Kazakhstan-based Air Astana has announced a partnership with Aerosim Technologies, an international flight training provider, to establish a Pilot Training Centre in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Air Astana is the first airline from Asia or Europe to acquire Aerosim’s Enhanced Virtual Procedures Trainer (EVPT) for training and developing flight operations of pilots on the Airbus A320.

Air Astana estimates that it will save almost US$400,000 a year in overseas training costs. An additional training device for the Boeing 757/767 is also being installed and one for the Embraer E-190 will introduced in 2011.

The airline has additionally launched a pilot instructor programme in cooperation with Delta Air Lines at its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, with 13 Air Astana pilots already certified as training instructors and another 30 pilots undertaking the programme.

“Safety is the number one priority for Air Astana, with its pilots having to meet stringent requirements at every stage of training. With the fleet of Airbus A320 Family aircraft continuing to grow and the arrival of the Embraer E-190 in 2011, we need to adopt a long-term pilot training strategy which meets international standards,” said Tom Nichols, VP Flight Operations, Air Astana.