First Airbus A320 FTD Level 2 opens at BAA Training Spain

A new state-of-the-art Airbus A320 Flight Training Device (FTD) Level 2 is ready for training at BAA Training Spain. It is one of a few devices of this kind in Europe with Level 2 certification. It offers high-fidelity training functionality: the cockpit, visual system, and software are identical to a full-flight simulator (FFS), except it does not have a hydraulic motion system.

The FTD guarantees more attractive training prices for customers when it replaces the FFS to complete MCC, JOC and other training.

Aurimas Urbonas, Managing Director of BAA Training Spain, said: “By introducing an FFS and FTD equipment mix, we are providing our corporate and individual customers with an opportunity to use their budget allocated to the training much more efficiently. They can now book additional training hours to hone their pilot skills, surpassing the EASA requirements. Many airlines face an issue that their pilots who have temporarily been out of the flight deck start losing their competencies. The FTD device offers a streamlined solution to help them recover their skills quickly.”

Apart from MCC and JOC, parts of Type Rating can be completed on FTD Level 2. BAA Training plans to utilise this device for conducting up to 20% of Type Rating initially, which will potentially be extended to 50% in the future. This equipment will also be used for recurrent training and other courses under OM-D later on.

BAA Training Spain currently operates the following simulators: Airbus A320ceo, Airbus A320ceo/neo, Boeing 737 MAX and A320 FTD Level 2 device. An additional Boeing 737 MAX FTD Level 2 will be delivered to the Barcelona facility in May 2022.

In total, eight FTD Level 2 simulators are planned to be delivered and put into service across different BAA Training locations – in Lithuania, Vietnam, Spain and France.