Aer Lingus and Simtech Aviation have opened a new Airbus A320 CEO/NEO full-flight simulator, built by CAE, at Simtech's Pilot Training Centre of Excellence near Dublin Airport. The installation marks a significant investment in Irish-based pilot training and the first phase of a wider expansion of the country's training infrastructure.

Aer Lingus is headquartered in Dublin and is part of International Airlines Group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange and Spain's Bolsas y Mercados (ticker: IAG). The airline operates a fleet built around Airbus narrowbody and widebody aircraft across its short-haul European network and transatlantic long-haul routes from Dublin.

CAE is headquartered in Montreal, Canada, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange (ticker: CAE). For the fiscal year ended 31 March 2025, the company reported revenue of 4.7 billion Canadian dollars (3.0 billion euros), with its civil aviation training division supplying full-flight simulators to airlines and training organisations worldwide.

Simtech Aviation is a Dublin-based pilot training provider and long-standing partner of Aer Lingus, operating its training centre adjacent to Dublin Airport. The new simulator is owned by Aer Lingus, while Simtech provides the specialist training infrastructure, ongoing maintenance and technical support required to operate it, drawing on its experienced engineering team.

The investment reflects growing demand for Airbus A320-family pilot training capacity in Ireland as airlines expand their narrowbody fleets, supporting a shift toward building that capacity domestically rather than relying on training centres abroad.

Plans are already underway for the addition of an Aer Lingus A330 CEO/NEO full-flight simulator at the same facility, with a dedicated A321XLR full-flight simulator expected to follow in 2027, building on the Aer Lingus and Simtech relationship developed over previous training programmes.

For the sector, the expansion strengthens Ireland's position as a hub for airline pilot training as demand for simulator capacity continues to grow across Europe.

Source: Flying in Ireland / CAE