Ryanair invests $80m in flight simulators

Ryanair, Europe's largest low fares airline, is buying 10 flight simulators from CAE, the world's leading provider of flight simulators for pilot training, in a deal worth over $80m (£42.55m).The CAE full-flight simulators replicate in every detail the cockpit of Ryanair's Boeing 737-800 series fleet, reproducing with great accuracy real flight conditions for the recurrent training of Ryanair pilots.

Howard Millar, Ryanair's CFO and deputy CEO, said: "With this investment, Ryanair will continue to provide world-class pilot training for its flight crews, as it doubles in size over the next five years from 42.5m passengers this year to more than 80m passengers in 2012.

“Over the period, Ryanair's fleet, the youngest of any major airline in Europe, will grow from 113 Boeing 737-800 aircraft to 234 aircraft on firm order.

"The simulators are for delivery from 2008 and will facilitate the expansion of Ryanair's lowest fares across Europe."