Deal Looks To Make Sudbury Helicopter Training Hub

By: Nick Liard

An estimated 150 jobs will be created as Ontario and Canadian helicopter pilots will be trained in Sudbury starting next year.

Currently the federal and provincial government as well as commercial operators spend millions of dollars sending helicopter pilots and maintenance crews to the U.S. for training.

Aircrew Training Canada Limited signed a letter of intent with Frasca International that will lead to the purchase of four full Motion Flight simulators, a project Frasca CEO John Frasca is extremely excited about.

Frasca says this is the largest project they will have worked on in Canada, the United States or around the world.

Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development and Growth, Brad Duguid says Sudbury is already bwell known for its mining but this is a chance to put the city on the map for helicopter training.

He says its a chance to expand and bring helicopter pilots from around the world to Canada.

In addition to the jobs there will be expected economic spin-off from trainees staying in Sudbury for weeks at a time for their course.

The location of the facility will be finalized this month and the first training class is expected to begin in Fall 2018.