PIA gets first Airbus A-320 simulator

KARACHI: The national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has acquired the first Airbus A320 simulator for the training of pilots, refresher courses and air safety, ARY News reported on Saturday.

The state-of-the-art Reality 7E Evolution Airbus A320 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) was acquired from L3Harris Technologies that will be installed at PIA Training Centre (PTC) in Karachi.

Pakistan will become the first country in the region that has acquired an A320 simulator for pilots’ training and air safety. It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan has 670 pilots of Airbus A320.

Before acquiring the modern simulators, the pilots were bound to travel abroad for refresher courses along with an inspector of civil aviation.

The installation of the Airbus simulator will end the huge expenditure of the national flag carrier for pilots’ training. It was learnt that pilots’ training was conducted at the cost of almost $300 per hour in the foreign countries excluding the travel and accommodation spendings.

The national airline has started the construction of a simulator complex in which the simulators of Boeing 747, 777 and Airbus 320 will be installed. The simulator complex will be linked to the airport hotel.