A400M simulator gains approval - UPI.com PARIS, June 20 (UPI) -- The first flight simulator for Airbus Military's A400M airlifter received certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency, opening the door for its use. Thales U.K. designed and built the full flight simulator for Airbus Military. The system is now at the Airbus Military International Training Center in Seville, Spain. The A400M is still under development and the simulator "utilises aircraft hardware and software that represents the initial configuration" of the A400M aircraft cockpit, Thales said. It simulates the ground and flight operations of the plane aircraft in various environments and includes an enhanced field-of-view visual system for supporting training in all aircraft maneuvers, such as air-to-air refuelling and low-level tactical operations. "Thales is the leading provider of training solutions for military aircraft with contracts to provide A400M Full Flight Simulators and Flat Panel Trainers to Spain, France, Germany and U.K.," said Peter Hitchcock, vice president for avionics for Thales U.K. "We are proud to offer our long-standing experience to help train pilots for this exciting and highly capable new aircraft." Thales announced the approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency at the Paris Air Show.