HAL, CAE in JV for copter simulator training

Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and CAE, a Canadian firm focussing on design and production of commercial flight simulators, on Wednesday signed an agreement to establish a joint venture company that will open a helicopter simulator training in Bangalore.

The JV - Helicopter Academy to Train by Simulation of Flying (HATSOFF) will be owned equally by HAL and CAE.

The training centre is expected to begin operations in late 2008 by providing both civil and military helicopter pilot and maintenance training services.

As part of the JV, CAE will design and manufacture one full-mission simulator featuring CAE's cockpit design, which enables cockpits enabling various helicopter types to be used in the simulator.