Simaero,French firm focused on aircraft simulator training, is pumping $100 million into a new pilot training center in Gurugram,India. Plan is to roll out eight full-flight simulators over next few years,starting with Airbus A320.
CEO Nicolas Moute mentioned that they aim to boost simulator numbers by four to six units in five years,depending on what regional airlines need. Moute called India key strategic hub for South Asia,saying, “Our strategy is to have regional hubs. We have [simulator training centres in] Europe,Africa,China. India was very early on identified as a very significant regional hub for South Asia.”
Simaero operates in 80 countries with a network of 33 simulators worldwide . In India,clients include cargo airline Bluedart Aviation and regional carrier Star Air. They're eyeing two more cities beyond the national capital region for expansion.
Besides pilot training,Simaero offers simulator upgrades and maintenance. Company also runs “train-the-trainer” programs to help clients certify their own instructors. Moute highlighted localization,saying, “We want to develop India as a Centre For Excellence where pilot training is one vertical,but we also have simulator engineering which provides upgrading and relocating of simulators. We want to develop this technological knowledge here through technology transfer.”
