On Friday, March 14, 2025, the Polish Air Rescue Service (LPR) published information on the launch of a tender for the delivery and installation of a Full Flight Simulator (FFS) Level D Airbus H135 rescue helicopter simulator, along with the construction of a training facility for LPR operational personnel.
Photo: Christian D. Keller, Airbus Helicopters
The scope of the contract includes the delivery and installation of a brand-new Level D Full Flight Simulator (FFS) for the Airbus Helicopters H135 P3 variant (formerly designated as EC135), as well as the construction of a simulator hall with a training facility in Warsaw (at 5 Księżycowa Street, Bemowo District), including:
- Preparation of project documentation, including a complete, multi-discipline design and cost documentation for the investment, which consists of: a conceptual design, a construction design considering the specifics of construction works, a technical design, an execution design, a demolition design, a health and safety report, technical specifications for construction work execution and acceptance, and legal documentation.
- Execution of construction works based on the project documentation, covering: the construction of the simulator hall building with a training facility, the reconstruction of the existing FTD simulator hall building, as well as the construction and reconstruction of site development elements and necessary technical infrastructure.
- Provision of author supervision during the implementation of the investment.
The deadline for submitting bids in the procedure is April 28, 2025, at 11:00 AM. The selection criteria will be price (93%) and technical factors related to ensuring the most realistic replication of actual conditions experienced during flight operations:
- A visualization system capable of providing a horizontal field of view ranging from 220° to 250° and a vertical field of view ranging from 80° to 90°.
- The simulator must:
- Replicate realistic shadows cast on the ground or nearby objects, following the movement of the Sun or Moon.
- Support ray-tracing technology in highly detailed environments, with the option to deactivate it from the IOS panel, and include software and a database allowing for the simulation of landings on various surfaces, such as unstable or rocky terrain, which may increase the likelihood of exceeding mast moment limits.
- Enable ATC communication generation with other aircraft within the specified parameters.
- Include a function to simulate ILS system failures during instrument landing approaches by generating false GS (Glide Slope) and LOC (Localizer) signals.
- Simulate crew glare effects caused by turning on the landing light in fog, snowfall, or reflections from the water surface.
- Simulate laser dazzling effects, activated from the IOS panel.
- A cockpit module with removable flight controls on the left side of the cockpit.
- An option for the instructor to activate a simulation of engine startup with IBF (Inlet Barrier Filter) covers installed on the inlets, including all effects of parameter exceedances, engine malfunction behaviors, and IBF status indications.
Currently, LPR operates an FTD-class (Flight Training Device) simulator, delivered in 2009, as well as two light Robinson R44 Raven II training helicopters (SP-HTM and SP-HTN), ordered in 2018.
The core of the helicopter fleet consists of 27 H135 helicopters, including 23 in the P2+ version and 4 in the P3 version, delivered in 2009-2010 (P2+) and 2015 (P3). They are stationed at 21 permanent bases across Poland and one seasonal base in Koszalin, which operates during the summer holidays. These helicopters replaced the obsolete Mi-2 Plus models, which were decommissioned in 2011, as well as a single Agusta A109 Power helicopter, which was lost in an accident on November 20, 2009 (it had been in service since 2005). In January of this year, LPR reported that the H135 fleet surpassed half a million landings and accumulated 125,000 flight hours.
This fleet may soon expand. On February 19 of this year, the Ministry of Health announced a grant competition for medical entities as part of an investment program supporting the operations of Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) teams, aimed at the procurement of brand-new rescue helicopters.