Air India has signed an agreement with Alteon Training, a wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing Company, on Friday to have a Boeing 737NG simulator delivered to the national carrier's Mumbai facility.

According to a press release, the simulator will arrive at the end of the month and would be installed and certified by the end of January 2007. "By providing solutions in Mumbai instead of having their pilots and crew travel to other training centres, Air India can save both time and money," said officials of Air India and Alteon in a press release.

Other Indian carriers using 737NG aircraft will also be able to rent time on the simulator to train their crew. A Boeing 777 simulator will follow in November 2007 while a Boeing 787 simulator will arrive in early 2008.

Air India ordered 68 new Boeing Jets at a list price of $11 billion in 2005. The order includes twenty three 777s, twenty seven 787-8s and 18 Next-Generation 737-800s. Air India will take delivery of the first 737-800 this month in Seattle. Alteon Training has more than 70 flight simulators in over 20 locations around the world.

Taken from Business Line

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