Airbus A320 Simulator Developed By Indra Now ‘Flying’ In China
Indra said Thursday it has delivered the first of two Airbus A320 simulators purchased by Hainan Airlines. The system is already providing service at the airline’s flight training centre in the city of Sanya on the island of Hainan. Indra will supply the second system later this year.
The Indra simulator has entered into service after successfully passing its certification tests with a Level D, which is the maximum for civil simulators. Indra is one of the leading flight simulator manufacturers in the world and the company has already delivered 200 systems in 19 countries for 51 customers.
In April the simulator underwent the CAAC Chinese Aeronautical Authority’s tests established by the CCAR60 regulation. The system successfully passed the exam and stood out thanks to its high level of engineering.
The Level D certification guarantees that the simulator reproduces with a maximum accuracy the aircraft’s actual behaviour and therefore is suitable for the basic training required to fly a specific aircraft model as well as recurrent or refresher training.
The Hainan Airlines centre is one of the most important in Asia and offers training for the airline’s own pilots as well as those from others that include this aircraft in their fleet.
Competing with innovation
Indra has relied on CDTI’s support in the development of new technologies included in the A320 simulator. This training system is one of the first on the market that virtually reproduces the communications environment between the pilot and air traffic control centres. It also stands out because of its advanced visual system.
These abilities to innovate and develop proprietary solutions allow Indra to compete globally. In China, the contract signed with Hainan Airlines to develop these two A320 simulators is accompanied by training systems developed for Air China. In addition, in 2011, Indra signed a Letter of Intent with Eurocopter to promote helicopter pilot training in this country. The company is working on developing what will be the first helicopter simulator that will enter into service in China.
Indra is a leader in simulation and has launched training centres for aircraft pilots, air traffic controllers, vehicle drivers and machinery operators, among other solutions. Indra’s simulators have covered more than 700,000 of training hours.
Indra in China
Indra has been actively present in China since 1997, and it has had an office in Beijing since 2002 from where it manages its expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. The company has completed projects in China in the areas of air traffic control, simulation, traffic control systems for motorways and tunnels, railway access control and safety systems.
In the transport and traffic market, which has been key in allowing Indra to enter the Chinese market, the company is developing urban traffic control systems for cities such as Guilin and Chonqing.
In the field of air traffic control, it is rolling out the radar surveillance system that will control nearly 60% of China’s airspace. It is also implementing the technology that the Xian and Chengdu centres will use to organise the upper airspace of eight Chinese regions, covering an area comparable to Western Europe. It has also rolled out the maritime surveillance system in the Hong Kong region that controls vessel traffic in those waters.
Indra is the number one IT multinational in Spain, and one of the leaders in Europe and Latin America. It is the second European company in its sector in terms of R&D, with more than €500 million invested in the last three years. Its 2011 revenues were €2.688 billion, and international markets now account for 50%. The company employs more than 36,000 professionals and has customers in 118 countries.