GB-ANDOVER: ARTDIPT/088 PROVISION OF AIRMANSHIP DEVELOPMENT FLYING FOR ARMY’S TACTICAL UNMANNED AIR SYSTEMS PERSONNEL

The Army has identified a requirement to procure the services of a Flight Training Organisation to provide live flying training to develop airmanship and an awareness of the air environment for service personnel as part of their progressive training to operate the Watchkeeper (WK) Unmanned Air Systems (UAS).

Training will be required for up to 38 students (depending on course uptake) from contract award (estimated Sep 15) to March 2016. The majority of students will be experienced Unmanned Air System pilots who will benefit from additional in-cockpit experience to assist in enhancing their airmanship. Suitably qualified and experienced instructors will be required to provide instruction and assessment during a series of 8 sorties for each student (totalling approximately 9 ½ hours of flying) in accordance with the Authority’s Course Training Package. Training is aimed at providing the student with ground and air instruction, including the following areas: flight planning and briefing; experiencing how an aircraft handles in straight and level flight, climbing descending and turning and during take off and landing; interaction with Air Traffic Control and use of radio communications; navigation; crew management; decision making and dealing with emergencies (threat and error management).

Instructors will need to be suitably qualified in accordance with CAA regulations and it is desirable that they will have previous military flying experience and have been a Central Flying School endorsed instructor. Army Aviation Standards organisation will review training delivery in order to assure the Authority that the correct level of instruction will be provided.

The Flight Training Organisation will be expected to offer training within a 60 minute travel time by road from Larkhill, Wiltshire. Training will be required during normal working hours, Monday to Friday. Close liaison with the Authority will be required to provide aircraft/instructor availability and a flying forecast to enable the most efficient use of students’ time. Suitable on-site briefing facilities to conduct planning should be available, together with provision of MET , NOTAM and associated maps and publications. Students should be provided with a colour moving map display for each sortie – either as part of the aircraft equipment or as a GPS enabled tablet cleared for use in the cockpit – this represents the method that students will ultimately plan and conduct flights.