Airbus has unveiled a new full flight and mission simulator (FFS) for the Airbus A330 Multirole Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft at its International Training Centre (ITC) in Seville.

In addition to providing pilot flight-training, the new FFS, will be used to train pilots in hose-and-drogue refuelling operations, and to act as a receiver from other tankers.

The Level D simulator, developed by Airbus together with the Spanish company Indra, joins existing simulators for the A400M, C295 and CN235 programmes, positioning Airbus ITC as a reference centre for training crews for the entire Airbus military transport product line.

The FFS was developed by Indra under a contract awarded in June 2016. The Spanish firm has also been contracted to supply a tactical and integrated procedures trainer (IPT) for A330 MRTT pilots. The IPT, which uses touch screens to replicate the MRTT instrument panel, is scheduled for delivery in 2019.

The IPT system is designed to be connected to the Part Task Trainer (PTT) used to train A330 MRTT boom operators.

Large MRTT fleet operators, including the French Air Force and the RAF, operate, or plan to operate, their own crew training facilities with dedicated simulators. The AirTanker training facility at RAF Brize Norton is operated in cooperation with Thales.