Portuguese flag-carrier TAP is to expand its training facility at Cascais in west Lisbon, to accommodate additional simulators and other equipment.
The Cascais facility – located at the district’s municipal aerodrome – complements TAP’s primary training centre at the main Lisbon airport.
Under an agreement with the local authority, the facility will undergo a two-phase expansion.
It has two simulators – for the Airbus A330 and A320 – and initially a third, also for the A320, will be introduced.
But the second phase of the development will bring in another four simulators, giving the facility seven in total.
TAP says these simulators will be installed “depending on partnerships with third parties”.
“Our training ecosystem here in Portugal has the opportunity to create a new centre of excellence, instead of paying for expensive services abroad,” says TAP president Luis Rodrigues.
Training space will be created for cabin crew and aircraft technicians.
Facilities will also be available for TAP’s maintenance division for such activities as engine servicing. Portugalia’s Embraer E-Jet fleet is set to benefit from the measures.
“Both the areas of training and maintenance and engineering are of great added value, so it makes sense for us to do this In Portugal as we value our people,” adds Rodrigues.
He says the local Cascais authorities “perfectly understood” the airline’s ambitions, and have supported its aims through a partnership committed to establishing a “world-class” centre of aviation excellence.
