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Viking Air Limited of Victoria, B.C., announced that the Peru Air Force will become the first customer to select a full-flight training package utilizing the new Twin Otter Series 400 “Level D” flight simulator program offered through Viking’s sister company, Pacific Sky Aviation.
The Peru Air Force is the largest fleet operator of Series 400 Twin Otters, with 12 Viking aircraft in operation at the Peru Air Force’s base in Iquitos, in the Amazonian region of north eastern Peru.
The flight training program is scheduled to start later this year once the Level “D” simulator is fully installed at Pacific Sky’s training facility in Calgary, Alta. The Twin Otter simulator has been in development since 2014, and is currently in the final stages of testing at TRU Simulation in Montreal, Que.
David Curtis, Viking president & CEO said: “As the largest Twin Otter Series 400 operator in the world, we are excited that the Peru Air Force has selected the full simulator training package offered through Pacific Sky Aviation. With Series 400 aircraft in both wheeled and seaplane configurations, it was essential that we were able to offer Peru a comprehensive training package of the highest calibre.”
Michael Coughlin, CEO of Pacific Sky Aviation said: “Our team is excited that the Peru Air Force will be the launch customer for the simulator, and we look forward to welcoming this highly experienced and important customer to our new training center.”
Coughlin added, “This is the world’s first Level “D” full flight simulator for the Twin Otter, and the first of its kind with seaplane capability. This innovative technology will provide state-of-the-art simulator training options for pilots wanting to perfect takeoffs, landings and docking operations through a range of sea states and weather conditions. This realistic and safe seaplane simulation environment will in turn reduce the time and cost to develop seaplane captains.”
Viking and Pacific Sky Aviation said they have received a high level of interest from Twin Otter operators for simulator training, and are now reserving training slots well into 2018.
