To complete the training center two aircraft cabin mock ups and a fire fighting trainer unit will be installed shortly by Flight Simulation Company (FSC), a leading Dutch company specialized in flight crew training. FSC will operate the training center on Wizz Air’s behalf for the next 10 years which represents a local investment of €15m by the airline.

With yearly training and labor capacity of almost 6,000 man days the new facility is expected to contribute significantly to Budapest hotel occupation and visitor spend, while becoming a local reference of enhancing labor skill. Located close to Wizz Air’s Budapest office, the training center will be in easy reach of a workforce of over 1,600 Wizz Air employees, which is expected to grow to over 5,000 within the next 10 years.

The core of Wizz Air’s training center, the full flight simulator, was certified earlier this month by the Dutch and Hungarian CAA’s and will go into service immediately after its inauguration. Wizz Air and FSC celebrated the inauguration with demonstration simulations in a grand opening and the presence of Minister of National Development, Mrs. Lászlóné Németh.

Mrs. Lászlóné Németh, Minister of National Development, said: “Wizz Air Hungary, an airline that is able to develop dynamically and to expand its services constantly, creates new jobs by establishing a Crew Training Center in Budapest. In the next few months 500 pilots and even more flight attendants will take part in the upcoming trainings. Thanks to the cooperation which will last at least for 10 years, almost every crew member of the airline will acquire the knowledge required for their profession at Ferenc Liszt International Airport.”

József Váradi, Chief Executive Officer of Wizz Air, said: “I am delighted to open Wizz Air’s Flight Simulator & Training Center and to welcome the first users of the A320 flight simulator. Wizz Air relies only on the highest operating standards and achieves these by investing in the most advanced new aircraft and best in class training facilities as well as by employing the best professionals in their fields. Today marks the biggest investment ever done for the training of our exceptional workforce. I am additionally pleased that this investment is done in Budapest as a result of our commitment to be Hungary’s home town airline. I wish to thank all Wizz Air staff and suppliers for the hard work put into making these facilities operational and a pride of Hungarian aviation.”

Bob van Balen, Managing Director of Flight Simulation Company (FSC), added: “We congratulate Wizz Air for the decision to have a simulator and crew training facility next door, here in Budapest. FSC is pleased to install and run this facility for our partner Wizz Air, and we thank the airline and the airport staff for the close cooperation that made it possible to set up this training center. We look forward to a long lasting and pleasant relationship and wish Wizz Air many happy landings, both in the Airbus A320 simulator as well as on Wizz Air’s growing fleet.”

Source: Wizz Air