Vanguard Magazine

22 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 www.vanguardcanada.com trAininG the NFtC Program At 2CFFTS at 15 Wing, CFB Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan and 4 Wing, CFB Cold Lake in Alberta, the training program is a collaborative endeavour between the RCAF and a leading training and simulation con- tractor, CAE Inc. Originated back in 2000 as a 21-year contract between the Govern- ment of Canada and Bombardier Aerospace Military Aviation Training (BA MAT), the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program was designed to provide Basic Flying Training (BFT), advanced jet, and Fighter Lead-In Training (FLIT) for future fighter pilots for the RCAF. In October 2015, CAE acquired BA MAT's business for almost $20 million and became the prime contractor for the NFTC program. Scheduled to expire in 2021, the program was extended in Janu- ary 2017 for an additional two years and will now run until at least 2023, with a one-year option to extend the contract through to 2024. Speaking about the announcement at the time of the extension, LGen Mike Hood, who was then commander of the RCAF, said: "The NFTC program deliv- ers world-class pilot training to Canada and participating allied nations. In modi- fying the operating period of this NTFC contract, we will ensure that this essential pilot training system continues until a new program is up and running." Joe Armstrong, Vice President and Gen- eral Manager of CAE Canada, said the ac- quisition of NFTC is not only a great as- set for them in Canada, but it has opened up possibilities to export their capabilities and training expertise internationally. That is evident in the U.S. Army Fixed-Wing training program for which CAE has been contracted to conduct comprehensive ini- tial and recurrent training for more than 600 U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force fixed- wing pilots annually. "This is a comprehen- sive pilot training program, including live flight training, of which a lot is based off the NFTC as well as the live training opera- tions that we've been running for quite a long time in civil aviation," said Armstrong. He went on to explain that delivering a training outcome for a specific training objective is about training people to be more effective, better at their job, and saf- er in their environment. The company sees this from the perspective of integrating ev- ery possible media asset into the delivery of that training solution or service. Having access to the full breadth of possible media assets – for example, courseware, simula- tors, live instructors, classrooms, and air- craft – CAE, in collaboration with DND is effectively working "to produce an overall training effect through a training service program." NFTC is headquartered at 15 Wing in Moose Jaw. Photo: CAE. CAE is upgrading the CT-156 Harvard (shown here) and CT-155 Hawk flight simulators used for the NFTC program. Photo: CAE

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