FAA seeks industry insight as it looks to establish simulator/flight training for H-160 helicopters

WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it is seeking information from industry as it looks to train FAA flight inspectors/pilots and flight test engineer observers in Airbus H-160 helicopters. The FAA observers will work as part of the agency's air certification service (AIR).

The AIR flight test engineers, the FAA says, need to be trained by industry via flight training devices like replica aircraft instruments, equipment, and controls or in an open flight deck area.

The flight simulator includes the equipment and computer programs necessary to represent aircraft operations in ground and flight conditions, a visual system providing an out-of-the-flight deck view, a system that provides cues at least equivalent to those of a three-degree-of-freedom motion system, and has the full range of capabilities of the systems installed in the device as described in (14 CFR) Part 60 and the qualification performance standard (QPS) for a specific FFS qualification level.

The concept includes when one inspector/pilot is receiving pilot-in-command (PIC) training in a simulator or training device, the other inspector/pilot will receive second-in-command training or flight engineer training . When one inspector/pilot is receiving PIC training in the left seat of an airplane flight deck the other inspector/pilot shall receive observer time if flight deck seating permits.

When a contractor is selected, the FAA says they shall provide ground school and the flight simulation training to enable the FAA inspector/pilot to pass the practical test to Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) standards for Airbus H-160 helicopter type rating without any limitations, in accordance with applicable (14 CFR) Part 61.57 requirements, the contractor’s training program, and the terms and conditions of the resulting contract/task order.

All responses to this survey must received by 3:00 p.m. Eastern time, 30 August 2023 electronically to the Contracting Officer Helaina Germosen at [email protected].

More information and documents are available at https://sam.gov/opp/c56da1ae4a28476a8f00bc3779eff01f/view.