DRF Luftrettung has received approval from the German Federal Aviation Authority (Luftfahrt-Bundesamt) for the hoistAR® hoist simulator. This makes DRF Luftrettung the first air rescue operator in Europe whose training syllabus for winch operations has received approval by a national authority. In the future, crews at the five stations with hoist helicopters will have acces to additional virtual training options – complementing the practical training sessions conducted twice a year. The hoistAR® simulator can be coupled with the H145 Full Flight Simulator at LAT Lufthansa Aviation Training in Frankfurt. In “slave to FFS” mode, this enables joint training for hoist operators and pilots. This concept is unique worldwide to date.
To perform the complex procedures involved in hoist rescue safely and efficiently, crews require regular, intensive and realistic training. Until now, this training could only be conducted during actual flight operations. With the newly approved mobile hoistAR® hoist simulator, developed by DRF Luftrettung in collaboration with Reiser Simulation and Training, crews now have access to a range of additional virtual training scenarios.
Based on XR (Extended Reality) technology, the simulator enables pilots and hoist operators – the crew members positioned on the skid, specifically for the H145 helicopter – to undergo training regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. This gives crews an additional opportunity to practise operational scenarios, prepare for current and future challenges, and further enhance safety for both crews and patients. One of the simulator’s key features is that the entire system is integrated into a trailer. This makes it a mobile, self-contained training system that can be deployed at different locations. Hoist operators therefore do not need to travel to a dedicated simulation centre.
Another key advantage – and a unique feature of hoistAR® – is its two training modes:
Stand-alone: The hoist operator can train independently without the need for a pilot or Full Flight Simulator.
Slave-to-FFS: The pilot and hoist operator can train together from separate locations, jointly conducting hoist missions as well as normal, abnormal and emergency procedures. For this purpose, hoistAR® can be connected to the H145 Full Flight Simulator at LAT Lufthansa Aviation Training in Frankfurt. This concept is currently unique worldwide and opens up new possibilities for hoist training.
More information on hoistAR® is available at https://www.drf-akademie.de/hoistar
Two training modes: “Stand-alone” for training hoist operators and “Slave to FFS” for joint training of hoist operators and pilots
Portability: Quick setup and dismantling
XR technology: Bridging the digital and physical worlds
XY-axis motion platform: Adaptation to changing flight attitudes or weather conditions
Realistic cable and load movement
High-end system fidelity
Training independent of time of day and weather conditions
Greater safety in real-world operations: Repeated and customized training in emergency procedures and individual sequences of the winch operation
Use of an environmentally sustainable system
Higher availability of the aircraft fleet due to reduced tie-down time for training purposes