Emirates to build $135m advanced training facility in Dubai

Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, has said that it will invest US$135 million to build an advanced training facility to accommodate six Full Flight Simulator Bays (FFS) for its future Airbus A350 and Boeing 777X aircraft.

In a statement, the airline said that the brand new, 63,318 square foot facility is slated to open by March 2024. It will be adjacent to the existing Emirates Training Facilities in Dubai, allowing for better integration and close proximity to all other pilot training centres.

Pilot trainees will also benefit from being able to set-up and configure the cockpit environment using bespoke devices as part of the pilot training module and upload the data to the Full Flight Simulator (FFS) prior to commencing their training session.

This first-of-its-kind concept is designed to shorten the trainee’s preparatory time inside the simulator, help them maintain focus and take full advantage of the training duration, the statement continued.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive Emirates Airline and Group, said: “This US$ 135 million investment to build a new pilot training centre will ensure Emirates' readiness to commence its pilot training ahead of the delivery of its new aircraft fleet starting from 2024.

“The building will be equipped with the latest, technologically advanced simulators to provide the best training for pilots, while using solar power to reduce energy consumption,” he added, pointing out that with the addition of this new facility to Emirates’ existing training colleges in Dubai, the airline will have the potential to expand its pilot training capacity by 54% per year. 

Increased Flexibility and Facilities

Across the airline’s training buildings, Emirates' pilots will have increased flexibility and facilities to hone their flying skills with 17 full flight simulator bays offering a capacity of more than 130,000 training hours a year, the statement continued.

In line with the scheduled delivery of Emirates’ first Airbus A350 aircraft, the airline’s newest training college will commence training its first batch of A350 pilots by June 2024.

In addition to modern training facilities for its flight deck crew, the airline offers a range of world-class training and development programmes for its workforce and for other aviation professionals. In Dubai, these include: the Emirates Flight Training Academy for cadets, Emirates Aviation University, Emirates Cabin Crew Training Centre, and numerous programmes specially created for different segments of its employees.