Lufthansa Prepares for Boeing 777-9 With Simulator Arrival

Lufthansa Aviation Training in Frankfurt has received the first Boeing 777-9 full-flight simulator delivered directly to an airline group, a significant step towards introducing the new aircraft into Lufthansa's long-haul fleet.

The simulator, manufactured by CAE and arriving from Montreal on February 19, is configured to match the specifications of Lufthansa's future 777-9 fleet. It features a Rockwell Collins EP 8100 visual system, Eyevis ESP-LWQX-2000 projectors, and a system capable of realistically simulating smoke in the cockpit.

The simulator's early arrival is particularly interesting because of the significant gap between Lufthansa's preparations and the actual availability of Boeing's new aircraft. When the simulator arrived, Lufthansa Aviation Training was already indicating that the airline's first 777-9 was not expected to join the fleet until mid-2027.

This delay is by no means a Lufthansa-specific problem; the 777X has become one of the longest-running development programs in Boeing's recent history. The simulator allows Lufthansa to begin pilot training independently of the final aircraft delivery schedule and ensure that a sufficient number of trained crews are available once the first aircraft arrive.

For Lufthansa Aviation Training, the simulator also represents a significant technological addition to one of Europe's largest flight crew training systems. The company operates at ten locations, employs around 800 people, and has almost 200 different training devices, ranging from full-flight simulators to cabin and procedural trainers.