Italy-based Rotorsim, the consortium owned CAE and AgustaWestland, is starting a Joint NH90 training program for the Netherlands Ministry of Defense.

The JNTP was inaugurated during a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Col. Jan Verhulst, NH90 program manager, Netherlands Ministry of Defense; Daniele Romiti, chief executive officer, AgustaWestland; and Ulrich Aderhold, managing director, CAE Europe.

"This is a major milestone and reinforces Rotorsim's commitment to offering world-class helicopter training to customers in both the civil and military markets," said Craig Zysk, Rotorsim's general manager.

Rotorsim, which serves as the prime contractor for the JNTP, has taken delivery of a NH90 full-mission flight trainer that can be reconfigured between the NH90 Tactical Transport variant as well as the NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopter variant.

The Netherlands Ministry of Defense and Netherlands Military Aviation Authority have recently qualified the NH90 TTH simulator variant to Level C. The NH90 NFH simulator cockpit, which will begin training in early 2012, is expected to be later qualified to Level D, the highest qualification for flight simulators.

The NH90 FMFT will be used to train both the Netherlands military as well as third party customers, which include the Royal Norwegian Air Force and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Rotorsim also has a multi-year responsibility for operation and maintenance services of the NH90 training systems.

The NH90 FMFT features CAE's roll-on/roll-off cockpit design and the cockpit can be reconfigured between the NFH and TTH variants of the NH90 helicopter. In addition, the NH90 simulator features night vision capabilities, both an on-board and off-board instructor operator stations, and the CAE STRIVE computer-generated forces software.

A six degree-of-freedom motion system, combined with high-performance vibration platform, replicates the vibration cues critical to helicopter pilots. The immersive visual solution includes a five-channel CAE Tropos-6000 image generator and a 220-degree by 60-degree field-of-view display system.

Rotorsim was established in 2003 as a joint venture of AgustaWestland and CAE to provide classroom and synthetic training solutions for AgustaWestland AW109 and AW139 helicopter operators around the world. The Rotorsim training center in Italy is located within the AgustaWestland A. Marchetti Training Academy and already houses two CAE-built, full-flight simulators. These simulators feature a roll-on/roll-off cockpit design, enabling cockpits representing the AW139 and four variants of the AW109 to be used in the two simulators.

An additional CAE 3000 Series AW139 full-flight simulator will enter in service in late summer 2012. Rotorsim also offers training on an AW139 simulator located at CAE's North East Training Center in the United States near New York City.

AgustaWestland is a technology leader in its markets and has an unrivalled range of rotorcraft products designed to satisfy the requirements of commercial and military customers. AgustaWestland has its main operations in Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland and the United States.

CAE is a global leader in modeling, simulation and training for civil aviation and defense. The company employs more than 7,500 people at more than 100 sites and training locations in more than 20 countries.