Leonardo has opened a new building at its Sesto Calende facility in northern Italy dedicated to developing and manufacturing helicopter flight simulators. The more than 6,000-square-metre facility can accommodate up to five simulators at a time and brings engineering, design, production, assembly, integration and testing together under one roof, supporting civil and military programmes in Italy and overseas.
The expansion is intended to establish Sesto Calende as a development and production hub for simulation systems across Leonardo’s rotary-wing business. The first simulators built there will serve operators in Italy and Asia, although Leonardo has not identified the customers or the helicopter types involved.
The site has provided helicopter training technologies and services since the A. Marchetti Training Academy opened in 2006. Local media reports indicate that the new building includes three prepared full-flight-simulator positions and more than 130 computer workstations for training and related activities.
The facility supports the full simulator development and manufacturing cycle, from initial design through final testing. Leonardo has not disclosed the investment value or an annual production rate; its stated capacity of up to five simulators refers to the number that can be accommodated simultaneously.