Flight Simulator Training Centre
(FSTC), established at Gurgaon,
Haryana, is unique on a few fronts.
CAE, the world leader in flight
training solutions, has five establishments
in India, and FSTC breaks the
monopoly by introducing Boeing 737NG
and Airbus A320 full flight Level D simulators
from Lockheed Martin to customers
in the region, with plans to cater to overseas
clients as well.
Dilawar Singh Basraon, co-founder of
FSTC, and former Indian Air Force and
Kingfisher Airlines pilot, says that FSTC
today supports the training needs of
SpiceJet, IndiGo, and Jet Airways. “Each
aircraft requires 10 pilots, and each pilot
requires 8 hours of training per year,
minimum. “ With a combined Boeing 737
and A320 fleet in India at close to 400
airplanes, this translates to a minimum
32,000 hours of training per year. “In addition,
training is also required for the upgrade
of pilots: new pilots are employed,
some go medically down, while others retire.
Many leave India and fly for airlines
abroad. The training requirement always exists.”
And this makes for a compelling case to establish a full flight simulator
facility in India, which FSTC has already done. FSTC will be adding one
more simulator this year and four more by 2018, according to Capt. Sanjay
Mandavia, Director, Flywings Aviation Pvt Ltd. The 737NG simulator had 100
per cent utilization, while the A320 simulator had utilization between 35 and
45 per cent.
India presently has 18 approved full flight simulators (FFS) catering to
airliners: CAE-Indigo Delhi (2 A320), CAE Bangalore (2 A320, 1 B737NG),
CTE Hyderabad (3 A320), FSTC Delhi (1 A320, 1 B737NG), Jet Airways Mumbai
(2 B737NG, 1 A330, 1 B777), and Air India Mumbai (1 B737NG, 1 B747, 1
B777, 1 B787). Of these, only CAE Bangalore, CAE Delhi, and FSTC Gurgaon
are open to use by all airlines. Each FFS can cater to 7,000 hours of training,
per year, at full utilization.
Low-cost airlines such as SpiceJet, Indigo and Go Air do not run their own
in-house flight simulators, unlike Jet Airways and Air India. “ Airlines prefer
to outsource training, as they are into the business of travel, not in the business
of maintaining a simulator”, says Basraon.
In addition, FSTC, which secured its TRTO (Type Rating Training Organization)
approval in July last year, caters to CPL holders who seek a self-sponsored
type rating either on the Boeing 737 or the Airbus A320, most of whom
otherwise would have to go outside the country for their rating. This saves
the individual the costs associated with international travel, hassles with visa,
and in some cases, the costs associated with accommodation.
The same saving applies to airlines as well, which actually reap greater
benefits. Every time a simulator session is dry leased, the airline will have to
send at least 3 pilots: one instructor, and two who are in need of a session.
Taking 3 pilots out of the country, and wasting time associated with their
travel to and from India only means that the crew is less efficiently utilized.
On top of that, says Basraon, using Lockheed Martin’s simulators can
allow FSTC to offer competitive rates. He says that unlike CAE’s simulators
which need spares to be procured via the company, Lockheed Martin’s simulators
use many commercial off the shelf components, which can be locally
procured. With electro-pneumatic actuators and the light weight of the simulator,
power consumption is lower, allowing the establishment to keep running
costs low.
The establishment has 6 flight simulator bays, of which 2 are occupied,
and has land for an additional 6, and is eyeing Air Costa, to partner with Embraer,
and the airline, to establish an Embraer simulator that will cater to the
regional airline’s expansion plans.
Lockheed Martin to support training
The Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin, India, Phil Shaw said Lockheed Martin
was highly supportive of the simulator training centre here as the demand
was high for quick turnaround of professionals.
As regards Lockheed Martin’s focus in India, Shaw said it would be exploring
the opportunities in setting up an engine MRO as the company had
considerable expertise. “Presently, aircraft from India are going overseas for
heavy duty maintenance due to the taxation environment and other regulations.
We expect changes and hope that it will open up the sector soon.
