Flydubai has unveiled plans to open a fully-equipped aviation training and simulation facility worth $56 million (AED 205.5 million), currently under construction and set to operate at full capacity by January 2025.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, the CEO of the company, stated, “Over the past 14 years, Flydubai has achieved tremendous growth in terms of the carrier’s evolution and innovation to become what it is today. The $56 million investment in the new training facility marks another milestone in Flydubai’s success story, reflecting its commitment to operational efficiency and excellence. With the anticipation of receiving around 130 new aircraft by 2035, the presence of the new facility will provide us with greater flexibility in our training programs, surpassing those offered by other companies, through the ownership of our own dedicated facilities.”
The new facility, covering 38,000 square feet at Flydubai’s headquarters, features six simulator bays with a capacity of over 43,000 training hours annually. The building’s standard construction design allows for future expansion.
Mohamed Harib Almehairi, the CEO of Technology and Supply Chain at the carrier, expressed pride in announcing the establishment of their own full-flight aviation simulation facility, an essential part of their growth strategy. He emphasized the necessity for airlines to have greater control over their training requirements due to the continued demand for pilots in the region. The new facility will enable them to reduce training costs and manage pilot training and retraining schedules more efficiently.
Almehairi added, “We are working closely with CAE, which will provide Boeing 737 Max aircraft simulation devices for pilot training starting in January 2025, with the possibility of adding two more training bays for either narrow or wide-body aircraft simulation rooms.”