A new air traffic control simulator has been installed at Rwanda’s aviation training centre in Kigali, allowing trainees to practise managing aircraft movements in simulated operating conditions before taking on duties in live air traffic control environments.
Silas Udahemuka, Director General of the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA), inaugurated the facility at Kigali International Airport in Kanombe on Friday.
The simulator has been installed at the Rwanda Civil Aviation Training & Innovation Center (RCATIC) in partnership with Airways International. It uses the company’s TotalControl technology, which recreates air traffic control environments for practical training.
According to the event information provided by RCATIC, the facility includes a main simulation room with 360-degree visuals and workstations for three air traffic controllers. It also has three additional simulator stations for training in different control functions and facilities for eight pilots to practise simulated flight operations.
The system allows trainees to work through different scenarios in a controlled setting, including situations that require coordination and decisions about aircraft movements.
RCATIC Director Albert Aidoo Taylor said the simulator would allow the centre to provide practical training based on situations controllers could encounter in their daily work.
“The simulator enables RCATIC to provide air traffic controllers with practical training based on different situations that may arise. It can simulate the operations of any airport here in Kigali,” Taylor said. “This will help us prepare air traffic controllers who are competent and confident in their work, both in Rwanda and across Africa.”
The facility is intended to support training for controllers managing aircraft movements around airports and those monitoring aircraft in different sections of airspace. It will also be used to train instructors, supervisors and assessors, as well as help serving controllers update their skills.
RCATIC was established to equip civil aviation personnel with the knowledge and skills needed to support the development of the aviation industry. The centre says it aims to help ensure the sector has access to qualified professionals who can contribute to safe, secure and sustainable air transport.
James Evans, General Manager Commercial at Airways International, welcomed the investment in simulation technology, saying the company was pleased to support RCATIC’s efforts to strengthen aviation training.
The new simulator adds to the centre’s training facilities, with programmes intended to prepare air traffic controllers and other aviation professionals for operational responsibilities in Rwanda and across the wider African region.
