CURRENTLY, there are about 900 full-flight simulators in the world, owned by airline training centres, independent training organizations and aircraft manufacturers.
According to Airbus, the European plane maker, the number is set to more than double over the next couple of decades to meet the demand for more than half a million new pilots, as well as to support pilots in active service.
Full-flight simulators are vital in supporting the aviation growth. According to a popular Boeing forecast, some 517,000 new pilots will need to be trained globally in the next 20 years’ time.
Given that each new simulator costs about $25m to buy and a further $1m per year to operate, the market will be worth a whopping $25billion, perhaps even more, according to industry forecast.
For Nigerian airlines, it is still a far distance for them as none has aircraft simulators that would make it easier and cost effective for them. Airlines in Nigeria spend huge amount of money to train and re-train their pilots abroad with Lufthansa, British Airways, Iberia, Delta, United Airlines, South Africa Airways, Ethiopian Airways, Kenya Airways and many other airlines outside the shores of the country.
For the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, simulators for trainee pilots are nothing to write home about. Some are said to be as old as the college, just as there are a handful for light airplanes.
A pilot with liquidated Nigeria Airways, Captain Dele Ore lamented that none of the airlines has the equipment for retraining of their pilots, adding that the cost to do the exercise abroad is very enormous.
Ore said it would be difficult to put a figure to what the carriers lose annually for their pilots to undergo the six monthly simulators training abroad.
In all, Nigerian airlines spend more than $100 million annually for train and retrain their pilots; a huge drain on their meager resources. Acquisition of the facilities would greatly reduce cost and earn them more money.
Not a few believe that regular and constant simulator training for pilots could assist them to minimise the serious incidence of pilot errors that had been attributed to over 80 per cent of plane crashes, not only in Nigeria, but globally.
The equipment helps pilots to simulate foggy or adverse weather situation, helps them to handle emergencies in airplanes. They could simulate smoke, fire, which helps them when handling real simulations
There are several ways to acquire a full-flight simulator – airlines may get it from the aircraft manufacturers after purchasing a new aircraft for a very good rate, purchase a newly manufactured model or buy used full-flight simulators from the operators or companies specialised in selling simulators.
A recent facility tour put together by Europe’s mega carrier, British Airway, both in its home in Cardiff, Wales and London Heathrow Airport was an eye opener on the benefit of running your own maintenance and training facilities.
British Airways prides itself as safety driven, maintenance conscious carrier with its multi-billion pounds investment in airline business.
The airline boasts over 15 different types of aircraft simulators for pilots, cabin crew. The simulators are for B737, B777, B747, just as the firm is at the verge of acquiring more for its latest super jumbo A380, expected to be delivered to the carrier later this year.
Flight Training Manager, British Airways, Andy Clubb disclosed that his company has comemrcialised its simulation training department, adding that it costs a trainee about 500 pounds per hour to be trained on any of the airline’s simulation equipment, which he said has been another way of revenue generation for the airline.
According to him, it cost the airline about 10 million pounds to acquire each simulation equipment, noting that before could renew his license, such would go through 10 simulation sessions, examinations and a land check on such pilot.
He stated that the UK plays a major role in developing flight simulation technology, noting that UK flight simulation industry makes a significant contribution to revenue generation and employment in the UK economy.
The flight simulation industry exploits advances in commercial off-the-shelf technologies to increase capability and reduce development cost.
Besides, Clubb emphasised that concerns that flight simulators were unrealistic and that aircraft provide better training in some quarters have been dispelled by professionals in the sector, stressing that training in a flight simulator could be more effective than training in an aircraft.
Country Manager, British Airways and Iberia (Nigeria), Mr. Kola Olayinka, hinted that having the equipment could also add as additional revenue for airlines.
He lamented the huge loss of revenue lost to capital flight annually, occasioned by offshore recurrent training.
He added airline operators would spend less in sending crews abroad for recurrent training.
His words, “This is another way of making money in the industry, but unfortunately, most of our investors are not looking in that direction. Every aviation investors should not think of owing airline business because there are several businesses one can go into in the sector”.
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