Spatial Composite Solutions, a Jebel Ali-based manufacturer of crew training simulators for aviation industries, has been commissioned to design, build and install an Airbus A320 Cabin Service Trainer (CST) for Etihad Airways.

The device will provide Etihad with a realistic environment in which to train cabin crew on all aspects of premium cabin service and food preparation procedures.

The contract has been awarded to Spatial by EDM of Manchester, in the UK, with whom the Jebel Ali company recently formed a strategic alliance.

The two companies have also agreed to partner on a number of forthcoming cabin crew training projects in the Gulf region.

EDM is a global provider of training and simulation systems for civil aviation and is a specialist in the design of military training devices for the Ministry of Defence in the UK.

The CST,  to be located at Etihad’s new Crew Training Academy in Abu Dhabi, is currently under construction in Spatial’s Jebel Ali Free Zone facility.

It is scheduled to be installed and commissioned in June and will be ready for training by end of July, said a company official.

The CST will be a 1:1 scale replica of an actual Airbus A320 fuselage, featuring a forward cabin complete with galleys, seats, overhead storage bins, door exits and electronic control systems.

The 400-cycle electrics will power the galley areas, the refrigeration and the A/C systems, while the galleys themselves will be equipped with same ovens, bun warmers, toasters and coffeemakers that would be used during in-flight service at 30,000 ft.

“We are obviously delighted to have been given this opportunity to supply Etihad Airways with the A320 installation for their new Crew Training Academy in Abu Dhabi” said Joe McKeever, Spatial CEO.

“The Academy will be among the global aviation industry’s leading training facilities and Etihad’s investment in such a sophisticated training facility underscores the company’s commitment to excellence in everything it does,” he noted.

“We are extremely pleased to be working with Spatial Composite Solutions, a local company that has demonstrated that it possesses the expertise to produce work that meets the highest global standards,” commented Richard Hill, chief operating officer at Etihad Airways.

“From Etihad’s perspective this has the added benefit of ensuring that once the Cabin Service Trainer is operational, the supplier is perfectly placed to provide rapid assistance should the need arise,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service