Emirates has on September 16 announced the opening of a new state-of-the-art flight crew training centre in Dubai.
Built at a cost of USD135 million (AED 500 million), the purpose-built facility spans 63,318 square feet and houses six full-flight simulator bays.
The facility initially used to train pilots for Emirates’ incoming fleet of Airbus A350s and Boeing 777Xs, expanding the airline’s annual pilot training capacity by 54% to 130,000 hours.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, hailed the new centre as a “gamechanger” for the aviation industry.
The facility plays a significant role in shaping the future of our fleet and contributes to Dubai’s growth as a global hub. Every dirham of our AED 500 million investment is already delivering value.
~ His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline
The Emirates Crew Training Centre is equipped with cutting-edge technology, including the in-house developed Pilot Support Station (PSS), which allows pilots to configure flight decks and build flight plans in an immersive environment before stepping into the simulator. Training sessions are fully recorded, enabling instructors to review and replay scenarios for improved learning outcomes.
Emirates has already begun training pilots on two Airbus A350 full-flight simulators, both of which received the highest European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) qualification. Four additional simulators, including those for the Boeing 777X, are expected to be added in the coming years. Each simulator can deliver up to 7,500 hours of training annually for around 1,000 pilots.
In addition to simulators, the facility includes four classrooms for recurrent, conversion, and command training. It also incorporates advanced 3D printing capabilities that allow the airline to manufacture complex parts for training equipment, generating savings of up to AED 1 million annually.
The new centre joins a suite of Emirates training facilities in Dubai, including the Emirates Flight Training Academy, Emirates Aviation University, the Emirates Cabin Crew Training Centre, and the Emirates Aviation College, which collectively support thousands of aviation professionals worldwide.
Emirates is currently (at the time of writing this article)recruiting pilots through its Direct Entry Captain, Accelerated Command, and First Officer programmes, as the airline continues its fleet and route expansion.
