It’s got a 3-2 configuration, so very few middle seats. “One of the unique features of this aircraft is the economy cabin. So it gives you the feeling that you are in a very big aircraft, or a widebody aircraft, but you are still in a narrow body plane,” Khattak said. And I think the 3-2 layout that we are going to have in this cabin is a little different than perhaps they are used to on other narrow body aircraft. The windows are quite big, they can adjust the lighting as well, the overhead bins offer a lot of space. It’s got a feel of a widebody aircraft when you walk through the cabin. “I think they will be pleasantly surprised when they come on board this aircraft. He also believes passengers will really love the A220-300. From that perspective, I really enjoy the airplane,” Khattak said. It’s also got a heads-up display unit which offers you a lot of situational awareness as well. “It allows you to customize it from your own perspective of how you want to manage the flight deck. The automation and display screens on the aircraft make a pilot’s job much easier. So, the visibility in the aircraft is fantastic.” The side windows on the aircraft are huge, as well as the front looking out. The overhead panel is very clean and the display units offer a great amount of visibility. “For a narrow body, it’s got a lot of room. That has made it much more fuel efficient,” Birch said.Īsif Khattak is also a check pilot for the A220 program and he too was impressed by the flight deck’s spaciousness. “The biggest difference for me on this is that this has a geared engine. It’s got a great system of displays where you can customize them to your use and what your preferences are.”īefore the A220, Birch was a captain on the Airbus A320. “The best part of flying the A220 in the simulator so far is that the level of automation is very high. I think it is going to be a really comfortable work space,” Birch said. It was obviously designed with the pilot in mind. “My initial impression of the flight deck is how spacious and roomy it is. Robert Birch was one of the first pilots at Air Canada to go through A220 training and as a check pilot he helps certify the next group of pilots to be qualified on this aircraft. Simulator sessions include taking off and landing at different airports, enabling pilots to manage the aircraft while encountering a multitude of weather conditions as well as a range of situations that can arise while operating a flight. Once they have completed this phase, pilots then undergo 11 sessions of four hours in the sophisticated A220-300 simulator, which replicates with stunning reality the flying capabilities of the aircraft. Training options that replace the fully functional piece with touchscreens don’t produce the same results. And for the A220, Air Canada is one of the only airlines to have opted to equip its IPT with a fully functional console between the Captain’s and First Officer’s seats, allowing for the pilots to train on the actual equipment and build up muscle memory. Working out of our simulator facility near Toronto’s Pearson Airport, each pilot undergoes weeks of training that begins with four days of classroom sessions, where pilots have a desktop simulator on a computer to allow them to familiarize themselves with the flight deck.Īfter that, there are nine sessions of four hours each on what is known as an Integrated Procedures Trainer (IPT), which is a scaled down model of the full simulator. We also are in communication with other departments within Air Canada such as maintenance, in-flight, cargo, ground operations, ensuring that everybody is on the same page throughout the introduction so that at entry into service goes smoothly,” said Rob Latter, Chief Pilot for the A220 at Air Canada. “Within flight operations, we’ve got multiple groups from training within the fleet itself dealing with the change, the rapid changing of the documentation from the manufacturer. Simulator training is nothing new for pilots, who must continuously spend hours in these sophisticated training tools every six months to maintain their license to operate a particular aircraft.Īnd introducing an entire new aircraft to Air Canada’s fleet also represents a major undertaking that requires teamwork and input from every department within the company. Months before our new, modern Airbus A220-300 aircraft takes to the skies, dozens of pilots are immersed in training to prepare them to take the controls when we welcome our first A220-300 to the Air Canada fleet later this year.Įach pilot undergoes hours of training in classrooms and simulators, recreating a variety of situations so that when the time comes to accelerate down the runway toward V1, they are well versed in everything the A220-300 is capable of. Provided by Air Canada Twitter Every A220 pilot undergoes months of training on sophisticated simulator
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