Boeing today announced it is enhancing its flight training support for customers of the 787 Dreamliner with an additional 787 full-flight simulator at the Boeing Flight Services campus in London. The new device will be ready for training in the first quarter of 2014 and will join two other 787 flight simulators currently used for training airline pilots in London.

The third 787 simulator at the London Gatwick campus will expand Boeing capabilities in support of the growing needs of customers in Europe, Africa and the Middle East who are taking deliveries of the 787 Dreamliner.

“Boeing is working hard to provide superior support and give every competitive advantage to our 787 customers around the world as they introduce this revolutionary new airplane to their fleets,” said Sherry Carbary, vice president, Boeing Flight Services. “By providing new, world-class resources closer to where our customers do business, we’re delivering the Boeing Edge — the highest quality, best value training and the expertise to back it up.”

Boeing launched European 787 training in London in October 2010 with an advanced suite of training devices including a full-flight simulator, a flight training device, a cabin safety trainer and maintenance training classrooms. In January 2013, to better support customer training needs in Europe, Boeing installed a second 787 full-flight simulator at the London Gatwick campus.

“The exciting addition of the Dreamliner means that our training needs will grow along with our new fleet,” said Capt. Graham Stokes, head of Flight Operations Training and Standards, Virgin Atlantic Airways. “Virgin’s 787 flight training started last year with Boeing at their London Gatwick campus, preparing our pilots to bring the Virgin Atlantic 787 customer experience to life. The introduction of a third 787 simulator near to Virgin’s base is therefore welcome and will further underwrite Boeing’s commitment to the successful introduction and operation of this ground-breaking new aircraft.”

The new training suite will include a third 787 full-flight simulator and an additional 787 fixed-base flight training device. The addition is part of Boeing’s ongoing strategy to provide a network of flight training facilities and devices to better serve airlines closer to their bases of operation while better meeting increased market demand for Boeing airplanes.

“Thomson Airways recently commenced 787 long haul flights, and as more 787s are delivered, pilot initial and recurrent training remains a priority,” said Capt. John Murphy, director of Flight Operations, Thomson Airways, the UK airline of TUI Travel PLC. “As the launch customer for the Dreamliner in the UK, Belgium, Holland and Sweden, TUI Travel considers the 787 to be an integral part of our modernization program. Having additional 787 simulator capacity in Europe to support these needs is a welcome announcement from Boeing.”

Boeing Flight Services, a business unit of Commercial Aviation Services, operates a geographically diverse network of 787 training suites in London, Singapore and Shanghai and has recently located two 787 full-flight simulators at the Flight Services campus in Miami.

The Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook, a respected industry forecast of required aviation personnel, indicates that global demand is growing, with a need for more than one million new commercial airline pilots and maintenance technicians over 20 years.

Boeing press release