Hong Kong’s HK$200 million hi-tech helicopter simulator expected to cut training for government pilots by up to 2 years

Airbus H175 Cheetah simulator is Asia’s first and will reduce training time for Government Flying Service pilots

Simulator system cost HK$116 million and Lantau Island training centre another HK$112 million; machine expected to be in service for at least 20 years

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The new hi-tech helicopter simulator, a first for Asia, which will cut training time for Government Flying Service pilots by up to two years. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Published: 6:52pm, 16 Jun 2023Updated: 4:48pm, 17 Jun 2023

Corrected [12:54pm, 17 Jun, 2023]

[12:54pm, 17 Jun, 2023]
An earlier version of this story carried wrong figures pertaining to costs. The flying service has invested more than HK$200 million, not HK$2 billion as previously stated. The system cost HK$116 million, not HK$1.16 billion, while the training centre cost HK$112 million, not HK$1.12 billion.

Hong Kong’s Government Flying Service has invested more than HK$200 million (US$25.6 million) to set up the first Airbus H175 Cheetah helicopter simulator in Asia, which is expected to cut training time for rescue pilots by up to two years.

“We are confident we have taken a proactive step in changing the ways of training,” Captain West Wu Wai-hung, the service’s controller, said on Friday.

The simulator system, programmed to create a true-to-life animation of the city’s environment, has been in operation for six months and has been used to train 44 pilots in all types of search and rescue, surveillance and emergencies in extreme weather.

Veteran pilots have been invited to adapt the scenarios to Hong Kong conditions.

The new simulator is expected to reduce the seven to eight years of pilot training needed at present to six years because assessments and training can be done at the same centre.

(From left) Senior pilot (helicopter standards) Eddie Liu, Government Flying Service controller West Wu, chief pilot (training and standards) Trevor Marshall and senior pilot (helicopter – technical support) Howie Chun with the organisation’s new simulator. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Construction was completed last September and the simulator later passed the Civil Aviation Department’s evaluation.