Aircraft

Airbus will start to train its first simulator flight-training instructors (FTI) and type-rating instructors (TRI) for the A380 this week, as its training department gears up to begin conversion of the first customer pilots on to the ultra-large aircraft.

The manufacturer has taken delivery of two CAE-built A380 full-flight simulators, which are located at its training centre in Toulouse. They are progressively being brought up to full production specification to enable them to receive interim Level C approval around the time of the A380’s type certification in October, says Capt Xavier Lesceu, Airbus’s director flightcrew training policy – new products.

“Level C approval will clear the simulators for zero flight-time training, except for ab initio pilots,” he says.

The simulators’ specification and software status is now equivalent to real aircraft at the time of its first flight in April 2005. Lesceu says that Airbus is passing data to the two A380 simulator manufacturers, CAE and Thales, to enable them to be brought progressively up to the latest standard.

“By the beginning of April, the simulators will be the same as the real aircraft was in January, and in June they will be brought up to the April [2006] specification,” he says, adding that this upgrade will enable interim Level B approval to be received.

Lesceu says that Airbus will start training instructors this week and by July should have 18 simulator FTIs and six TRIs “when we will begin to train the first customer pilots”. Lesceu says that all initial customer training will be carried out by Airbus in Toulouse. He adds that full Level D approval is due in November next year.

According to Thales, A380 launch operator Singapore Airlines’ simulator is due to be up and running at the airline’s base by November/December with Level C approval, and Level D will be awarded a year later.

MAX KINGSLEY-JONES / TOULOUSE