El Al on Tuesday held an inauguration ceremony for its new Boeing 737 simulator, which is the first of its kind in Israel.
The new simulator will be used for El Al training and instruction, and simulates an actual Boeing 737 cockpit. The simulator includes appropriate image movement and engine noise simulations, and the images are taken from actual flights. All of the systems and computers behave exactly as they would on a plane.
The simulator can also simulate any airport which currently serves El Al, including London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Amsterdam, and many others. It simulates takeoff and landing, taxiing between different airport buildings and to and from the runways, and various emergency situations.
Until now, all the pilots' hands-on training was done abroad. With the new simulator, pilots will be able to do the bulk of their training in Israel, going abroad only for the motion simulation.
"With the new simulator to aid pilot instruction and training, El Al's pilot training program becomes one of the best in the world," said El Al CEO David Maimon.
The inauguration ceremony also included affixing a mezuzah in the new El Al site in Or Yehuda.
Maimon, as well as Board of Directors Chair Amikam Cohen and El Al Rabbi Yohanan Hayut, were honored with affixing the new mezuzah.