Wednesday’s event at Cargolux was not about cargo planes or logistics, but about fire. Aquarius Aerial Firefighting used the occasion to present its new simulator to the press, one of only two in Europe developed specifically for the Fire Boss firefighting aircraft used by the company.
The simulator recreates the harsh realities of aerial firefighting: thick smoke, poor visibility and severe turbulence. These are conditions that can be a matter of life and death, and according to Aquarius Aerial Firefighting CEO Wieger Ketellapper, the simulator makes it possible to practise manoeuvres that would simply be too dangerous to attempt in a real aircraft.
Ketellapper highlighted what sets this simulator apart from others. A key innovation is the addition of a second station, allowing two pilots to fly simultaneously, monitor each other’s instruments and communicate as they would over the radio, effectively simulating formation flying. The exercise can be repeated indefinitely and without the cost of fuel, making it, in his words, the perfect solution for raising training standards.
For the pilots themselves, the simulator offers the chance to train under realistic conditions without real risk. The system is equipped with movement and vibration technology, immersing pilots in scenarios that closely mirror genuine emergencies. Pilot Kristof Heffnick, who has logged around 130 hours in a real firefighting aircraft this year, described the dual-console setup as an ideal way to prepare for the season ahead. He emphasised that the ability to fly in formation and align procedures, particularly around communication, which is a top priority during firefighting operations, makes the simulator an invaluable training tool.
During a forest fire, pilots frequently fly at very low altitudes in challenging environments with very little time to react. The simulator allows such scenarios to be rehearsed and refined repeatedly. While two pilots train together, a third person manages the session from a separate computer, adjusting weather conditions, introducing mechanical failures and constructing realistic scenarios. Pilot and instructor Mylène Marionvalle explained that her role is to create situations that genuinely reflect what pilots might face in the field including weather conditions, giving them the opportunity to practise the procedures and adaptations that cannot easily be rehearsed in a real aircraft.
The simulator cost approximately €1.5 million, though for the management of Aquarius Aerial Firefighting, it represents an investment into the future and safety. With global temperatures rising and increasingly prolonged dry spells becoming the norm across European summers, the risk of forest fires is growing, and with it the demand for well-trained specialist pilots and modern training facilities.
The simulator is also available to foreign operators, who are welcome to bring their pilots to Luxembourg for training.
