GE Capital Aviation Training (GECAT) is making an aggressive push into the fast-growing Chinese market, with the signing of its second co-operation deal this year.
The company's latest agreement is with Shandong Airlines, under which the two will jointly market training time on a Boeing 737-300 simulator.
Under the terms of a letter of intent signed with Shandong Airlines' training arm, Shandong International Aviation Training (SDIATC), GECAT will relocate a 737-300 simulator from its London Gatwick Training Centre to Shandong's new training centre in Qingdao.
It should be ready for use from October. "SDIATC and GECAT will jointly market the simulator training to customers in the region," GECAT says.
It comes months after GECAT's Hong Kong unit announced an agreement with a China Eastern Airlines subsidiary, under which they will jointly market flight training capabilities.
That agreement with Shanghai Eastern Flight Training (SEFTC) has been drafted to cover joint marketing of simulator and other training capabilities at the companies' respective Hong Kong and Shanghai facilities. SEFTC provides training on Airbus A300-600R, Airbus A320 and Boeing MD-82 simulators.
GECAT's Hong Kong operation is based at Cathay Pacific Airways' training centre at Hong Kong International Airport. GECAT leases four simulator bays and offers training on A320, Airbus A330 and 737-700/800 simulators.
It also markets spare time on Cathay's Boeing 777, Boeing747-200, 747-400 and Airbus A330/A340 simulators.
In just two years it has signed a total of 20 airline customers for training in Hong Kong, from Australia, China, the Seychelles, Taiwan and Thailand.
Source: Flight International
