Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC
CAE Electronics' domination of the commercial flight simulation market increased in the first half of the year. The Canadian company is claiming an 86% market share, with 18 of the 21 simulator sales so far, up from 76% for all of last year.
Although demand for commercial simulators continues to be strong, the limited potential for further growth in market share is adding impetus to the Montreal-based company's efforts to expand its business beyond the supply of training devices.
With a target of doubling earnings in three years, CAE has already announced plans to establish commercial pilot training centres worldwide, beginning next year with a facility in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Additional ventures are expected by year-end, the company says.
CAE has also launched a simulation-based distance learning initiative. This will provide flight and maintenance training at remote locations, in a web-based environment, using the same simulation software as its full-flight simulators.
CAE also continues to invest heavily in its simulation product line. The company has unveiled plans for a "radically new" flight simulator, Ultra Sim, aimed at the regional and business jet market. A prototype low-cost, PC-based visual system is also on the way.
The company claims 76% of the visuals market, and sales this year include the first orders for its latest MaxVue Infiniti visual. The half-year order book includes:
American Airlines - Boeing 757-200 and Bombardier CRJ700; Asiana - Airbus A320 with MaxVue Plus; Crossair - Embraer ERJ-145 with MaxVue Plus; FlightSafetyBoeing - Boeing 717; Lufthansa - Airbus A340-600; Pan Am International Flight Academy - A320, CRJ200 and ERJ-145, all with MaxVue Plus; Ryanair - 737-800 with MaxVue; SAS - A340-300 with MaxVue Plus; Schreiner Aviation Training - A320, ATR 42/72 and Fairchild Dornier 328JET, all with MaxVue Plus; SimuFlite - Raytheon Hawker 800/800XP and Sikorsky S-76C+, both with MaxVue Infiniti; Swissair - A340-600 with MaxVue Plus; WestJet - 737-800 with MaxVue Plus.In addition, Embraer has ordered an ERJ-170/190 engineering development simulator.
CAE has also sold an A320 ground maintenance simulator to British Airways and two MaxVue visuals to BAE Systems for use on simulators sold to Airbus Industrie.
Source: Flight International
