CAE ELECTRONICS expects commercial flight-simulator sales to increase slightly in 1995, but the Canadian simulator manufacturer admits that it will be a challenge to maintain the 75% market share it achieved in 1994.
Vice-president for sales and marketing, Andy Morris, says that CAE won 12 of the 16 simulator competitions in 1994. Rival Thomson Training and Simulation (TTS) sold three simulators in 1994, the Canadian company estimates.
Morris says that CAE also secured 75% of the visual-system market in 1994 and sold 82% of the flight-training devices (FTDs) ordered during the year.
The year ended with an order from Cityline Simulation and Training (CST) Berlin for a Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet simulator and MaxVue visual, and 1995 began with an order from Japan Air System for a Boeing 777 simulator, MaxVue visual and Level 5 FTD.
The CST order includes a second MaxVue to upgrade a CAE-built Regional Jet simulator bought in 1991. CST is a joint venture between Lufthansa Cityline, Canadair and CAE. In 1994, Bombardier ordered a second Regional Jet simulator for its Montreal centre, along with an additional MaxVue to upgrade its existing CAE-built simulator.
Morris expects TTS to "...come back fiercely" in 1995, following its acquisition of Hughes Rediffusion Simulation in 1994. He believes that the market, which peaked in 1989 with 55 simulator sales, "...is at the bottom of the curve". Some airlines have moved back into profit, he notes, and the Asia-Pacific market, which accounted for the bulk of recent sales, "...continues to do well", he adds.
Reflectone has been awarded a $6 million contract from British Aerospace to supply a RJ Avroliner regional-jet full-flight simulator to Avro International Aerospace, based at Woodford in the UK.
Source: Flight International
