Sri Lankan installs flight simulator

Shirajiv SIRIMANE

For the first time SriLankan Airlines will use a flight simulator operation at Katunayake. The simulator will be used for pilot training.

Flight simulation is used for a variety of reasons, including flight training (mainly of pilots), for the design and development of the aircraft itself, and for research into aircraft characteristics and control handling qualities.

An official of the airline said that the simulator is currently being installed and it would be ready by October 20. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to be the chief guest at the event.

In addition to training Sri Lankan pilots, the airline also hopes to open the facility for the private sector and for foreign pilots in a bid to generate income.

Flight simulations have varying degrees of hardware, modelling detail and realism that depend on their purpose.