EasyJet opens its training centre in Malpensa, the only one in continental Europe

Millions of euros in investment, with three avant-garde simulators: this is EasyJet’s new training centre in Malpensa, created together with the company CAE and destined to take on the training and refresher needs of all pilots based in Europe.

EasyJet’s flight simulators

“This is EasyJet’s first training centre situated outside the UK, thanks to the partnership with CAE, in whom we’ve put a great deal of trust,” EasyJet’s CEO, John Lundgren, explained. The centre in Malpensa is “one of the three new centres delivered by CAE,” the only one in continental Europe, since the other two are in Manchester and London Gatwick.

This is an important facility, also for the hundreds of employees based on the continent, particularly in Italy. “We are the third largest airline in terms of passengers: we employ more than 1400 people with contracts covered by local legislation,” Lundgren said.

The three simulators perfectly reproduce the behaviour of the Airbus A320, the core of the EasyJet fleet. “Our pilots are among the best trained in the industry,” Lundgren added.

“Thank you very much for your choice,” added Reyes Jardì, the Operations Leader for Southern Europe at CAE, Canada’s leading simulator manufacturer.

“With this new addition to our network, CAE will now be able to train more than 35,000 commercial pilots in Europe, including more than 2000 pilots per year at the new CAE training centre in Milan,” said Nick Leontidis, the President of the CAE Group, Civil Aviation Training Solutions. “The CAE training centre in Milan is an avant-garde facility equipped with modern classrooms, spaces for pilot debriefing and all of the latest technologies. We’re pleased to welcome EasyJet pilots to the CAE training centre in Milan, as they start their training on CAE’s latest generation of flight simulators, and we thank EasyJet for this partnership and for the continued trust they have placed in us.”

The brand-new CAE training centre in Milan Malpensa is currently equipped with three new CAE 7000XR Airbus A320 series flight simulators, equipped with the CAE Tropos 6000XR visual system. In December 2019, these simulators will be added to, with the latest flight training device, the CAE 600XR Airbus A320, equipped with the CAE Tropos 6000XR collimated visual system, and an adjoining area dedicated to instructors.

The inauguration of the new centre (which has been built at the World Trade Centre Malpensa Airport, in Lonate Pozzolo) was also attended by the local Mayor Nadia Rosa, the Lombardy Regional Councillor for Infrastructure, Claudia Terzi, the Canadian authorities, represented by Ambassador Alexandra Bugailiskis and the Quebec delegate, Marianna Simeone. “The decision to invest in Lombardy Region can only confirm that Lombardy is a place where you can look to the future, and innovate,” Councillor Terzi said.

“Long live this extraordinary training centre,” the delegates of the Canadian Embassy declared in unison.