Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC
BAE Systems is to provide Airbus Industrie with a range of training equipment for the A330/A340 airliner family. The deal includes the first full-flight simulator for the A340-500/600 now under development.
Tampa, Florida-based BAE Systems Flight Simulation and Training (formerly Reflectone) will deliver the A340-500/600 simulator to Airbus' Toulouse training centre in March 2002. The contract includes a firm order for either an A330/A340 convertible simulator or another A340-500/600 for Airbus' Miami training centre, plus an option for a second A330/A340 convertible simulator for Toulouse.
"This represents the fulfilment of a strategy to focus the civil side of the company's business on Airbus," says BAE systems' president John Pitts. The company has produced four A320 simulators for Airbus, with a fifth in production. "We will sell direct to Airbus. We have no plans to go out to head-to-head competition [for airline orders] with other simulator manufacturers," he says.
Pitt expects BAE to be involved with Airbus in expanding its training capabilities beyond its two centres. He points out that an A320 simulator inMiami and another in Singapore are owned by BAE.
Meanwhile, the company has teamed with Aerospatiale Matra Airbus to developA330/A340 training devices. This may expand to include the A320. The French company will make flight training devices (FTDs) and supply cockpits for BAE's full-flight simulators.
Under BAE's Airbus contract, Aerospatiale Matra Airbus will supply a Level 5 FTD, two maintenance training devices, three flight-management system trainers and an electronic centralised aircraft monitor trainer. The contract includes options for additional training devices.
Source: Flight International
