CAE and Bombardier Unveil Modular Training for Techs

CAE and Bombardier have announced a new modular maintenance training program to reduce the time required for Bombardier aircraft technicians to train. The program—which will be tested at Bombardier’s service centers in Wichita, Kansas; Tucson, Arizona; and Opa Locka, Florida—is designed to consolidate training for models within Bombardier's aircraft family, allowing technicians to gain proficiency across multiple platforms more quickly.

The global aviation industry faces a maintenance technician shortage, with CAE’s 2023 Aviation Talent Forecast predicting a need for 402,000 new technicians by 2032. Of this total, 74,000 are needed within business aviation. The new modular program aims to address this gap by streamlining certification, reducing training time, and improving the overall efficiency of technician education.

"While there is a need to better promote the career path of an aircraft technician to students around the globe, a big part of the challenge is that it currently takes too long to train new technicians and even longer to train them across several aircraft platforms," said Alexandre Prévost, president of CAE's business aviation division. The modular solution addresses this issue by consolidating courses and leveraging shared components across Bombardier’s aircraft family, allowing for a faster, more efficient training process.

An initial testing phase will help determine how well the modular system improves training efficiency and technician performance. The new approach is expected to allow Bombardier to better match technician training to operational needs, reducing the amount of time technicians spend away from aircraft while still ensuring they acquire the necessary skills.

"Given the need for qualified technicians in the marketplace, it is imperative that we maximize their time working on aircraft and optimize the value of their time away for training,” said Mike Ménard, senior director of Bombardier Aircraft Services Americas. “The goal of this new modular system is to allow us to better tailor our training to the needs of our technicians, our organization, and ultimately our customers.”