Fiji Airways has made a significant enhancement to its Aviation Academy by officially commissioning two new CAE 7000XR full flight simulators. These simulators are designed for the Airbus A350 and ATR-72 aircraft, alongside two additional CAE 500XR Fixed Training Devices (FTDs) for the Airbus A330 and Boeing 737-Max 8.
The installation and certification of these advanced simulators by EASA and CAAF represent a major achievement for the Academy, which aims to provide world-class training for pilots and engineers. Since its establishment in December 2019, the Fiji Airways Aviation Academy has focused on nurturing local talent and offering extensive training solutions across various areas, including piloting, cabin crew, engineering, and safety training.
By providing cutting-edge training technology within Fiji, the Academy enhances the ability to support local aviation professionals while minimizing the need for overseas training, allowing pilots and engineers to remain close to their families. The recent additions of full-flight simulators and FTDs further strengthen Fiji Airways’ status as a premier aviation training institution in the Pacific region.
The new A350 and ATR full flight simulators promise to deliver a highly realistic training experience using the latest technology to replicate real-world flying conditions. Fiji Airways CEO and Managing Director, Andre Viljoen, emphasized that the addition of these simulators marks a significant advancement for the Academy, showcasing their commitment to high training standards and safety for pilots and engineers, while establishing Fiji as a leader in aviation training.
The Academy has reached numerous milestones since its opening, including upholding the skills of the national technical crew during the COVID-19 pandemic, facilitating the progression of 34 national pilots, and supporting 74 foreign license conversions. Plans for future development include an investment in four additional pilot training devices, which will double the current synthetic training capacity, totaling approximately FJ$160 million.
With the Academy now equipped with four full flight simulators and four FTDs, all set for training, Fiji Airways is dedicated to investing further to ensure that the Academy remains a leading center for commercial aviation training in the Pacific. The goal is to expand the Academy’s reach to cater to external airlines, creating new revenue opportunities for the airline by servicing the global airline training market.