Saudi Arabia – CAE has begun recruiting a dedicated Flight Simulation Training Device (FSTD) technical operations team to support Riyadh Air’s new training centre in Saudi Arabia. The recruitment includes leadership, senior engineering, engineering and technician positions responsible for simulator availability, maintenance, qualification and regulatory compliance, providing a further indication that CAE and Riyadh Air are progressing the operational build-out of the airline’s in-house training infrastructure.

CAE has opened at least four Riyadh-based technical roles associated specifically with the facility:
- Group Leader – Flight Simulator Technical Operations
- Senior Flight Simulator Engineer
- Flight Simulator Engineer
- Flight Simulator Technician
The Group Leader will be responsible for the engineering team, simulator availability, operational performance, Service Level Agreement metrics and regulatory compliance. The position also covers new simulator installations and updates, initial and recurrent device qualifications and coordination with aviation authorities.
The Senior Flight Simulator Engineer role covers preventive maintenance, Daily Readiness checks, recurrent Qualification Test Guide runs, aircraft database and instructor operating station lesson-plan updates, simulator AOG events and preparation for regulatory evaluations. CAE requires at least seven years of relevant experience for the position, including knowledge of FSTD regulatory requirements.
CAE’s Flight Simulator Engineer and Technician vacancies provide additional staffing for day-to-day simulator operation. Tasks include preventive and corrective maintenance, QTG activity, visual-system alignment, technical troubleshooting, device setup and maintaining simulator readiness for training.
The recruitment builds on a training partnership first announced in December 2023, when Riyadh Air ordered two Boeing 787 CAE7000XR Full Flight Simulators and one Boeing 787 Flight Training Device. CAE and Riyadh Air said the equipment would form part of a purpose-built training centre developed with Prince Sultan University in Riyadh.
Riyadh Air received a GACA operational certificate for its first Boeing 787-9 Full Flight Simulator in January 2025. The airline described the qualification as part of the establishment of its domestic pilot-training ecosystem.
The planned simulator inventory was expanded again at Dubai Airshow 2025 when Riyadh Air ordered two Airbus A321neo CAE 7000XR Full Flight Simulators. CAE also agreed to provide operations, maintenance and qualification services under an expanded Training Centre Operations arrangement, with Riyadh Air stating that the two A321neo devices would join the two Boeing 787-9 FFSs acquired in 2023.
The training build-out supports a growing mixed fleet. Riyadh Air has 60 Airbus A321neo aircraft planned and, following its July 2026 Boeing agreement, expects its firm Boeing 787 commitment to reach 67 aircraft once the remaining transaction is finalised. Boeing confirmed that six 787-9s had been delivered by July 20, 2026.

Source: CAE

New Middle East Airline Training Facility Launches FSTD Engineering Team Recruitment Campaign in 2026

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