Middle Eastern carrier Emirates is in the process of securing approval for three Airbus A350 simulators being installed ahead of its taking delivery of the twinjet type.
The Dubai-based airline says it is investing some $48 million in training systems for pilots and cabin crew.
Emirates has 65 A350-900s on order, the first of which is due to be introduced this year, and it has plans for 1,000 pilots to be type-rated on the jets.
Nearly 30 pilots have been trained on A350s and, by the end of November, Emirates aims to have over 50 ready for A350 service entry.
Its full-flight simulators will be integrated with pilot support systems. “During the briefing phase [the support system] allows trainees to carry out an interactive flightdeck set-up – including building a flightplan – in a fully-immersive environment,” says the airline.
This set-up is recalled when trainees resume their simulator training, while the support system also allow instructors to review crew performance through playback sessions.
“Spearheading innovation is at the core of Emirates’ DNA,” says Emirates senior vice-president for flight training Capt Bader Al Marzooqi.
Emirates is planning to open an advanced pilot-training facility later this year, which will have room for six full-flight simulators for A350s as well as the Boeing 777X.
The training suites also feature a fixed-based device, as well as cabin emergency evacuation and door trainers.
Emirates says it has obtained European Union Aviation Safety Agency qualification for its first simulator – with “zero findings”, it adds – and is expecting approval of a second, currently undergoing on-site acceptance, in November.
The airline has also trained over 800 cabin crew in preparation for A350 service.
As part of its A350 pilot-training strategy the carrier has jointly developed, with IATA and Airbus, a cockpit crew programme which concentrates on competency-based training.
Emirates says the “tailored” programme will incorporate IATA principles and documentation as well as Airbus’s A350 training experience.
