Riyadh Air and CAE today announced a strategic partnership to establish and operate a new pilot training centre at Prince Sultan University’s newly established College of Aviation and Space, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to support the new airline as it continues its journey to take off in 2025.

As part of the agreement, Riyadh Air will acquire two state-of-the-art Boeing 787 CAE7000XR full-flight simulators (FFS) and a Boeing 787 flight training device (FTD). CAE and Riyadh Air will work in close collaboration with Prince Sultan University to deploy the simulators at a new purpose-built facility on the university’s Riyadh campus.

Tony Douglas, Riyadh Air CEO, said:

By placing such an important order to fulfill our simulator requirements and create a roadmap for our pilot training, Riyadh Air is achieving another critical milestone on our journey towards our first flight.  CAE is a world renowned provider of technology for pilot training and we are looking forward to having our simulators in our state of the art new facility at the Prince Sultan University in Riyadh where they will inspire the next generation of aviators in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Nick Leontidis, CAE’s Group President, Civil Aviation, said:

We are grateful that Riyadh Air has placed its trust in CAE to provide the digitally immersive simulators that will enable the new airline take to the sky in 2025.

We look forward to working in partnership with Riyadh Air and Prince Sultan University to develop a new training centre with advanced simulation technology that will equip the airline’s personnel with the skill and confidence to deliver the highest levels of safety and a memorable customer experience on every flight.

The first four Riyadh Air pilots have begun their training at CAE London Gatwick. CAE will support pilot training at locations within its existing network until the scheduled opening of the Prince Sultan University training centre in 2024.

This partnership demonstrates a collective commitment to excellence and safety in aviation. By combining forces, CAE, Riyadh Air and Prince Sultan University aim to set new standards for pilot training and aviation safety in Saudi Arabia and destinations around the world that will be served by Riyadh Air.