CAE and InterGlobe to launch pilot and maintenance technician training center

Neelam Mathews

June 26, 2011

CAE Flight Training (India) and InterGlobe Enterprises are forming a joint venture training center to provide pilot and maintenance training solutions for the Indian aviation market.

The center, expected to be ready for operation by the end of 2012, will be located in the National Capital Region, Delhi. It is CAEs fifth aviation training facility in India.

AirAsia has also signed with CAE, a joint venture agreement to set up an aviation training center, called the Asian Aviation Academy to be located at what is now the AirAsia Academy, a short distance from the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang, Selangor in Malaysia. 

 “Our goal is to make the center a prominent ‘aviation university’ and to make it the largest training center in Asia, said Tony Fernandes Group CEO of AirAsia. “By training personnel from other airlines, it will allow us to convert our training program into a profit generator, in line with our aim to boost revenue via ancillary channels, which in turn helps to offset rising fuel prices and keep our fares low,” he added.

 AirAsia’s training center will start operations with six CAE-built full-flight simulators currently located at the AirAsia Academy. These include four full-flight simulators for the Airbus 320, one for the A330/A340 and one for the Boeing 737 Classic.

CAE already trains more than 1,500 crew members every year at its training center in Bengaluru. It also operates with partner Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) a helicopter training center in Bengaluru equipped with advanced, full-fidelity helicopter simulators. While, in partnership with the Government of India, CAE operates ab initio flight schools in Gondia and Rae Bareli.

"This partnership will provide state-of-the-art infrastructure in India for training airline personnel in one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world," said Rahul Bhatia, Group Managing Director, InterGlobe Enterprises.

"India is estimated to need more than 7,000 new commercial pilots over the next seven years and our training center will help support this growth," said Jeff Roberts, CAE Group President, Civil Simulation Products, Training and Services.

The focus of the new Delhi training center will be to provide "wet" and "dry" type-rating, recurrent, conversion and jet indoctrination training for commercial aircraft pilots. Programs will also be offered for maintenance technicians. The training center will initially house four new CAE-built Level D full-flight simulators covering Airbus and Boeing aircraft types being operated in India and complementing CAE capabilities at its Bengaluru training centre.

The Delhi training center will be capable of expansion to eight simulator bays. Advanced training technology will be used such as CAE Simfinity(TM) multimedia classrooms, computer-based training and brief/debrief facilities.