Spanish flight sim firm Entrol celebrates 20th anniversary

Entrol's Tomás Ladrón de Guevara said the firm aimed to provide pilots and operators with better training tools.

Entrol, the helicopter flight simulator business that began in a Spanish garage 20 years ago, has grown to produce 160 simulators operating across five continents.

But it’s not just the growth of the business founded near Madrid by the two brothers, Luis and Pedro Olarte, that is worth celebrating, according to the company. Luis Olarte, CEO of Entrol said: “Our greatest pride isn’t just growth but leading the industry with unique milestones. We aren’t following trends; we are creating them, and that has become entrol’s DNA.”

For evidence,  Luis Olarte cited manufacturing the world’s first flight training device for the SkyCrane, which he said demonstrated the company’s ability to solve the most complex simulation challenges.

Another example of rotary simulator innovation was said to be pioneering the certification of simulators with LED visual technology (enwall), setting a new standard for realism and reliability.

The culmination of two decades of experience and development was “making a consolidated entry into the Full Flight Simulators [FFS] market”, he said.

Full flight simulators

Tomás Ladrón de Guevara, chief technology officer at Entrol added that it had taken significant dedication to move from designing and making flight and navigation procedures trainers (FNPTs) to full flight simulators. “We could highlight the development of the vibration and motion platform, the improvement of our Control Loading System and the process of obtaining data from real aircraft as major steps that have allowed us to get where we are today,” he said.

Of the flight simulation technologies pioneered by the company – including mixed reality, LED visual systems and new FFS lines, it is Enwall LED that is making the biggest contribution, said de Guevara. This system uses high-resolution LED panels, instead of projectors, to create a distortion-free and realistic experience with superior image quality, contrast, and a wider field of view, according to the manufacturer. The modular design is said to enable customisation, and a reinforced LED floor can be added for general helicopter operations and other specialised training, such as search and rescue (SAR) and firefighting. 

“Without a doubt, the Enwall LED opens the door to a new generation of display technology that will transform the industry. This new standard improves immersion and training, and it facilitates the maintenance of the devices. Customers have welcomed it in a magnificent way,” he said.

In-flight emergencies

“The FFS line will provide solutions for operators all over the world. It will mean new devices, closer to the customer, customized with the operator’s configuration, and updated with the latest avionics version. In them, it will be possible to train and check all flight manoeuvres. We hope it will facilitate an increase in the number of available pilots and better preparation for in-flight emergencies.”

Looking ahead to the company’s next 20 years, de Guevara highlighted aviation’s role in international cooperation and in the response to emergencies and disasters. “At Entrol, we want crews to be ready when they go out to fly, for more pilots to be able to train and be prepared for emergency situations. Our commitment is to work to help operators and pilots in their training, providing them with better tools,” he said.