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When software engineer Jean-Paul Monnin and former Air France pilot Jérôme Binachon came up with the idea to develop and sell affordable state-of-the-art flight training devices back in 1994, they didn’t know that their new company–Alsim–would soon be counted among the most important manufacturers of fixed-base flight simulators in the world.
The idea was simple: create a single generic device that can be used for different aircraft types and keep the costs low so that even small flight schools can afford it. What followed is a long list of innovative products year after year, starting with the introduction of TFT screens on simulators in 1997. At that time Alsim was the first simulator manufacturer to use this technology in its devices.
As the airlines’ focus on multi-crew cooperation (MCC) became more stringent at the end of the last century, Alsim developed a device solely dedicated to give pilots more confidence and increase their competence in a multi-crew working environment. As a result, the company sold its first MCC trainer to Airways Formation in 1999. This device laid the foundation for all others that were yet to come.
In the early 2000s, Diamond Aircraft was quickly becoming a new innovative player in the aviation training market. Alsim quickly reacted and was able to launch the AL42, an exact replica of the Diamond DA42 twin-engine training aircraft, as early as 2005. Since the Diamond twin was equipped with a glass cockpit, the next logical step was a Garmin trainer, which Alsim introduced in 2006.
In 2007, Monnin and his research and development team discussed a completely new device that would be able to replicate 10 different aircraft models while offering training capabilities from PPL up to MCC/JOC-the new ALX was born and launched in 2008.
In early 2016, Alsim’s founding idea of creating affordable multi-purpose flight training devices resurged again in what became yet another versatile simulator-the AL250, a compact device reconfigurable for SEP/MEP training on the PPL, CPL and IR/ME level. Only one year later-in 2017-Alsim relaunched its second type-specific device for a classic training aircraft, the Cessna 172 Skyhawk.
Alsim’s latest development that came out in 2018 is simply known as “The Airliner.” The device is a multi-purpose hybrid (B737/A320) designed to address medium to large ATOs’ needs for advanced MCC, APS MCC, JOC, LOFT and UPRT training as well as airline selection programs (preparation and skill tests).
Monnin, Alsim co-founder and CEO, said: “We are proud to be recognized as a leader in our industry for so many years, and we will continue offering devices that fit exactly what our clients need. The past 25 years show how much our clients trust us, and we thank them for working with us to make the flight training industry the best it can be. We look forward to continuing the long-term business relationships with our current clients, and welcoming many more to our Alsim family.”
This year, Alsim is proudly looking back on a 25-year long journey together with its 250 clients who have more than 350 certified devices installed in over 50 countries all over the world. The company will celebrate its 25th anniversary on several occasions during the year.
