Boeing

FlightSafety Boeing Training International today announced the selection of two London sites as the finalists for a proposed $85 million European Training Hub - the first outside of the United States and part of a global network of large-scale training centers.

The new center, which is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2000, will be located at London Gatwick airport or London Heathrow airport. The projected annual economic value of the FlightSafety Boeing hub is estimated at $16 million (9.6 million pounds).

"This is one more commitment by Boeing and its partners to the United Kingdom and Europe," said Dick James, president - Boeing Europe. "The employees at the new FlightSafety Boeing European Training Hub will join about 90,000 employees of Boeing Commercial Airplane Group or its suppliers in Europe."

During the past four months, FlightSafety Boeing has been working with representatives of several European countries to review sites for the new hub. The company, the world's largest commercial flight and maintenance training provider, made customer convenience and value its primary criteria in narrowing the field from four locations down to the two London sites.

FlightSafety Boeing now will assess the economic packages offered by the two sites, with the final location decision expected next month. In addition to the training hub, a hotel could be built nearby to accommodate the airline crews undergoing training sessions, which typically last from one week to one month or more.

"Our European Training Hub represents the next step in assembling the world's first truly global training-delivery system, providing commercial airplane training solutions worldwide," said Wake Smith, president - FlightSafety Boeing. "The new London center will be our prime training site for Europe and the foundation of our support for customers in Europe and beyond."

Smith added that the London center is the company's first hub location outside of the United States, joining the existing FlightSafety Boeing large-scale training sites in Seattle and Miami. In addition, FlightSafety Boeing operates training sites in 12 other locations domestically and abroad. FlightSafety Boeing hubs also are planned for the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America and other regions, based on customer demand. When fully developed, each FlightSafety Boeing hub will have:

• Ten or more full-flight simulators to support pilot training.
• Full maintenance training capability.
• Training capability on a variety of Boeing and other aircraft types.
• Technical and administrative support for smaller satellite centers located at customer sites throughout the region.

In addition to the initial 55-plus permanent employees and instructors, the hub is expected to attract approximately 1,000 to 1,500 pilots and 1,800 maintenance technicians annually. The training participants will be from various airlines, primarily those headquartered in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Smith noted that many of the job opportunities at the London center will require highly skilled, technical professionals or business people with expertise in various disciplines, all of whom will be compensated at market-competitive rates. Airline personnel undergoing training are expected to generate additional economic stimulation for the greater Gatwick or Heathrow area, spending an average of $250 (150 pounds) per day.

Initial plans call for the 62,000-square-foot (5,740-square-meter) center to have eight, four-story simulator bays, with future expansion potential of up to 100 percent more space. Upon opening, the FlightSafety Boeing European Training Hub will be equipped with five-to-six full-flight simulators and numerous maintenance training devices. The facility eventually will include 10 or more of the sophisticated, full-motion simulators, which accurately produce all the sensations of flight. In addition, the European Training Hub could be further expanded to support the growing need for comprehensive aviation training services.

The maintenance training offered at the new center will be equally high-tech, with at least 10 classrooms featuring fiber-optic networking and other advanced technology training devices. Learning tools at the center also will include approximately 50 workstations equipped with self-guided, computer-based training, allowing students to progress at their own pace.

FlightSafety Boeing, with $200 million in assets, approximately 500 employees and rapid plans for expansion, was formed last year to provide airlines with the most comprehensive flight and maintenance training solutions worldwide. It is a joint venture that combines the 100-seat and above airliner training operations of FlightSafety International with the commercial training operations of Boeing. FlightSafety Boeing, which is part of the Boeing Enterprises portfolio of businesses, serves as the official training organization for Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, the world's largest producer of commercial jetliners.

More information on FlightSafety Boeing.