Two years ago Canadian simulation and training specialist CAE (E607) delivered a Movable Visual System (MVS) that helped Airbus perfect the human-factors aspects of the A380 flightdeck.
If newly appointed simulation products group president Marc Parent has his way, CAE equipment and software will eventually support the design process right from the start.
“The tools we use to create our simulations can also be used to design and develop the airframe itself,” he says. “We’re now telling airframers that we can support their development efforts from the word go, simulating subsystems in software and testing integrations long before there is any need to commit expensive hardware.
“I believe this approach would reduce risk and shorten development times.”
The concept is part of a total-lifecycle view of the CAE business that former Bombardier senior executive Parent has been developing since he joined CAE in February.
“I’ve moved from building aircraft to building aircraft without wings,” he says. But his intent for CAE’s simulator operation is very serious.
“I want to take this gem of a company, with its excellent people and range of products, and raise it up to the next level. That will mean maintaining our technology lead, taking our military expertise and applying it on the civil side, and developing new products, with the ultimate aim of bringing value to the whole cycle, from airframe development through crew training to the maintenance of aircraft throughout their lives.”
The organisation’s processes are also coming under scrutiny, in a relentless drive to reduce costs and enhance the quality and value of CAE’s product offering in the eyes of its customers. “The aircraft industry needs lower cost of training – we believe we are uniquely positioned to deliver this need, while maintaining and enhancing the quality and fidelity of simulation that customers have come to expect from CAE.”
Lowering costs at CAE means taking the waste out of operations at every level, says Parent.
One example of this is controlling change to focus on what adds value to the customer. “We will create a core product along with a list of options, and resist the temptation to tinker. That should result in reduced product life cycle costs and shorter delivery times – when an airframer can deliver within nine months, an 18-month delivery cycle for a simulator is unacceptable.”
Parent has already seen another change, to a more strategic approach to procurement, pay off spectacularly.
“We’ve been looking to exploit relationships across our various sites around the world. We appointed a vice-president of global strategic sourcing and we’re already seeing a substantial reduction in the cost of certain goods and services.”
Here at the Dubai air show, Parent and his team can draw encouragement from two of the highest-profile projects on view.
CAE is in the process of supplying a total of five A380 simulators – two for Airbus, two for Emirates and one for Qantas – in addition to a visual and motion system platform (RORO) to be used by the Toulouse manufacturer to enhance the A400M flightdeck well ahead of first flight.
“We’re bidding for business from all the other A380 operators and have high hopes of success,” Parent says.
The A380 system is exceptional in the high number of malfunctions – more than 400 – that it can throw at crews under training. “We believe that’s more than has been attempted in any other system.”
The company is currently building a pair of Falcon 7X systems to support Dassault. “The 7X is the world’s first fly-by-wire business jet,” Parent points out. “It takes special expertise to model FBW responses accurately, and we have a wealth of that from our work on earlier Airbus products and the Boeing 777.”
BRENDAN GALLAGHER
Source: Flight Daily News
