Garuda operates new simulators

Garuda operates new simulators

Garuda

JAKARTA (JP): Garuda Indonesia has started operating two new
full-flight jet simulators at its training center in Duri
Kosambi, West Jakarta, to improve the skills of its pilots.

The chief of Garuda's training center, Henry J.J. Sumolang,
said that the new facilities consist of Boeing B-737-300/400 and
McDonnell Douglas MD-11 simulators assembled by CAE of Canada.

The MD-11 simulator was designed with the latest technology
offering a Maxvue 2000 enhanced visual system, which can provide
day, dusk, dawn and night scenes.

Sumolang said that the system has a visual database of dozens
of domestic and international airports, including those in
Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Darwin, Jakarta,
Padang, Denpasar and Surabaya.

According to Sumolang, the simulators will operate just like
real aircraft.

"We received the facilities in February," he said, adding that
each simulator is worth $22 million.

The simulators must be operated with one-year certificates and
qualifications from the Canadian Air Regulations and Indonesia's
Ministry of Transportation, he said.

He said that the B-737-300/400 and MD-11 simulators were
certified in December 1995 and January 1996 respectively.

"Garuda is leasing the simulators from CAE for a 10-year
period," he said.

In addition to the new facilities, Garuda's training center
has had flight simulators of Fokker F-28, Airbus A-300, DC-10,
and B-747-200 aircraft.

Sumolang said that the simulators will help save training
expenses because training using real jets will be reduced.

The two new simulators will be officially incorporated into
Garuda's training program by President Soeharto on May 2.

Three pilots are seen in the picture above operating the
Boeing B-737-300/400 simulator. (icn)