Spain Unveils Europe’s First CH-47F Simulator

Spain has delivered the final unit of its modernized CH-47F Chinook helicopter at the Colmenar Viejo base, marking a key milestone in its Army Aviation program. To mark the occasion, Minister of Defense Margarita Robles, Secretary of State for Defense Amparo Valcarce, military officials, and Indra Group’s Executive Chairman Ángel Escribano visited the Army Aviation Academy’s Helicopter Simulation Center (CESIHEL).  

The delegation toured the CH-47F full mission simulator (FMS), developed by Indra—the first of its kind in Europe for this aircraft variant. Now in use by Transport Helicopter Battalion V (BHELTRA V), the simulator completes an integrated training suite that also includes a flight training device and computer-based trainer. 

The synthetic training system reduces real flight hours by up to 40%, lowering operational costs while improving pilot readiness and safety. Indra’s simulator uses the same avionics as the actual aircraft, ensuring high fidelity and easier future upgrades.  It also supports networked joint training with other helicopter types, thanks to HLA-standard simulation architecture. With features like 4LED projection for night-vision goggle (NVG) training and detailed terrain modeling, the simulator aims to help prepare pilots for complex missions.