Starting in February, SWISS will begin training its crewmembers to pilot the Airbus A350. The airline has 10 brand-new A350-900s on order. The first of the planes arrives this summer, and in 2025, the carrier will train over 50 pilots how to fly them. It’s all a part of Swiss International Air Lines’ (SWISS) continual renewal of its fleet.
Pilots will train on full-flight simulators
SWISS pilots will train on the new Airbus A350 full-flight simulator at Lufthansa Aviation Training Switzerland (LAT CH) in Opfikon near Zurich Airport. The simulator creates a highly realistic environment where pilots can get accustomed to the A350.
The simulator at LAT CH will be used continuously from February into the summer, so crews are prepared for the aircraft’s introduction. When 2026 arrives, the airline will train around 90 pilots yearly. In addition, A350 cabin crew members will be trained at LAT CH starting in March. In 2025, SWISS plans to train 1,800 cabin crew.
SWISS Chief Operating Officer Oliver Buchhofer said: “The Airbus A350 marks another major milestone for us at SWISS. It underlines our commitment to investing in a state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft fleet; and it will raise both our efficiency and our passenger comfort to further new highs. The arrival of the A350 is special, too, for our pilots who will fly it,” he continues. “A new aircraft type is not just an exciting new professional undertaking: it’s a further landmark in their flying career. And with the start of our A350 simulator training, we’re laying the foundation to put the new twinjet into our scheduled operations later this year.”
