CAE‘s U.S. business unit plans to open a new flight training facility in Dothan, Alabama, by spring 2017 as part of the aerospace and defense contractor’s $75 million capital investment in the state.
CAE USA expects to provide integrated classroom instruction, simulator training and live-training services to more than 450 U.S. Army fixed-wing aviators and U.S. Air Force C-12 twin turboprop aircraft flight crews at the Dothan Training Center each year, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley’s office said Thursday.
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The company has also received the first aircraft that will be utilized for the Army’s Fixed-Wing Flight Training program at the 79,000-square-foot facility.
Ray Duquette, CAE USA president and general manager, said the new center will feature modern training systems specifically designed for the service branch’s fixed-wing aviators.
Duquette added that the Alabama community and local government organizations in the Wiregrass area support the construction of the center.
The Army Fixed-Wing Flight training program formally serves as the training unit for the service branch’s C-12/RC-12 King Air recurrent training and provides annual training to Air Force C-12 pilots.
CAE USA has tapped Engineered Systems, Navigator Development Group, System Dynamics International, Right Direct and Aero-One as subcontractors on the program.