An extensive “restructuring” of Boeing’s Alteon Training subsidiary will see the company close four training centers, redistribute assets to other centers and open a new facility in Shanghai to house the first Boeing 787 simulator in China. The facilities marked for closure include Long Beach, Calif., Dallas, Texas, Kunming, China and Luton, UK. Boeing expects to close the two U.S. centers and the Chinese facility in December. Plans call for Luton to close next June.
The consolidation in effect shifts training capacity from Long Beach to Miami and Seattle, while equipment from London Luton moves to Gatwick and Manchester in the UK. From Long Beach, a 717-200 simulator–used primarily by Hawaiian Airlines–will go to Seattle, and a 737-700/800 simulator will go to Miami. The company plans to retire the Long Beach-based 737-200 and MD-88 machines, along with all three 737 Classic simulators based in Dallas. Alteon said it will move the MD-11 simulator at Long Beach to an undisclosed customer location.
