MAS gears up for A380s

 

Malaysia Airlines pilots are training hard in anticipation of the delivery of six Airbus A380-800 superjumbos from next year.

With the use of an A380 full-flight simulator, 10 MAS captains have been trained and 100 more pilots will have received training by mid-2012. Purchased for US$17 million (RM51 million) in 2009, the simulator provides pilots with hands-on training in a cockpit replica in various weather scenarios, emergency situations and other failures the A380 might have.

It is technologically well-equipped, with a full network server and on-board information system, while the visual system utilises satellite imagery to create an actual world terrain database.

Captain Norshid Ali, who was among eight pilots trained in Toulouse, France to fly the A380 and is now an instructor, said preparations are underway for the arrival of the six new A380s, with the first expected in April.

“Due to the advanced technology and sheer size of the aircraft, pilots have to undergo seven weeks of training using the simulator as compared to the usual five weeks,” he said. Norshid said that as the KL International Airport in Sepang does not have bays large enough to accommodate the A380, three corner bays are being specifically modified for the aircraft.

MAS’s A380 operations will begin in the third quarter of next year. The aircraft will be used for the Kuala Lumpur-London night flight, expected to be in demand because of the London Olympics. The remaining five A380s are to arrive by July and are set to operate on the Kuala Lumpur-London and Kuala Lumpur-Amsterdam routes.

MAS acquired the six A380s for a total of US$1.6 billion (RM4.8 billion), or about US$270 million (RM810 million) each in 2009. The agreement for the aircraft was signed under the terms and conditions of an original purchase agreement between Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd and Airbus in 2003.

-theSundaily.