CAE closes $50 million simulator deals with Lufthansa, Xiamen Airlines

Simulation and modeling technologies company CAE has sold four Level D full-flight simulators (FFS) as well as four CAE Simfinity trainers to airline customers in Asia and Europe. Lufthansa Flight Training (LFT), a wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa Airlines, has ordered a CAE 5000 Series Airbus A320 FFS as well as three A320 CAE Simfinity integrated procedures trainers (IPT); Xiamen Airlines, based in The People's Republic of China, has ordered two CAE 7000 Series Boeing 737NG FFSs as well as a CAE Simfinity Virtual Maintenance Trainer; and an A320 FFS has been sold to an undisclosed airline in Asia, for delivery in the second half of 2011.

The contracts are worth a total of approximately C$50 million at list prices and bring the total number of FFS sales that CAE has announced to date during fiscal year 2011 to 27.

"As global airlines add new aircraft and routes to meet growing demand for air travel, particularly in the emerging regions, they look to advanced simulation-based training to meet regulatory requirements and enhance safety and efficiency," said Jeff Roberts, CAE's Group President, Civil Simulation Products, Training and Services. "We are very pleased that the leadership of Lufthansa and Xiamen have once again placed their trust in CAE to deliver the most advanced, state-of-the-art simulation equipment to train their pilots and maintenance technicians."

Delivery of the A320 FFS and IPTs will take place before the end of 2011 to LFT training centres in Europe. Lufthansa has purchased more than 30 CAE Level D simulators since 1980, including four CAE 5000 Series FFSs. LFT has embraced the CAE Series 5000 technology for their A320 and Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 training programs.

Delivery of the first Boeing 737NG FFS and the Virtual Maintenance Trainer to the Xiamen Airlines training centre in Xiamen will take place before the end of 2011; delivery of the second FFS will be determined in the future. Both FFSs will feature the CAE Tropos™-6000 visual system.

Two CAE-built FFSs for the Boeing 737NG configuration, delivered in 2008, are currently being used for training by Xiamen, as well as a CAE Simfinity IPT and a CAE Simfinity Virtual Simulator for the Boeing 737NG plus a Virtual Maintenance Trainer for the Boeing 757.