The company introduced its latest flight simulator technology, AX-D Flex: a “roll-on, roll-off” solution designed to train pilots on multiple aircraft, from business jets to midsize airliners, within a single mothership. Each simulation bay can accommodate up to three different cockpits, which can be swapped out in two hours or less, the company says.

Roll-on, roll-off flight simulators—which allow pilots to train on a variety of aircraft within a single system—are uncommon, but not unheard of. CAE and GlobalSim, for example, sell systems billed as roll-on, roll-off.

However, Axis says its solution is the first such simulator with a front-loading mechanism, which makes it simpler to switch between cockpits. The nonsimulated area, where the instructor and observer sit, stays in the simulator.

“Training providers are typically required to install specific simulators for different aircraft types,” said Christian Theuermann, member of the Axis executive board. “The launch of AX-D Flex will redefine the landscape of flight simulation, offering a cost-effective solution that allows pilots to train a variety of different aircraft types.”

According to Axis, AX-D Flex enables software-based avionics simulation using commercial off-the-shelf components that are “OEM-quality” and is designed to reduce maintenance costs and pilot downtime.

The mothership houses AX-D Flex’s basic structures, including the core motion and visual display systems. Accompanying it are “swap units” comprising a cockpit module and base frame, which contains computers and other technical devices.

With the front-loading system—which uses a stationary forklift—the swap units, including larger cockpits, can be lifted from the mothership and replaced with new modules. A pilot could go from simulating a business jet like the Bombardier Challenger 300 to a midsize airliner such as the Boeing 737 Max within two hours.

The simulator interior’s track-mounted seats can be repositioned according to the cockpit being loaded in. The transition requires a maximum of two technicians, Axis says.

“Our hardware team has extensive experience in designing components that exceed industry standards,” said Helmut Haslberger, director of hardware development and production management for Axis. “Through our precision control and electrical systems, we’ve designed a seamless lifting mechanism to allow smooth transitions between cockpits.”

The U.S. military also has an interest in multipurpose simulators. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), for example, has modified an F-16 into an AI-controlled test aircraft that can simulate the conditions of other aircraft while flying. U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall earlier this month said he would get in the cockpit of the self-flying airplane. 

Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.

The post Axis Unveils Three-in-One Flight Simulator appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“We are working with CAE to be where our customers need us to be, providing them with our latest technological updates and best-in-class support. Embraer and CAE are long-term partners to provide exceptional services to the market,” said Carlos Naufel, president and CEO of Embraer services and support. 

Said Alexandre Prevost, CAE’s division president, business aviation and helicopter training: “The two new simulators will double our Phenom 300 training capacity in Las Vegas and London and allow ECTS to train more pilots at a critical time. Over the next 10 years, CAE forecasts a need for 32,000 business aviation pilots, and we are working with our partners at Embraer to ensure Phenom 300 customers have the highly qualified pilots they need to keep them flying.”

• READ MORE: Embraer Unveils Autothrottle for Phenom 300E

In a NBAA-BACE preview briefing with FLYING earlier in October, Embraer vice president of customer support Marsha Woelber put the addition into the context of the overall service program, which includes five owned service centers and more than 60 authorized service centers around the world, in addition to its training partners. “In the past few years, our fleet has grown a lot,” Woelber said. “There have been a lot of secondary market transactions…and overall a lot of attrition in our flight departments that has created a significant increase in demand for pilot slots.”

“Earlier this year, we opened a Phenom simulator facility in Las Vegas, that was in April,” said Woelber, who noted that the sim installed this spring was the seventh one on line in the partnership, and the coming installations in February (London) and in Q3 2024 in Las Vegas represent the eighth and ninth units, respectively.

The post CAE Doubles Capacity for Embraer Phenom 300E Training with Sims in London, Las Vegas appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to aviation training company CAE (NYSE: CAE), which released its Aviation Talent Forecast this week at the Paris Air Show, commercial aviation will need to recruit nearly 600,000 cabin crew professionals, 328,000 maintenance technicians, and 252,000 pilots within the next 10 years in order to support predicted growth. In business aviation, at least 74,000 maintenance technicians and 32,000 pilots will be needed.

“There is a need for at least 1.3 million people by 2032 to fill the needs in aviation,” said Nick Leontidis, CAE’s group president of civil aviation. “CAE’s Aviation Talent Forecast is a call to action for the industry to promote careers in aviation to the next generation, reach out to underrepresented communities, and develop innovative support programs to expand the pool of talent needed for the continued growth and safety of our industry.”

Leontidis added that commercial and business aviation are near full recovery and, in some cases, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

“CAE’s Aviation Talent Forecast shows that the demand will continue to grow,” he said, “and the industry will have to come together and find creative ways to ensure a steady pipeline of highly trained personnel for the next 10 years and beyond.”

About the Aviation Talent Forecast

The Aviation Talent Forecast is a tool for stakeholders to help determine the demand for aviation professionals worldwide. Not only does the forecast look at the demand for pilots, it also, for the first time, explores the need for aircraft maintenance technicians and cabin crew.

According to CAE, it not only focuses on how many people will be needed in each region over the next decade but also on the reasons for the high demand and what the industry can do to attract and retain these professionals.

The post Forecast: Aviation Faces New Workforce Need of 1.3M appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“Vienna is the ideal location for CAE’s new business aviation training center in central Europe,” said Nick Leontidis, CAE’s group president, civil aviation. “This new center will be a game-changer for business aviation training in the region, offering programs on the region’s most sought-after aircraft platforms in an immersive learning environment. CAE Vienna is another example of the significant investments we are making to bring business aviation training closer to where our customers operate their aircraft.”

In addition to the Global 7500 and Global 6000 full flight simulators, four other FFSs will be installed, their types yet to be determined. The 8,000-square-foot center will have the ability to flex up to accommodate nine FFSs total in the space.

The center is planned to open in the second half of 2024.

Other expansion plans were completed in 2022, with CAE Singapore launched in November with a Gulfstream G650 FFS. And in April, CAE opened its first center on the West Coast of the U.S.  in Las Vegas. Others set to open in 2023 include Lake Nona, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia.

The training and simulation company joins others in the industry in sharing its plan to reach net-zero emissions and sustainable aviation goals. Read CAE’s FY22 Annual Activity and Corporate Social Responsibility Report here.

The post CAE Expands Training Center Network to Austria appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The program will be hosted at CAE’s flight academy in Phoenix, Arizona, giving trainees a direct route to Spirit Airlines. CAE offers accelerated training at its academy and advertised a program that trains pilots from zero hours to airline readiness in as little as 56 weeks. 

“At Spirit, we recognize pilots are at the core of an airline. We have one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the industry, and we fly to world-class destinations,” said Ryan Rodosta, senior director of flight operations and system chief pilot for Spirit Airlines. “We’re growing fast and creating tremendous career-progression opportunities.” 

To qualify for the program, Spirit said in a statement that candidates could apply after they complete flight training at CAE Phoenix Aviation Academy and gain 500 hours of total flight time. If selected, they will receive a conditional offer of employment (COE) from the airline and a Spirit Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). Spirit also said the candidates would be mentored by Spirit personnel as they gained the rest of their minimum hours required for an ATP certificate.

Rodosta described CAE as a great partner “because of their commitment to safety and operational excellence,” as well as CAE’s commitment to finding solutions to support student training needs.

The timing seems good.

This summer, JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU) bested Frontier Airlines (NASDAQ: ULCC) to acquire Spirit in a $3.8 billion deal. Last week, Spirit said its stockholders approved the merger based on a preliminary vote. The transaction is expected to complete no later than the first half of 2024, pending regulatory approval. If it closes, JetBlue would become the fifth largest domestic airline, allowing it to compete with the big four airlines—Delta (NYSE: DAL), American (NASDAQ: AAL), United (NASDAQ: UAL), and Southwest (NASDAQ: LUV), who have also ramped pilot hiring.

• READ MORE: United Airlines Will Spend $100 million to Expand Pilot Training Center Amid Pilot Shortage.

At the same time, Spirit has been expanding its own network. The company said today that the program with CAE would support that. The airline said it plans to accept 24 new airplanes in 2022, bringing its fleet total to 197 aircraft, and 33 more airplanes are planned for delivery in 2023.

“This new program will ensure Spirit Airlines has a pipeline of qualified pilots as they expand their fleet and route network,” said Nick Leontidis, CAE’s group president, civil aviation.

The post Spirit Airlines Partners with CAE for New Pilot Pipeline Program appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to a release given to FLYING ahead of next week’s planned announcement, Canada-based CAE will also develop training and support services for operating the newly electrified aircraft. Over the next three years, CAE will convert two-thirds of its Archer training fleet, making it “the first to develop a curriculum for new pilots to train on the operation of electric aircraft,” the release said. 

“With 28,000 aircraft in global service, the PA-28 is the ideal platform for real world flight training curriculums and professional pilot training programs like CAE,” said Piper Aircraft president and CEO John Calcagno in the release.  

“The development of this technology is a first for CAE,” said CAE president and CEO Marc Parent in the statement. “As an engineering powerhouse and one of the largest Piper Archer operators, CAE is uniquely positioned to make electric-powered flight a reality at our flight schools and beyond.”

The push to develop viable and effective electric-powered aircraft is part of the aviation industry’s effort to reduce emissions from fossil-based fuels and shift to cleaner, sustainable fuel sources. Although civil aviation produces about 2.1 percent of all human-induced CO2 emissions, according to the Air Transport Action Group, that number is expected to rise significantly by 2050. 

“Piper Aircraft is focused on aviation’s commitment to greenhouse gas reductions,” Calcagno said. “We look forward to collaborating with CAE on the integration of an electric propulsion system for the Piper Archer.”

Batteries and Motors

The conversion kit is expected to include custom-designed electric battery packs manufactured by H55 of Switzerland, which is collaborating with CAE. 

H55 was a technological spinoff of Solar Impulse—the long-range, experimental, solar-powered airplanes that made the headlines a decade ago. 

The motors for the conversion kits will come from Safran and its new ENGINeUS 100 model. 

Electric Sector Gaining Momentum

Piper and CAE’s announcement follows other recent developments in single-prop electric airplanes, including Bye Aerospace, which said last month it’s on track to be the first to be certificated under FAA Part 23 Amendment 64 for Level 1 electric fixed-wings. 

• READ MORE: Bye Aerospace Nears Key Approvals for eFlyer2

In April, Textron finalized purchase of Pipistrel, maker of the EASA-type certified electric Velis Electro, which is already being used as a training platform for new pilots.

The post CAE and Piper Team Up To Electrify the Iconic Archer appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Joby said it intends to “train a new generation of pilots.”

“CAE has a sterling reputation for delivering excellent simulation and training solutions,” said Bonny Simi, Joby’s head of air operations and people, in a public statement. “We look forward to a world where thousands of Joby pilots are flying our aircraft every day and we couldn’t ask for a better partner to help make that a reality.”

Joby is one of dozens of companies trying to develop zero-emission electric air taxis aimed at flying passengers on short 25-mile hops over traffic-congested cities to airports and other destinations. 

Backed by Uber, Joby announced its intention last January to launch a flight school for its single-pilot eVTOLs, which are designed to seat four passengers.

In addition to manufacturing eVTOLs, Joby’s vertical business model calls for operating a scaled-up passenger air taxi service through Uber’s successful rideshare app. 

According to investor materials, Joby envisions flying more than 300 eVTOLs in the Los Angeles market alone. A Morgan Stanley projection last year estimated Joby might produce and fly as many as 14,000 aircraft if the company reaches its full potential in a best-case scenario.

• READ MORE: Joby Aviation Announces Aviation Academy

Propelled by six tilt-rotors, the fly-by-wire air taxi has a unified flight control system. Joby says the eVTOL’s controls are similar to a fixed-wing, which would help licensed pilots more easily transition to the new aircraft. 

“We are thrilled to partner with Joby to help bring their pioneering vision to life,” said Nick Leontidis, CAE’s group president, civil aviation training solutions, in a statement. “With more than 75 years of experience in the design, development, and manufacture of flight simulators, CAE brings extensive expertise with new aircraft types to support the qualification of Joby’s eVTOL fixed-base flight training device and full-flight simulator with the FAA.”

The post Joby Aviation Partners with CAE to Develop eVTOL Air Taxi Sim appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

With the pandemic still raging in the US, pilots have been focused on how long layoffs from their individual airline might last. If a new CAE Pilot Demand Outlook 2020/2029 published on November 8, 2020, holds up to the reality of an uncertain economy, many of those pilots may find themselves back in the cockpit sooner than they expected.

CAE’s news release on the 2020-2029 Outlook, the third edition of the CAE Pilot Demand Outlook, says, “Retirement and attrition are expected to continue to be a challenge for the civil aviation industry as air travel recovers progressively. This is expected to drive an acute demand for pilots, resulting in an estimated short-term need for approximately 27,000 new professional pilots starting in late 2021. The report demonstrates that despite the short-term decline in the number of active pilots due to the impact of COVID-19, the civil aviation industry is expected to require more than 260,000 new pilots over the next decade.”

The news release added, “The renewed 10-year view offers fleet operators key insights on the future need for professional pilots in both commercial and business aviation, building on the markets’ key drivers, variables, and trends. Additionally, the 2020-2029 Outlook says, “retirement and attrition are expected to continue to be a challenge for the civil aviation industry as air travel recovers progressively.”

The post CAE Releases 2020-2029 Pilot Demand Outlook appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In an effort aimed at turning out better pilots more quickly, Canadian flight training provider CAE has rolled out a data-driven training system called Rise that seeks to objectively assess airline pilot performance using real-time feedback during training sessions.

The Rise acronym stands for “real-time insights and standardized evaluations.” The system, explains CAE, leverages big data analytics to reduce subjectivity in pilot assessment, allowing instructors to focus more closely on teaching rather than evaluating performance during initial and recurrent training.

“It can be difficult for instructors to provide real-time feedback during a training session in the simulator,” explained Terry Constantakis, CAE’s director of civil aviation training systems. “With Rise, the analytics tools can tell a pilot, for example, that his landing was good but he didn’t apply the brakes quickly enough. That’s something an instructor in the sim might not even notice during training.”

Rise monitors everything the flight crew is doing throughout a given training session to objectively assess performance in real time. Rise’s Electronic Training Suite includes lesson plans, instructor grading and records that can be reviewed on an iPad. Lesson plans, says CAE, are created in conjunction with airlines and consist of a series of training tasks to be performed in each training session. “Grading capabilities allow instructors to assess task performance as well as pilot competencies,” CAE says. At the end of each session, instructors and pilots must sign off electronically. Results are securely stored as electronic records.

So far, CAE Rise has been adopted by airlines in Asia, with AirAsia signing a five-year training agreement for its long-haul pilots flying for affiliate airline AirAsia X on the Airbus A330. CAE is providing initial training for the airline’s pilots and will begin recurrent training at its training center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, starting in July.

The simulator maker is pitching the Rise concept to U.S. airlines and the military as a way to ensure standard operating procedures are always being followed. An SOP Management Tool built into Rise can be configured in collaboration with customers, enabling instructors to more easily identify deviations and reinforce operator SOP specifics.

Utilizing dashboards built into the Rise iPad app, data analytics can be used to summarize performance trends for comparison within an operator’s pilot/instructor pool and across the industry. The dashboards, CAE says, allow potential proficiency gaps to be identified and addressed more rapidly, leading to better training that can progress more quickly.

The post CAE Tackling the Pilot Shortage through Technology appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Nick Leontidis said, “there’s an unprecedented demand for professional pilots and a new urgency to develop better pilots, faster.” Leontidis is CAE Group president for Civil Aviation Training Solutions that issued its first report – Airline and Business Jet Pilot Demand Outlook 10-Year View – on pilot demand in 2018 and this year updated the report to include business aviation pilots.

“According to our analysis,” Leontidis said, “by 2028 the active combined airline and business jet pilot population will exceed half a million pilots. Furthermore, 300,000 of those pilots will be new and 215,000 will have been upgraded to captain. In the business sector, the turnover of new jet pilots will reach almost 100%.” The report added that signs of improvement are evident in business aviation even though new jet deliveries have remained flat since 2012 at approximately 700 aircraft per year.

For business aviation, the number of needed pilots is expected to increase by four percent, not only due to the delivery of new aircraft, but also to a reduction in the number of previously owned aircraft that were once sitting around idle. The report looked at both pilots that will be hired to fill the shoes of retiring aviators and those hired to handle industry growth.

Increased pilot demand is also motivating fleet operators and training providers like CAE to work more closely together not only in the way they train pilots, but in how they select pilot candidates so as to reduce costly training failures. CAE said, “Smarter pilot creation helps new pilots flourish earlier and improves the likelihood of success throughout a pilot’s career.”

The post CAE Reports No Letup in Business Aviation Pilot Demand appeared first on FLYING Magazine.