2006 News

Captain Sonia Dumouchel-Connock
12 Wing Public Affairs Officer

SHEARWATER, N.S. - - Military and industry representatives marked another important milestone in the continued construction of the Maritime Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC) last Friday with a ceremonial "laying of the first brick.

"We're delighted that the construction of this high-tech facility, which began back in April 2005, is going so well, and that the maritime helicopter community is continuing to prepare for the important transition from our Sea King fleet to the new Cyclone fleet," says Col. Alan Blair, Commander of 12 Wing. "In two years, trained air and maintenance crews for the Cyclone helicopters will be emerging from this facility and providing top-notch operational support to the naval fleet, both at home and abroad."

Commemorating this important "next step" in the maritime helicopter replacement project with Col. Blair was Chief Warrant Officer John Quilty, Wing Chief Warrant Officer, Captain (Navy) Marc St-Jean, Base Commander of CFB Halifax, and Mr. Wayne MacLeod, PCL Constructors site supervisor for the new training centre.

The state-of-the-art, three-storey training facility will house flight and mission simulators, and serve as the new home for 406 Maritime Operational Training Squadron, the unit responsible for training air crew and maintenance personnel on the CH-148 Cyclone helicopter. Costing an estimated $45 million and part of the $3.2 billion contract awarded to Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, the MHTC is being built by PCL Constructors, the largest general contractor in Canada.

A second, $1.8 billion contract awarded to Sikorsky covers the acquisition of 28 fully integrated Cyclone helicopters with their missions systems installed.

"This is a very exciting time for 12 Wing," says Col. Blair. "While the dedicated and professional men and women of 12 Wing are continuing to maintain, fly and support operations with the Sea King helicopters, they are also looking to the future and preparing the way for the transition to the new Cyclone fleet."

CWO John Quilty (left), the Chief Warrant Officer of 12 Wing, and Mr. Wayne MacLeod (right), the PCL Constructors site supervisor, participate in the ceremonial "laying of the first brick" of the new Maritime Helicopter Training Centre on July 21, 2006. Contruction of the new, high-tech, training centre continues at 12 Wing, thus marking another important step in the transition from the Sea King to the Cyclone maritime helicopter fleet.

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