Boeing subsidiary Alteon Training is to locate 787 simulators at its Seattle and London Gatwick centres, and a site to be determined in China, as it rolls out its unique points-based system for customer training on the new widebody, writes Graham Warwick.
The company, which has already announced that it is to establish a simulator centre to be set up jointly in Tokyo with 787 launch customer All Nippon Airways, plans to have six training locations ready before delivery of the first aircraft, due in 2008.
Instead of receiving traditional entitlement training in Seattle, buyers of the 787 will be given points that they can redeem against any mix of flight and maintenance courses at any of Alteon’s 787 training locations. This will reduce training-related crew downtime and travel costs, says Alteon.
Modelled after airline frequent-flyer programmes, with points awarded based on the number of aircraft purchased, the training scheme is designed to provide customers with flexibility in the mix and location of training provided as part of the 787 purchase price, says Dawn Chane, Alteon director, sales and business development.
A Thales-supplied pilot and maintenance training suite including Level D full-flight simulator, flight training device and classroom equipment will be installed at Alteon’s Seattle centre, near the 787 final assembly line in Renton; at the London Gatwick centre opened last year; and at ANA’s training centre at Tokyo’s Haneda airport.
Alteon already has a simulator base in China, at Kunming, but has yet to determine where to locate its 787 training centre because the aircraft has been ordered by four different Chinese airlines.
Source: Flight International
