Emirates-CAE Flight Training first training provider in Middle East for the Bell 412 helicopter

This was confirmed today in a signing ceremony at the Dubai Helishow 2004 by Emirates' Chairman, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum; Jeff Roberts, Group President Civil Simulation and Training, CAE; Dane Pranke, Director of Marketing & Sales Middle East/Africa, for Bell Helicopter: and Paul Giles, Senior Vice President Helicopter Group for Hawker Pacific (the Bell Helicopter regional independent representative).

Sheikh Ahmed said: 'Emirates-CAE Flight Training continues to take the lead in aviation training in the Gulf and Middle East and this new facility for helicopter training reaffirms its prime position.'

Bell Helicopter will begin sending flight students to ECFT as soon as the training centre's Bell 412 full-flight simulator has been approved by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Joint Airworthiness Authorities (JAA). The simulator is due for installation at ECFT's facility in Dubai by the end of 2005.

'Bell Helicopter is proud to support this initiative and is looking forward to training some of its customers at the ECFT,' said Dane Pranke. 'We felt that ECFT is consistent with our goal to better serve our Middle East-based customers.'

Jeff Roberts said: 'This contract highlights ECFT's continued success and confirms a growing trend among aircraft manufacturers to designate CAE as their training provider of choice.'
During the signing ceremony today, Gulf Helicopters, based in Doha, Qatar, signed a five-year exclusive agreement to train its Bell 412 and 212 pilots at ECFT. Training will begin as soon as the full-flight simulator enters service at the end of 2005.

'We are very pleased to support ECFT in this venture,' said Paul Giles. 'The addition of a state-of-the-art Bell 412 flight simulator in Dubai is the first of a number of initiatives we expect to be announced in the coming months which will see locally-based world-class support for the Bell Helicopter range of products being provided to our regional customers.'

Emirates-CAE Flight Training is jointly operated by Emirates and CAE under a long-term teaming agreement. In addition to the expected Bell 412 helicopter simulator, the 14-bay centre houses full-flight simulators for an Airbus A319/ACJ/A320/A321, an A330/340, a Boeing 737 NG/BBJ and a Hawker 800/800XP simulator, as well as a Gulfstream IV and V. Another Boeing 737 BBJ/NG simulator will be added in 2005.