A330-200/A340-600 Sim Is First Of Its Kind

CAE has been awarded a contract to provide China Eastern Airlines with an Airbus A330-200/A340-600 convertible full-flight simulator featuring a new-generation CAE Tropos visual system. As part of the contract, CAE will also provide a range of CAE Simfinity classroom training products and a second CAE Tropos visual system to upgrade an existing simulator owned by China Eastern.

The CAE-built A330-200/A340-600 is the world's first convertible simulator of this kind, allowing pilots to be trained on the two types of aircraft within the same device. At list price, the contract is valued at approximately C$23 million, with the simulator slated for delivery in early 2006.

This contract represents the fourth CAE-built full-flight simulator as well as the fourth CAE Tropos visual system to be sold to China Eastern Airlines. CAE Tropos visual systems provide pilots with impressive visual cues through the application of extensive satellite imagery, enhanced weather, advanced real-time lighting and shading effects.

As a complement to the CAE Simfinity equipment provided to the airlines in July 2004 for its Boeing 737NG training, CAE will also provide China Eastern with a CAE Simfinity Integrated Procedures Trainer (IPT), six CAE Simfinity Virtual Simulators (VSIMs), and a CAE Simfinity Brief/Debrief Station (DBS) for the Airbus A330-200 and A340-600 aircraft. CAE Simfinity products share the same core software as CAE's full-flight simulators. All of these will ensure that the training curriculum that pilots follow is more operationally focussed by familiarizing them with the cockpit environment early in the training process.

"CAE has been supplying airlines within Asia Pacific with full-flight simulators and other training technology for more than 20 years," said Nick Leontidis, CAE's executive vice-president, customers, civil simulation and training. "This contract is further proof of CAE's demonstrated leadership in the region."

This is CAE's seventh full-flight simulator sale so far this fiscal year. During the last three years, CAE has been successful in capturing more than 70 per cent of the competed full-flight simulator orders in Asia Pacific, and more than 65 per cent of the visual system orders.

FMI: www.caesimuflite.com