Christchurch is now home to one of the world’s most advanced and bespoke rescue helicopter simulators, marking a major leap forward in aviation training for the region.
The Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust purchased the Entrol H145 FNPT II MCC, which is a H145 cockpit and winch simulator.
Trust chairman Murray Willocks said it is one of only five joint cockpit and winch simulators in the world and the only one to replicate the exact winch configuration and distinctive geographical terrain that local crews operate in.
The simulator will be used by pilots and crew from the Westpac Rescue Helicopter in Canterbury, the West Coast, and top of the South Island. The service is operated by GCH Aviation.
“It is an incredible piece of kit which will revolutionise how we prepare rescue helicopter crews for the life and death situations they face every day,” Willocks says.
Three Entrol engineers from Spain spent a month installing the simulator at the GCH Aviation Air Rescue Base in Christchurch.
Before its arrival, rescue helicopter pilot and IFR training manager Brent Fredericksen and critical care paramedic and winch operator Shane Lynch travelled to Spain to test and refine the unit, thanks to support from the Trust.
Fredericksen says the crew are all blown away by the clarity and reality of the simulator, which includes technology that mimics the noise and vibration of a rescue helicopter mission along with real aircraft systems.
“This simulator is unlike anything you could imagine. The visuals on the spherical visual LED system are the best I’ve ever seen and the integration with the winch operator feels exactly like a real rescue mission. It’s simply incredible – we can’t wait to put it to work.”
Rescue helicopter pilots undergo regular training to ensure they are competent and confident in all aspects of helicopter operations including night vision goggle use, day and night winching, water and boat winching, and mountain flying.
Previously pilots had to leave the city for simulator training or train in the helicopter itself. With the introduction of a full IFR capability around all the bases it’s estimated the simulator will save around 220 hours of training flying time each year.
“This simulator will have an immense impact on our rescue helicopter service. Along with cost savings, it allows us to practise emergency situations we’ve only ever trained for on paper. It will enhance safety, improve crew communications, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for patients," Fredericksen said.
“The entire crew can’t thank the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust enough for this investment in the future of the service,” Fredericksen says.
Alongside a full H145 cockpit replica, the simulator features cutting-edge visual technology with 220° x 80° field of view that enhances pilot immersion and situational awareness. It also includes a Mixed Reality Hoist Operator Station, where green screens and virtual reality goggles simulate real-life winching operations.
The simulator can recreate a wide range of conditions – weather, time of day, cloud, wind, helicopter downwash, boat movement, and land features like slope, rock, and trees. High-definition terrain areas such as Mt Rolleston and Crow River Valley have been developed to support realistic land and alpine operations.
Fredericksen says reading the book on helicopter emergency management is one thing but sitting in the simulator, seeing what’s likely to happen, then experiencing and managing it for real is so much better.
“We can’t fly a real rescue helicopter to practise cutting the winch cable or fouling the hook in trees. With this simulator, we can replicate these emergencies and practise managing them alongside the crew.”
Lynch says excellent crew communication is vital to the success of any mission.
“With this simulator we can practise how we work together in even the most challenging conditions. These are situations we hope never to face, but now we can prepare for them safely in an environment that feels real. It’s going to be game‑changing.”
Lynch is the only winch operator in the world to have worked directly with Entrol to modify the H145 simulator to match a specific H145 configuration and local terrain.
“When you step inside the winch simulator and put on that VR headset, it feels exactly like standing in the back of one of our H145s. The level of realism we’ve achieved is incredible. It fully immerses us in the winch operation as if it’s happening in real life.”
The $2.7 million simulator was funded by the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust. Willocks says the investment is the direct result of community generosity.
“We’ve only been able to purchase this simulator thanks to the support of our community. If you’ve donated to a rescue helicopter appeal, dropped money in a bucket, or are one of our regular donors, this is the difference your contribution has made, and it’s going to be phenomenal,” Willocks says.
The Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust has also purchased four H145 rescue helicopters – three for Canterbury and the West Coast and one for the Nelson Marlborough region. Three of these helicopters are now in service with the fourth due to be in the air in the coming months.
-Allied Media
