Lieutenant-colonel Zsolt Simon, Chief of Flight Training Department and acting deputy commander of the HDF 86^th Szolnok Helicopter Base was one of those few who had the privilege to occupy for the first time the cockpit of the Airbus H145M to be used by the Hungarian Defence Forces.  The crew members were taught theoretical knowledge and practical skills at the base of the manufacturer in Germany, and they have also acquired the certificate necessary for being an instructor.  

Lieutenant-colonel Zsolt Simon said, after the first experiences, that it was hard to compare the new models to the equipment the Hungarian Defence Forces had used before, because even their operational philosophy was different. “Operating an H145M is much easier than operating the models having been in service in Hungary so far, because it is fully digital, and computer-controlled" – he said. He added that the two helicopter pilots who travelled to Germany for the first conversion training course had extensive experience in flying and had instructor certificates. 

Zsolt Simon also told us that the theoretical training was especially about the model H145M, meaning that an English-language curriculum of about 1500 pages had to be learnt. This was followed by the simulation training of one week and then flying training of 10 hours.   Since then, the two instructors have flown nearly 100 hours each with the new model. “Our experience is growing, and thus it is more and more easy for us to operate the onboard systems. We got fond of the model very much and we find it extremely pilot-friendly. Now, whatever mission we are performing, we can concentrate more on the task itself rather than on flying the helicopter" – said the acting second-in-command at the HDF 86^th Szolnok Helicopter Base. 

The same level of easiness is applicable to the operation and maintenance of the helicopter model, too. Maj. Tamás Bagi, the commander of the squadron responsible for the operation of H145M said that the new model needed a different approach: “We had to get used to the digital instruments and had to shift from analogue systems to digital ones. We used computers and diagnostic tools during our conversion training in Germany." He added that although visual supervision and system checks had remained just like in any other helicopter model previously used, the methods and the necessary tools had changed, got refined. “It is much easier and more modern to operate these helicopters than the old ones. Even the physical job takes much shorter time when, for example, the helicopters need to be prepared, detected for defaults or when following an error process." 

GALÉRIA