Emergency air support group Avincis is considering options for the location of a new crew training center in Europe. The Portugal-based operator, which has a fleet of around 220 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, today announced plans to create a center of excellence to bring crew training in-house.

According to Avincis, the training facility will support the safe growth of its operations globally and standardization of operations. It will be available for crew from partner operators, and the company is now assessing options for a location that will be accessible and able to house a wide range of training disciplines.

The planned facility will offer both live and synthetic training for pilots, as well as medical and rescue crews and technicians. Avincis said it will include level-D simulators, night vision goggles, and rescue hoist simulators, with training programs covering underwater escapes, cold weather survival, air ambulance missions, mountain flying, and rescue scenarios for wind farms and cable cars.

Avincis, which has Part 147 maintenance training approval, will also develop new aircraft engineers and technicians. Beyond Europe, the company also operates in Africa and South America.

“Our people face challenging and complex situations every single day, and it is our job to make sure they are properly trained to the highest safety standards, so they are always able to perform at their best,” said Avincis Group CEO John Boag.