Airbus Helicopters Malaysia, Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Seal Joint Venture Agreement

Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Berhad (BHIC) has signed an agreement to acquire a 30 percent share in the Airbus Helicopters Simulation Center in Malaysia.

This joint venture agreement was signed by BHIC AeroServices Chairman YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Azizan Ariffin and Philippe Monteux, Airbus Helicopters Senior Vice President for South East Asia & Pacific region, in the presence of Malaysian Defence Minister Y.B. Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

The simulation facility – operated by Airbus Helicopters Malaysia since January 2013, and located at the Malaysia International Aerospace Center – houses a full-flight simulator for the H225 and H225M helicopter types, which are 11-ton-category civilian and military twin-engine aircraft in the Super Puma family. The training site was set up as part of Airbus Helicopters’ contract to provide 12 H225M rotorcraft (formerly known as the EC725) to the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

In addition to Royal Malaysian Air Force pilots, the simulation center also offers training to H225/H225M pilots and crews from customers in the military, paramilitary and civil sectors throughout the Asia/Pacific region, and has received trainees from such countries as Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, Oman, Japan and Thailand during the past two years.

The Airbus Helicopters Simulation Center successfully trained some 200 pilots and logged 1,940 hours with the full-flight simulator during its first year of operation. This activity increased by over 40 percent in 2014 to deliver 2,782 simulator hours, training approximately 300 pilots.

“We have enjoyed a very strong and successful partnership with BHIC in an ongoing joint venture that provides maintenance, repair and overhaul services for military helicopters, which has ensured a high availability of the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s H225M fleet,” said Monteux. “With BHIC now entering into the pilot training sector with us as well, we will be able to strengthen our alliance to further develop the local helicopter industry, and at the same time expand our regional portfolios.”

Bernard Josseaux has been appointed to head the Malaysian simulation joint venture and will be the General Manager of the simulation center. He previously was the Technical and Program Director for new investments and training devices at the Helisim Training Academy in Marseille-Provence, France, and comes with 30 years of extensive simulator experience.

(Image provided by Airbus Helicopters. JV agreement sealed by Philippe Monteux, Airbus Helicopters Senior Vice President for South East Asia & Pacific (left), and BHIC AeroServices Chairman YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Azizan Ariffin (right), in the presence of Malaysian Defence Minister Y.B. Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein (center).)

FMI: www.airbushelicopters.com