Toulouse, July 6, 2018 – ATR, the world’s leading turboprop manufacturer, has received certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for its new ATR 72-600 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) based at its headquarters in Toulouse. This new simulator is now open for reservations. Manufactured by CAE, it will enable ATR to provide its customers and operators with some 5,000 additional training hours per year. Within a period of 18 months, ATR has put three simulators into service, and another one will soon be installed at a location that remains to be determined.

Commenting on the announcement, Tom Anderson, Senior Vice-President Programs and Customer Services of ATR, said: “The entry into service of a new EASA-certified ATR 72-600 Full Flight Simulator showcases our commitment to providing easy access and flexible training solutions adhering to the highest standards. As regional traffic is expected to grow by 4.5% annually in the next 20 years, ATR is working hard to deliver solutions to one of the major challenges faced by our industry today: the increasing need for pilots.”

ATR has five training centers based in Toulouse, Paris, Johannesburg, Singapore and Miami, and offers a unique range of pilot training courses including Type Rating, TRI Instructor Course, Multi Crew Coordination, Low Visibility Operations, modular PBN (Performance Based Navigation), upgrade to Captain etc.

ATR also offers an integrated Cadet programme in partnership with Europe’s top aviation school ENAC. This two-year end-to-end course aims at training high-end ready-to-fly First Officers with Captain’s DNA, thereby offering a long-term solution to the pilot shortage. The first ATR-ENAC cadets will be ready to fly in October.