RUAG modernizes PC7 simulator

After approximately one and a half years in development, the engineers at RUAG Defence and RUAG Aviation have been successful in their joint effort to get the modernised PC7 simulator off the ground and into the air. The PC7 IG upgrade project was approved by Armasuisse and the Swiss Air Force. The next hurdle for the simulator to overcome is to obtain FOCA (Federal Office of Civil Aviation) certification. Once this step is complete, pilots will be able to use the new simulation system in their training programs.

It has been 20 years since RUAG – together with other companies – developed the PC7 flight simulator for instrument flight training for the Swiss Air Force. Located on the grounds of the airport in Locarno, this simulator has received FOCA certification and has up until now been used to train Swiss Air Force pilots wanting to fly the Pilatus PC7. The rapid technological developments made in visualisation systems (image generators) in the game and simulation industry as well as higher user expectations have meant that the visualisation system of the PC7 simulators no longer meets today's requirements and had to be replaced.

RUAG Aviation was therefore commissioned by Armasuisse at the end of 2013 to replace the visualisation system in the PC7 simulator. When looking for a suitable software supplier, RUAG Aviation also approached the Simulation & Training (S&T) business unit of RUAG Defence. The Virtual Simulation department of S&T has already installed a wide range of visualisation system solutions as part of both national and international virtual simulation projects.