CAE inaugurates Montreal training centre for air traffic controllers

A Montreal air traffic services training centre that began rolling out operations three months ago was officially inaugurated Thursday.

The Air Traffic Services training centre is a partnership between CAE and NAV CANADA.

The centre is designed to train air traffic controllers and flight service specialists from across Canada.

CAE instructors will deliver initial training using NAV CANADA’s training curriculum and courseware. Specialty courses and unit-specific training will be run by NAV CANADA.

“I think a lot of people don’t realize how much goes on in air traffic control,” said Stella Marissa Hughes, Air Traffic Services Training centre leader, CAE. “I think frankly a lot of people aren’t aware of the role of an air traffic controller or a flight service specialist, I hope that by CAE entering this space we can bring a spotlight on it.”

Hughes and Diana Kelly of NAV CANADA say the goal is to hire 1500 air traffic professionals by 2028, with CAE handling one third of the intended goal. Application for November registrations have already begun.

“We’re looking to increase our throughput of training so we want to train more people in a shorter period of time while still maintaining our very high standard for qualification,” said Kelly.

The centre is located in Ville St Laurent with Hughes saying they have 35 aviation professional’s who are supporting the simulation and delivering the hands on training.

“Not everyone is set to be an air traffic controller or a flight service specialist because it requires good communication between pilots and between air traffic controllers and flight service specialists but a lot of those skills are the skills that CAE is bringing to them now,” said Hughes.

The program’s have a state of the art control centres simulation which provides accurate and real life situations from routine takeoffs, to emergency crash landings.

Hughes says their role is to promote the industry to Montrealers and Canadians as CAE notes they need 1.3 million pilots and crew professionals within the next 10 years.

“I think it can make us better at training pilots as well because now we understand the challenges both with the controllers and of the pilots which is better for leading towards a safe airspace,” said Hughes. “In the moments that matter, those students will have to know how to perform. So the simulators are an amazing tool to be able to get our students to practice.”

The first students began training in October 2024.

The centre is located at the CAE Montreal offices on Côte-de-Liesse in St-Laurent – right next to the airport.