter pilots are trained as effectively and efficiently as possible at Era Training Center."

The AS350B2 Helicopter FTD will be configured to fly like the Eurocopter AS350B2 Helicopter and will include exact cockpit replication, Frasca’s TruVision 220 visual system with a database to allow for training in offshore support environments as well as winter weather operations in Alaska, and will be qualified as a Level 6 Flight Training Device (FTD).  Delivery of this device is planned for late 2007. The EC-135 CPDS P2+ FTD will also be an exact cockpit replication, duplicating the single pilot IFR configuration that Era currently operates and will be delivered in the first quarter of 2008. 

FMI: www.erahelicopters.com, www.frasca.com