In a move to further expand its global training capacity, Airbus has acquired the Strategic Simulation Solutions flight training center in Aurora, Colorado, a Denver suburb. Currently, the training center primarily supports Frontier Airlines and has significant room for growth. Airbus plans to at least double capacity at the facility in the next few years.

“This is another major step forward in our ambition to grow services around the world,” said Laurent Martinez, Head of Services by Airbus. “Our Global Services Forecast predicts a need for 122,000 new pilots in the Americas by 2035, representing 23% of the world’s demand. We want our Airbus flight training facilities to be easily accessible to our customers regardless of their location, hence this latest move.”

Prior to this acquisition, Airbus provided training to the North American region primarily from its Miami, Florida-based training center. The addition of the new Aurora training center will help meet long-term growth in expanding markets throughout the Americas. Over the past two years Airbus has expanded its training capacity for customers in the Americas with the addition of training centers in Mexico City, Mexico and in Campinas, Brazil.

At a worldwide level, Airbus expanded its training network more than threefold in only three years; growing from five locations in 2015 to 17 locations today.

“We will hold steady in our ambition to provide the most state-of-the-art, top-quality training to our customers, and to continue expanding our global training capacity at its current pace,” Martinez said.

Currently, the Aurora training center has two A320 Family, FAA Level D full flight simulators – the highest-level flight simulators – for training of Frontier Airlines pilots on the airline’s all-Airbus fleet. Additional simulators will be added at the Aurora facility in 2018 to address anticipated increased demand for training. Additionally, Airbus’ innovative ACT Suite – a fully comprehensive, high-fidelity course for maintenance training can also be set up within a week’s notice and will be offered in line with demand.

Airbus’ modular, competency-based training services deliver a comprehensive mix of theoretical courses, hands-on practice and environment immersion using the latest technologies – including virtual, augmented and mixed reality.