Boeing Increases Support For Pilot Training In China

SEATTLE, June 21, 1995 -- Boeing has announced it has significantly increased support for pilot training in China. Company officials were at China's premier flight training academy in Guanghan, Sichuan Province, to dedicate a multi-million dollar Boeing 737 simulator that will help meet training demand for the world's most popular twinjet.

"China's leaders have targeted training as a top priority for their civil aviation industry," said Ron King, vice president, Technical Services, Customer Services Division. "We have worked closely with aviation officials to provide support dedicated to the safe and efficient operation of all airplanes in China," he added.

The Civil Aviation Flying College (CAFC) has graduated more than 5,000 pilots over four decades. Most pilots at China's airlines are CAFC graduates.

The simulator, expected to be used for training more than 15 hours each day, has full motion and visual systems that represent most major airports in China. Certified by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and FAA, the simulator will provide optimum flight crew training for all 737 procedures. Several pilots have already completed training in the device.

Additionally, Boeing will provide the CAFC with a 737 flight training simulator - a 737 cockpit without visual or motion systems. This will be ready for training in October. Boeing is also assisting the CAFC and the CAAC's efforts to develop state-of-the-art course materials, with a special emphasis on basic pilot training.

Boeing continues to provide substantial in-country support for airline customers. Technical experts are now quickly dispatched from the Boeing- China headquarters in Beijing to assist with customers' maintenance, engineering, training and line-flying needs. The company has also conducted advanced pilot instructor training with several airlines and is currently developing flight planning software that will greatly assist with airplane dispatching.