CAE today announced that CAE Flightscape has been awarded a contract to deliver a comprehensive flight recorder playback and analysis laboratory for the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The heart of the laboratory is CAE Flightscape's Insight software suite, which is used by the majority of air safety investigators at aircraft manufacturers and investigation authorities around the world and greatly facilitates collaboration during complex international investigations.
The GACA laboratory will provide the capability to readout and analyze information from aircraft flight data and cockpit voice recorders, a key component of any accident investigation today. The laboratory will fall under the responsibility of Captain Mohammed Ali Jamjoom, Vice President of Safety & Economic Regulation (S&ER) within GACA. "We investigate every civil aviation accident in the KSA, and we issue safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents by determining the probable cause. The addition of a flight recorder lab will significantly improve our ability and timeliness to fulfill this primary mandate," said Captain Jamjoom.
GACA's S&ER is also responsible for maintaining the government's database of civil aviation accidents and also conducts special studies of aviation safety issues of national significance. The S&ER provides investigators to serve as KSA-accredited representatives as specified in international treaties for accidents outside the Kingdom involving Saudi-registered aircraft. The S&ER is also responsible for airport certification and for the implementation and monitoring of Air Navigation Systems safety.
The laboratory being supplied by CAE Flightscape is based on technology and processes originally developed at the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, the federal agency responsible for accident investigation in Canada. CAE Flightscape staff have built or augmented flight recorder laboratories for agencies in the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and North America.
Modern aircraft record significant amounts of flight data and technology advances have made flight data analysis and playback a widely accepted, necessary, and practical activity for all authorities charged with investigation responsibilities.
"More and more countries are realizing the importance of in-house capabilities when it comes to flight data analysis, not only to investigate major accidents but also to investigate serious incidents in order to improve safety, as recently mandated by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)," said Mike Poole, CAE Flightscape Executive Director and Chief Investigator.
CAE Flightscape is a world leader in the science of flight safety, specializing in flight data analysis. CAE Flightscape develops software and provides services that enable the effective study and understanding of recorded flight data from aircraft and flight simulators to improve safety, training, maintenance, and flight operations.
CAE is a world leader in providing simulation and modelling technologies and integrated training solutions for the civil aviation industry and defence forces around the globe. With annual revenues exceeding C$1.6 billion, CAE employs more than 6,500 people at more than 90 sites and training locations in 20 countries. We have the largest installed base of civil and military full-flight simulators and training devices. Through our global network of 29 civil aviation and military training centres, we train more than 75,000 crewmembers yearly. We also offer modelling and simulation software to various market segments and, through CAE's professional services division, we assist customers with a wide range of simulation-based needs.
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Nathalie Bourque, Vice President, Public Affairs and Global Communications,
(514) 734-5788, [email protected]
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(813) 887-1242, [email protected]
Investor relations: Andrew Arnovitz, Vice President, Investor Relations and Strategy,
(514) 734-5760, [email protected]
