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ETC wins contract with UND

ETC Press Release | November 23, 2021

Estimated reading time 2 minutes, 46 seconds.

Environmental Tectonics Corporation’s Aircrew Training Systems (“ATS”) unit announced it was awarded a contract from the University of North Dakota’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences (“UND”) for its GAT-HELO, rotary wing spatial disorientation (“SD”) trainer.

The GAT-HELO will provide a cost-effective way for rotary wing pilots to experience realistic spatial disorientation scenarios that cannot be accomplished safely in the air. ETC Photo

The GAT-HELO is ETC’s most cost-effective, helicopter simulator capable of delivering general flight and spatial disorientation training. The specialized GAT-HELO motion platform is designed to create in flight illusions authentically and safely. The GAT-HELO features a single seat generic cockpit, instructor station, and robust conditional even based scenario editor software – allowing a variety of meteorological conditions, aircraft instrument and engine failure scenarios, autorotation and tail rotor failure, and interactive SD training profiles to be selected or programmed. UND will be using the GAT-HELO to expose undergraduate helicopter pilots to FAA-recognized vestibular and visual illusions found in aviation; enabling them to avoid, recognize, confirm, prevent, and recover from SD. 

George Anderson, M.D., and ETC’s chairman indicated that “ETC is proud to be partnering with the University of North Dakota in providing its critical aerospace training needs that prepare pilots to better manage the physiological effects of flight, ultimately leading to increased safety.”  

Robert Kraus, Dean of the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences at the University of North Dakota said, “The GAT-HELO will add to our Aerospace Physiology curriculum which already uses a fixed-wing GAT, altitude chamber, and vision laboratory to educate and train undergraduate students as well as corporate customers. This new trainer will provide a cost-effective way for rotary wing pilots to experience realistic spatial disorientation scenarios that cannot be accomplished safely in the air. Additionally, the capabilities of the device will contribute to research partnerships that will help improve aviation safety across the industry.”

This press release was prepared and distributed by Environmental Tectonics Corporation.

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