Emirates has opened a new flight crew training centre in Dubai, adding six full flight simulator bays and boosting its pilot training capacity by more than half.
The purpose-built facility spans over 63,000 square feet and is located near other Emirates training sites, creating what the airline says is a “strong, vibrant aviation hub.”
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, called the centre “a gamechanger” for the industry.
“Our new Emirates Crew Training Centre is a gamechanger and has a significant role to play, both in the industry’s ecosystem and Dubai’s emergence as a global aviation hub. Every dirham of our AED 500 million investment is already delivering value.
“The centre sets new firsts and serves as best-in-class in aviation training, shaping our programmes and preparation for our future fleet. Above all, our pilots and instructors have shared stellar feedback on the new facility and that is immensely rewarding,” he said.
The centre currently has two Airbus A350 full flight simulators, with four more – including Boeing 777X simulators – arriving over the next two years. Each simulator can deliver around 7,500 hours of training annually, serving up to 1,000 pilots.
When fully operational, Emirates will have 17 simulators across its facilities, including 11 dedicated to A380 and 777 training, providing up to 130,000 hours of training a year – a 54% increase.
The simulators are paired with a new in-house Pilot Support Station (PSS), allowing pilots to configure their flight deck and even build flight plans before their training sessions. All sessions are recorded so instructors can replay and review specific moments to improve performance.
The centre also features advanced 3D printing capabilities to create complex components for training equipment, a move expected to save up to AED 1 million annually.
Emirates’ first A350 simulator has been awarded a level D qualification – the highest rating – by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It is also the first simulator globally to meet the latest Airbus A350 Standard 1.3 requirements and was qualified with zero findings.
Alongside the simulators, the new building includes four classrooms for recurrent, conversion and command training.
Emirates is also actively recruiting pilots for its Direct Entry Captain, Accelerated Command, and First Officer programmes as it continues to expand its fleet.
