Training providers can play a major role in helping their customers keep costs in check, believes Jeff Roberts, group president for innovation and civil training and services at CAE.
“The price of oil is a very dark cloud on the horizon,” he says. “We feel it through the pressure it’s exerting on our customers, and we think we can help by lowering their overall operational costs.”
Roberts believes the Montreal-based training and simulation provider can ease the pressure on its customers’ budgets by relieving them of the need to invest in training infrastructure, by placing centres closer to them so they more productivity out of their crews, and by using technology and automation to obtain more training value for the Dollar.
An example of the CAE philosophy of going where the customers are is its centre at Burgess Hill near London’s Gatwick Airport. Opened less than two years ago, it has expanded from an initial two simulators to a current total of 12, with three more on order. “Burgess Hill has been exceptionally well received, reflecting the fact that Europe is now the fastest-growing region for business aviation in the world,” says Roberts.
The UK location currently offers training on the Bombardier Global Express and Dassault Falcon 900EX EASy, 2000EX EASy and 7X, with the Embraer Phenom to be added in the first quarter of next year. It’s also the prime candidate to receive facilities for the Lear 40/40XR and 45/45XR and Challenger 300 in autumn 2009. “Make no mistake,” says Roberts, “after North America Europe is the most significant region for us.”
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Source: Flight Daily News
