Emirates airline and Canada's CAE announced Monday, November 5 the launch of a $100 million Gulfstream business jet flight training center in Dubai that will be operational by early 2003.
"The introduction of business jet training reaffirms Emirates' commitment to the continued development of aviation training in the region," said Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Said Al-Maktoum.
"We are confident that the new facility will be the center of excellence for business jet training not only in the Middle East but further a field in Asia and the Far East," Sheikh Ahmed told reporters.
The state-of-the-art center, which will initially house five full flight simulators with provision for seven more, will be "the first outside the United States to offer Gulfstream training," said CAE executive vice president Bob van Balen.
"This region has a huge concentration of business jets, with an average of 50-60 to each simulator and a 10 percent average yearly growth rate," Van Balen said.
Gulfstream vice chairman Bryan Moss said the center "will provide our many Middle East and Asia customers with high quality training available in a modern and convenient location."
Emirates, owned by the Gulf emirate of Dubai, announced in July the agreement to build and jointly operate the center, which will be located adjacent to the existing Emirates training facility.
Other simulators available there will include a Boeing 737-NG, an Airbus A319/A320/A321 and an A330/340. Dubai airport handled 1,500 business jet flights last year. — (AFP, Dubai)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
