CAE is to train Airbus A340-600 and Boeing 747-400 pilots for Virgin Atlantic Airways under a 10-year agreement that includes an option to provide training for the UK carrier’s planned fleet of A380s.
The Canadian company will relocate existing A340-600 and 747-400 simulators to its Burgess Hill, UK training centre for the contract, which is initially valued at £20 million ($36.2 million), rising to £43 million if all options including A380 training are exercised.
The Burgess Hill facility already houses two A320 simulators used for EasyJet pilot training. The A340-600 simulator, which was originally built by Reflectone, has been in storage in Tampa, Florida, since CAE acquired the US manufacturer from BAE Systems in 2001.
The 747-400 simulator is now in CAE’s Toronto centre, where it is being used to train pilots for Air Canada, which is phasing out the Boeing airliner.
In another deal, CAE’s joint venture with China Southern Airlines, Zuhai Flight Training Centre, has ordered a Boeing 737-800 full-flight simulator from the Canadian manufacturer.
The simulator will be the centre’s 10th, making it the largest independent training facility in China, says CAE, which owns 49% of the venture.
Swiss Aviation Training, meanwhile, has installed the first Embraer 170 simulator in Europe, also built by CAE, in its Zurich centre.
Joint venture partner GE Commercial Finance Aviation Training has an Embraer 170 simulator on order from CAE for installation in London in mid-2006.
GRAHAM WARWICK/WASHINGTON
Source: Flight International
