A joint venture of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and CAE has finalized all necessary contracts and non-recourse financing to begin construction and development of a new C$60 million (Rs 240 crore) helicopter training centre in Bangalore, India. The Helicopter Academy to Train by Simulation of Flying (HATSOFF), the joint venture equally-owned by HAL and CAE, has secured long-term, non-recourse financing to support the development of the HATSOFF Helicopter Training Centre. HATSOFF will have a CAE-built full-mission simulator featuring CAE's revolutionary roll-on/roll-off cockpit design, which enables cockpits representing various helicopter types to be used in the simulator. HATSOFF expects to begin training at a new purpose-built facility in the second half of 2010. When fully operational, HATSOFF will be able to train up to 400 helicopter pilots each year and expects to generate annual revenues of up to approximately C$20 million (Rs 80 crore). source : Defence Forum
