Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, has signed a contract with CAE of Montreal for the purchase and installation of a CAE 7000 Series Boeing 777-300ER full-flight simulator (FFS) to support the airline’s flight training requirements for its fleet of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
The deal, including buyer-furnished data and equipment, is valued at more than US$14 million (C$15 million).
The simulator will be installed in Emirates’ new Crew Training Centre in May 2008, which will also house two other new CAE full-flight simulators dedicated to Airbus A380 aircraft training. The airline currently has a total of six FFSs for its Airbus and Boeing fleet.
HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman & Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, said: “I am pleased to announce the purchase of the 777 simulator which will enable us to offer our flight crew the most advanced simulator training equipment as we continue to expand our fleet of 777 aircraft.”
Emirates currently operates 26 777-300ER aircraft, mainly on long-haul routes. At full passenger and cargo capacity, the aircraft can fly up to 5,300 nautical miles (9,815 kilometres), or easily non-stop between Dubai and New York.
The airline has 33 more 777-300ERs on order, plus 47 Airbus A380 double-decker aircraft, the first of which will be delivered in August 2008.
“Emirates is a long-time CAE customer and we’re pleased the company continues to place its trust and confidence in CAE as its provider of the highest- quality simulation equipment to support pilot training programmes for the Emirates Group,” said Marc Parent, CAE’s Group President, Simulation Products and Military Training & Services.
The Emirates Group comprises Emirates Airline, Dnata, the largest travel services provider in the Middle East, and a number of other commercial companies. Emirates is the world’s third most profitable airline and among the 20 largest. It is based in Dubai, one of the few cities in the world that pursues an open-skies policy, with more than one hundred airlines in free and fair competition.
The airline has experienced rapid and consistent growth, above 20 per cent a year on average and has been profitable for the last 19 consecutive years. Financially self-sustained and unprotected, Emirates carried 17.5 million passengers in the 2006-07 financial year – three million more than the year before – and declared a record net profit of Dhs3.5 billion (US$942 million). Total group revenue increased by an impressive 28.8 per cent, to Dhs31.3 billion (US$8.5 million) compared to Dhs24.2 billion (US$6.6 billion) the previous year.
Its 103 all wide-bodied fleet includes nine freighters and is among the youngest in the skies, with an average age of 63 months. The airline plans to more than double its size by 2012. Visit visit :www.ekgroup.com/mediacentre
CAE is a world leader in providing simulation and modelling technologies, and integrated training services to the civil aviation industry and defence forces around the globe. We design, manufacture and supply simulation equipment and offer training and services. This includes integrated modelling, simulation and training solutions for commercial airlines, business aircraft operators, aircraft manufacturers and military organizations and a global network of training centres for pilots, and in some instances, cabin crew and maintenance workers.
With annual revenues of over C$1 billion, CAE operates in 19 countries around the world. CAE has sold nearly 700 simulators and training devices to airlines, aircraft manufacturers, training centres and defence forces for air and ground purposes in more than 40 countries. We have over 100 full-flight simulators in more than 20 aviation training centres, serving approximately 3,500 airlines, aircraft operators and manufacturers across the globe. CAE licenses its simulation software to various market segments and has a professional services division assisting customers with a wide range of simulation-based needs. Visit www.cae.com
