Silk Way West Airlines, the leading cargo airline in the Caspian and Central Asian region, has purchased a 777-200LR Interchange Reality7e Full Flight Simulator (FFS) from L3Harris. The FFS will provide a best-in-class training experience at the Flight Training Center in Azerbaijan National Aviation Academy.

The Boeing 777-F Reality7e FFS will include a Boeing 777-200LR interchange to enable Silk Way West Airlines to offer training for its cargo operations, as well as the option to allocate excess training time to other B777-F and 777-200LR operators. The simulator is planned to be installed and ready for training by September 2024. The new device will increase the training capacity of Silk Way West Airlines qualified and trainee pilots, enabling them to keep pace with future demand for aviation services in Europe.

Mirsamed Movsumzade, CFO of Silk Way Group, commented: “We are pleased to sign this agreement that will give us an invaluable advantage in optimizing our crew cost. Moreover, having this simulator located in Baku brings more flexibility and convenience in planning of crew training. This is an excellent way to maximise our efficiency”.

Founded in 2012 in Baku, at the heart of the Silk Road, Silk Way West Airlines operates hundreds of flights every month across the globe via its fleet of 12 dedicated Boeing 747-8F and 747-400F aircraft based at Heydar Aliyev International Airport. On April 28, 2021, Silk Way West Airlines signed a strategic fleet expansion agreement with Boeing for the purchase of five new 777 Freighters, followed by a further agreement signed on November 10, 2022 for the purchase of two state-of-the-art 777-8 Freighters. Silk Way West Airlines also agreed the purchase of two A350 Freighters with Airbus on June 28, 2022.