Italian aerospace giant Leonardo has embarked on a major expansion of its presence in the US with a vast new Helicopter Training Academy. Tom Batchelor looks at what’s on offer and the benefits it will bring
With the capacity to train more than 1,000 civil and military helicopter cadets a year, including flight crews, aircraft operators and maintainers, Leonardo Helicopters’s new Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, facility is set to boost the company’s offering in the lucrative North American market, while simultaneously meeting the growing demand for training services from customers in South and Central America.
Leonardo is very much focused on the future of flight crew training, with augmented reality and artificial intelligence among the features being rolled out at the site. The academy, which opened its doors at the end of April, is located on Leonardo’s existing campus in the city, providing a one-stop shop for established clients and future pilots.