All Nippon Airways invited the press to training facilities of Boeing 787 mechanics on March 12. Unlike conventional training centering around class room sessions with paper documents, 787 course features all manuals in electronic format available at PC for trainees, while other PCs enable them to see cockpit as well as other parts of the aircraft, making them to join in simulated repair works. ANA also introduced flat panel trainer, simplified flight simulator, to lower training cost.
Currently the first batch of 12 mechanics are undertaking the training in Japan; they will go to Boeing at Seattle by the end of this month and when they pass the examination using the actual 787, they will be certified as instructor mechanics.
ANA's 787 order totals 55 and the airliner expects to receive the aircraft sometime in the fourth quarter as the launch customer of new Boeing airliner.
