TESTING of Cathay Pacific's Boeing 777 flight simulator is to begin in Canada early next month, with delivery of the multimillion dollar training device scheduled for early June.
Ordered in August, 1992, from CAE Electronics of Montreal, Quebec, it will be the world's first that replicates flight on the new long-haul plane powered by Rolls-Royce engines.
Cathay's General Manager Operations, Keith Milligan, would not disclose the purchase price, but full-motion simulators, including the visual displays, typically range in cost from about US$8 million to $12 million.
Today's simulators are so advanced that pilots say the full motion, coupled with realistic audio and life-like computer-generated images, create a virtually identical feel to flying. 'They are incredibly advanced pieces of machinery,' Mr Milligan said.
In some cases experienced pilots no longer needed a certain number of hours in the sky before being licensed on new aircraft types, he said.
'They are expensive, but they are cheaper than using our aircraft for training cockpit crews. The machines not only give a realistic feel, but there are things you can do on a simulator that you could never do on a real plane,' he said.