When JetBlue signed their first training agreement with CAE in 2003, the young airline had just 200 pilots and 37 aircraft in their fleet – all Airbus A320s¹. Having recently commenced operations on February 11, 2000, the airline was in the process of establishing itself as a competitor in the International market.

Now, more than two decades later, JetBlue flies to over 118 destinations worldwide, with an active fleet of 282 aircraft. What started as a promising new airline at the dawn of the century turned into one of North America’s largest airlines. And in those two decades of growth, CAE has been with JetBlue every step of the way.

Our relationship with JetBlue has always been anchored by the idea of infinite possibilities, with CAE adapting to JetBlue’s training needs as their business – and fleet - expanded. In 2003, CAE and Airbus signed a three-year training agreement with JetBlue to deliver training on two Airbus A320 Full Flight Simulators (FFS) at the Airbus Training Centre in Miami². Later that year, JetBlue ordered four A320 FFS and two Embraer E190 FFS from CAE, securing the option for seven more as their demand increased³.

In the years following, JetBlue continued to rely upon us to keep up with their quickly increasing training requirements. The years 2004 – 2006 brought more orders for both simulators and flight training devices (FTDs) for JetBlue University’s Support Campus in Orlando, FL – their pilot training hub⁴. JetBlue and CAE established multi-year maintenance and engineering agreements⁵, culminating in a long-term service agreement signed in 2013 to perform major upgrades on all simulators and training devices, bringing JetBlue on board with the latest technology of the time.

A new chapter in the JetBlue-CAE story came in 2016, when we partnered to launch their seventh pilot recruitment pathway, Gateway Select. Gateway Select is an intensive multi-phase program divided between JetBlue University in Orlando and CAE’s Flight Academy in Meza, AZ. The program is designed to take future pilots from zero qualifications to being flight deck ready in three-to-four years. Once meeting all program requirements, including the FAA's 1,500 flight-hour requirement, pilots will become a new hire at JetBlue. In total, the JetBlue cadets spend 42 weeks at CAE throughout their program.

Most recently, JetBlue ordered two new A220-300 CAE 7000XR series FFS, and two CAE500XR FTDs in 2019. CAE is still delivering the training curriculum for Gateway Select which is now in its seventh year.

As CAE celebrates its 75^th Anniversary, it becomes clear that these types of partnerships truly represent the heart of CAE. To join forces with a new customer in their infancy and grow together over two decades is part of what makes the work we do so special. We have played a role in every JetBlue passenger arriving to their destination safely. If you have ever flown with JetBlue, you have flown with CAE. We thank JetBlue for continuing to choose CAE as their training partner of choice.

Customer Facts:

• CAE Orlando's training centre is located at JetBlue University's campus
• CAE is a partner of JetBlue Technology Ventures (JTV), JetBlue’s technological innovation program