AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, announced the next phase in its growth of AW139 global training and flight simulation capacity, in response to the continuing success of the AW139 and the growing demand for type, recurrent and operational training. ROTORSIM, a consortium owned equally by CAE and AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, has now signed for a third AW139 full flight simulator (FFS) which will enter service in 2012. The new AW139 FFS will be developed jointly by CAE and AgustaWestland and will be qualified to Level D, the highest qualification for flight simulators.

John Ponsonby, AgustaWestland Senior Vice President Training said "With over 350 AW139s now in service and an order book exceeding 500 aircraft, we are expanding our training capacity to meet the rapid growth in demand by introducing a third ROTORSIM simulator and a programmed to establish a number of regionally based training centers."

Partnership arrangements are being finalized with a number of leading rotary wing service organizations to extend AW139 OEM approved training services, commencing in 2011. AW139 Level D Full Flight Simulator capacity will be introduced into a growing network of Regional Training Centers during 2012, supporting type conversion, recurrent and operational role training for all AW139 customers.

The new facilities, to be branded as AgustaWestland Authorized Training Centers, will be the only ones approved by AgustaWestland to deliver OEM training services. Additionally, a new service based on a FTD (Flight Training Device) Level III simulator certified to JAR-FSTD(H) for the AW109 Power light twin helicopter will be available from the 3rd quarter 2011 at AW Training Academy (TA) Sesto Calende Italy, further expanding AgustaWestland's training capacity.