Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is set to commence cockpit crew training for its new Airbus A350 aircraft in early February. The training will take place at Lufthansa Aviation Training Switzerland’s (LAT CH) facility in Opfikon, near Zurich Airport, using a newly installed Airbus A350 full-flight simulator.
As part of its ongoing fleet renewal, SWISS is replacing its ageing Airbus A340-300 aircraft with ten state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900s. The first of these aircraft is currently being assembled at Airbus’s Toulouse facility. To ensure a smooth transition, SWISS is preparing its pilots with simulator training that closely replicates the flight characteristics of the A350.
The airline plans to train over 50 pilots on the A350 by the end of 2025, with around 90 additional pilots expected to complete training each year from 2026 onwards. The new A350 simulator will operate 24/7 to ensure a sufficient number of qualified pilots are ready by the time the aircraft enters service.
Cabin crew training will also take place at LAT CH from March onwards, with newly acquired training mock-ups and equipment already installed at the Opfikon facility. By the end of the year, SWISS aims to train approximately 1,800 cabin crew members to serve on the Airbus A350.
With these developments, SWISS is taking a major step forward in enhancing its long-haul operations, focusing on improved efficiency, passenger experience, and sustainability.
