Scott Nicholas
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.
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.
