Indra, the premier IT company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe, will start-up an International Aeronautics Training Centre nearby El Prat airport in Barcelona, Spain.

The new centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art simulators. The advanced technological features of these systems will be prepared to train the world's premier airlines and will complement the learning process of new pilots.

The Minister for Territory and Sustainability of Catalonia, Lluis Recoder; Mayor of El Prat, Lluis Tejedor; Indra's General Director, Carlos Suárez and Indra's Simulation Director José Vicente Rolo, signed on Thursday, January 26th an Protocol of Intentions to startup the new centre, in the presence of Indra's Chairman, Javier Monzón and President of the Government of Catalonia, Artur Mas. The signature took place at the Palau de la Generalitat.

With an advantageous location near the airport, pilots could engage in training at the centre during stopovers or transfers to other destinations. The new centre will also complement the activities of pilot training schools (FTO). Indra will have the support of GTA to exploit the centre.

The facilities will be equipped with state-of-the-art simulators (level D) developed by Indra. This qualification is granted by the State Agency for Air Security (AESA) after evaluating the systems in compliance with the international legislation and certifies that the training systems replicate with maximum accuracy the behavior of the real aircraft. Level D means that every hour in training with the simulator counts as an hour flying a real aircraft.

The project envisages starting operations with an Airbus 320 simulator, one of the most commercially successful aircrafts widely used by airlines across the globe. The centre will grow progressively with new simulators, incorporating the models demanded by airlines.

Nowadays, active pilots must undergo a certain number of simulation flight hours periodically. Airlines usually demand candidates fulfill hours in simulators of the same model of the aircraft they will pilot.

Simulators offer the possibility to train in emergency situations which are impossible to be reproduced in a real aircraft. With simulators the pilot will be able to train in adverse weather conditions, in daylight or at night, the systems can simulate system failures or they can try emergency landing; situations which demand following the established protocols. Besides this, pilots can get familiar with takeoffs and landings in any airport of the world, as the scenarios are accurately reproduced in these systems.