With Italian planes and Canadian VR, this elite flight school trains pilots in the art of combat
The International Flight Training School (IFTS) in Sardinia uses advanced Canadian-made CAE simulators and Italian T-346 trainer jets to provide cutting-edge combat pilot training. It is a unique public-private partnership between the Italian Air Force, defence manufacturer Leonardo, and Canadian company CAE. The program trains pilots from NATO countries, including the U.S. and Canada, for next-generation fighter jets.
- ▪The IFTS uses immersive CAE flight simulators that allow pilots in the air and in simulators to train together seamlessly.
- ▪It is the first partnership between CAE and a defence manufacturer like Leonardo for military pilot training.
- ▪The Italian Air Force provides the base and training program, while Leonardo and CAE jointly manage the campus and provide equipment and instructors.
- ▪IFTS is the only school outside the U.S. licensed to train American pilots for next-generation fighter aircraft.
- ▪Increased NATO defence spending has driven demand for advanced pilot training programs like IFTS.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Stefano Centioni, the lead civilian instructor at the International Flight Training School in Sardinia, squeezed himself into a Canadian-made CAE flight simulator that is a marvel of immersive virtual reality. When he hit the throttle and took off, it looked like he was in the air.The cockpit is a replica of the ones in the T-346 trainer jets used at the school, four of which are jointly owned by CAE and partner Leonardo, the Italian defence giant that makes the aircraft. A video dome surrounds the cockpit, making it appear that the simulator is actually flying. Their pilots can hear the engine noise, bank the jet, do 360-degree loops and fire missiles at targets that look realistic. Flight simulators are nothing new – CAE has been building military versions since the 1960s.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Globe and Mail.
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