Wizz Air, Europe’s fastest-growing and most environmentally sustainable airline globally, has become the first airline to implement both the Mobile Airbus Training experience (MATe) suite and Virtual Procedure Trainer (VPT) technology for pilot training.
The integration of both training solutions at Wizz Air’s training center in Budapest will support pilots undergoing recurrent and initial Type Training through the combined benefits of MATe suite and the Virtual Procedure Trainer. While MATe is a cloud-based service platform with e-Training and exams for different pilot training categories, the Virtual Procedure Trainer is an innovative software solution that immerses and coaches pilot trainees within a virtual cockpit individually, allowing them to rehearse or familiarise themselves with the Airbus cockpit features and respective procedures. The VR tool and the A320 Type Transition Course programme (based on the use of MATe tool) have been approved by the Hungarian Civil Aviation Authority. It will enable Wizz Air to train pilots to the standards set by Wizz Air’s Approved Training Organization (ATO).
The Virtual Reality-driven training features have been presented to industry at Wizz Air’s training center in Budapest on the 20th of March. To support the launch of the new training solution, Wizz Air conducted research that showed that almost a quarter of men (24%) and 11% of women think they could land a plane.
Wizz Air opened its first training center in Budapest in 2013 with an A320 Full Flight Simulator and classrooms. Since then, the airline has opened a new training centre in Budapest in 2018 and will open another in Rome this year. The training centres are equipped with three Airbus A320 Full Flight Simulators, A320 Fixed-base Simulators, Cabin Evacuation Trainers, and Fire Trainers. The virtual training solutions by Airbus are the latest additions to Wizz Air’s training center in Budapest.
As Wizz Air looks towards growth, the airline plans to train 4,000 flight deck crew and to welcome 300 new A321neo aircraft and the A321XLR aircraft by 2030 to meet its goals.
Attila Tóvári, Head of ATO at Wizz Air said: “We are incredibly pleased and grateful to have partnered with Airbus to create and receive CAA approval for our new programme and VR training tool. This market-leading technology will not only revolutionise the way we train our staff but the whole industry as well.
“We care deeply about our flight crews and we believe in investing in the best technology to achieve the highest and safest training standards in the market. Our flight and cabin crews are often the face of the airline to our passengers and we believe that these new tools will enable them to perform at the highest standard.”
Charbel Youzkatli, Head of Commercial Services Europe at Airbus, said:“We are delighted to have Wizz Air as the first customer to use both Airbus digital VR-driven flight training solutions MATe Suite and VPT.“These solutions will actively contribute to Wizz Air’s digital journey in the area of pilot training. MATe Suite and VPT training solutions offer pilots an immersive experience and more flexible and efficient training. This setup also allows optimizing the overall Type Rating course whilst maintaining the highest Airbus training standards.”
