CAE has begun construction of a second training center in São Paulo, Brazil. It is near the city’s São Paulo Congonhas downtown airport and slated to enter service later this summer or early fall.
The current CAE training center at Guarulhos International Airport recently expanded its roster of simulator bays to 10 from six and offers training for the A320, A330, A340, 737NG and 777. CAE also recently introduced Sikorsky S-76 training.
Claude Lauzon, CAE’s vice president of strategy, told AIN that the company opted to build a new facility rather than add to Guarulhos to be closer to launch customer Tam Airlines. The two have a long-term training services agreement.
“Being on Congonhas Airport also puts us in proximity to business aviation,” he said. Plans call for the facility to provide pilot and maintenance training for the Airbus A320 and Embraer Phenom series, with six simulator bays. “If demand warrants, we are prepared to add a Boeing 737NG simulator,” he said.
CAE has more than 20 instructors in the existing center and is currently working on staffing the new facility.