Another SriLankan first:

Full Flight Simulator Centre

Airline pilot training in South Asia entered a new dimension with SriLankan Airlines and SIM Industries of the Netherlands teaming up to set up a state-of-the-art Full-Flight Simulator centre in Sri Lanka to serve the region.

The ten-year agreement, which will see the commissioning of an Airbus A320 Flight Simulator on SriLankan Airlines premises early next year, was signed at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on May 31 by SriLankan Airlines CEO Manoj Gunawardena and SIM Industries CEO Frank Uit den Bogaard.

Netherlands Ambassador to Sri Lanka Leoni Cuelenaere was present.

SriLankan Airlines CEO Manoj Gunawardena said SriLankan Airlines is closely supporting the Governments strategy to transform Sri Lanka into a hub for knowledge and a hub for Aviation in South Asia.

The launch of this full-flight simulator in partnership with globally reputed SIM Industries will definitely take us a long way towards these goals, he said.

SriLankan Airlines has a strong reputation as a nursery for the airline industry, and Asia’s airlines have hundreds of pilots, cabin crew, aircraft engineers and airport staff who first learned their trade at SriLankan.

Airlines in India, Oman, Pakistan and the Maldives often send their staff for training by Sri Lanka’s National Carrier.

SIM Industries CEO Frank Uit den Bogaard said, SIM Industries is delighted to partner SriLankan Airlines in this long-term venture.

“We have been looking at opportunities in South Asia for sometime, and there is no doubt that Colombo is an excellent strategic location to serve the regions airlines.

We will provide a sophisticated flight simulator that will reduce training costs for airlines in South Asia, and even neighbouring regions such as the Middle East and Far East,” he said.

SIM Industries BV is a manufacturer and operator of flight simulators with a global reputation for full flight simulators that have the most advanced components from aircraft manufacturers. SIM Industries simulators deliver unsurpassed realism, user friendliness, safety, reliability and performance.

Up to now, trainee pilots in airlines across South Asia have been obliged to travel to Hong Kong, Singapore, or Dubai for flight simulator training, which is an integral part of flying training.

Apart from the cost of hiring simulator time, airlines also incur many additional costs such as hotel accommodation and sending trainee pilots to the Middle East or Far East.

As with all of SIM Industries simulators the one at BIA will be certified to Level D standard, the highest level of sophistication which makes it identical to that of an aircraft. Both SriLankan and SIM Industries will market the simulator among the regions aviation industry.