Page 27 - AAA SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012 Online Magazine

FEATURE TRAINING
TRAINING MAN
Patrick Curtin started life in the
Royal Air Force, UK, as a flight
simulator trainer and operator.
After 18 years, he moved to
Gatwick Airport where he ran
training operations for another
seven years. When Boeing
recruited him in 2007, he moved to
Singapore and has been managing
the Boeing Flight Services Campus
since. The Campus is now well
established as a key facility
under his guidance.
WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM
“We exist because the rapidly the centre is seeing what curtin
increasing numbers of low-cost carriers describes as a “huge increase” in pilot
in the region want an economical and numbers passing through, complemented
local training solution,” says patrick by an increase in the number of ground
curtin, senior manager at boeing training and cabin staff required by the airline
and Flight services in singapore (btFss). operators. singapore’s economic
according to curtin, the centre can handle development board reports that the
up to 10,000 pilots, around 400 mechanics, aerospace sector in singapore has
and some 1,000 cabin crew every year. the enjoyed 13% annual growth since 1990.
big plus for changi, explains curtin, is that boeing estimates that the region as a
trainees from across the region can attend whole could need more than 180,000 new
the centre with little or no travel required, pilots and almost 250,000 new technicians
and without having to take large chunks of over the next 20 years. it looks like btFss
time out of their operation schedules. will enjoy full order books.
One of only three such centres another bright star on the horizon
worldwide (the others are at Gatwick was the decision made by curtin and his
and seattle), the centre caters for a wide team to ensure maximum skills transfer
range of training, with most of the pilots to the local workforce. he says that the
coming to changi from large carriers workforce of full-time trainers is made
and local lccs. boeing also provides up of 90% local employees, and 10%
training on its own aircraft as part of a expat specialists. “this was a deliberate
new aircraft sale package – with the new policy,” he explains. “We didn’t just
787 bringing a whole new demand. “but want lots of overseas people doing the
we also offer recurrent training, upgrade training.” Most of the staff are local ex-
training, and aircraft type training too. it pilots, tasked with training on various
keeps us busy,” says curtin. “i can never aircraft types and currencies. some
switch my blackberry off, but that’s part airlines opt to use their own instructors,
of this job,” he smiles. but use btFss hardware and facilities
to run approved courses on the highly
Local built specialised and expensive equipment.
the centre, built on a greenfield site in
2007, took 10 months to complete and Full-time job
fit out with seven simulators for the 737 the centre is a hive of activity 24-seven,
classic; Next Generation 737s, 777s and with trainees from all disciplines fitting
787s; airbus 320; and embraer 170 and in their sessions whenever and however
190 aircraft types. it also includes two 787 they can. as curtin points out, the two
training suites – each with a full-flight relaxation lounges generally see a
simulator, multiple desktop trainers for student or two at any hour of day or night
flight and maintenance instruction, and – and the centre has to accommodate
one cabin safety trainer. three computer- their busy schedules.
based training classrooms, six general based around paperless training
training classrooms, and airbus 320, systems, the centre uses highly
boeing 787 and embraer 170 and 190 sophisticated software systems to allow
emergency evacuation trainers are also virtual scenarios, virtual engine and
part of the equipment. “the overall cost airframe maintenance, and instructor-
of this facility is probably around us$50 supervised accident and emergency
million,” says curtin. “We are adding new training. One of the most advanced
systems as they become available and as training suites is in the technician
we can justify the extra equipment with training area. this is the specialist
training demand. With seven simulator composite (carbon fibre) construction
bays, we don’t have any immediate plans training, as used on the 787. “We offer
to expand numbers [of flight simulators] both theory and practical for this – it’s
but we can change the aircraft types we really specialised stuff,” says curtin.
offer if we need to,” he adds. singapore is one of only two centres
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS 27