Canadian simulator giant CAE has launched a formal consultation process that could see its Brussels Airport training centre shuttered by year-end, according to a 21 April report in De Tijd confirmed by Aviation24.be. The facility, which trains pilots from Brussels Airlines, TUI fly Belgium and several business-aviation operators, has struggled with falling demand and rising costs. Management told staff that “structurally too many costs compared to the revenues we generate” make the site unviable. The centre currently employs 27 people; CAE estimates 22 positions would be redundant if the closure proceeds. Under Belgian law, a minimum 30-day information-and-consultation period is required before any collective dismissal. Trade-union representative Paul Blondeel of ACV-Metea said employees were “blindsided,” noting that the unit was still profitable in 2024 before slipping into losses last year. From a mobility perspective, airlines could face higher crewing-costs and extra travel days for recurrent simulator checks if training is moved to CAE’s centres in Amsterdam or Madrid. Brussels Airlines performs more than 4,000 simulator hours annually at Steenokkerzeel; relocating that volume could translate into an estimated €1 million in additional hotel and per-diem spending.
![CAE Weighs Closure of Brussels Pilot-Training Centre, Putting 22 Jobs at Risk]()
Amid the planning for those extra rotations, travel managers should note that moving crews across borders may also involve fresh visa or work-permit formalities. VisaHQ’s Belgium platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) simplifies that process by offering quick eligibility checks, digital paperwork handling, and courier-free submissions for destinations like the Netherlands and Spain, ensuring pilots stay current without administrative turbulence.
The potential shutdown also collides with Belgium’s ambitions to position Brussels Airport as a regional aviation-training hub. Federal Transport Minister Georges Gilkinet has asked CAE for a viability review and is exploring temporary payroll subsidies to keep the centre open. Meanwhile, affected pilots are scrambling for available simulator slots elsewhere to maintain licence validity. Should the closure go ahead, mobility managers relocating cockpit crew to Belgium may need to budget extra time and cost for training trips abroad or explore dry-lease simulator options with smaller providers in Charleroi or Liège.
Amid the planning for those extra rotations, travel managers should note that moving crews across borders may also involve fresh visa or work-permit formalities. VisaHQ’s Belgium platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) simplifies that process by offering quick eligibility checks, digital paperwork handling, and courier-free submissions for destinations like the Netherlands and Spain, ensuring pilots stay current without administrative turbulence.
The potential shutdown also collides with Belgium’s ambitions to position Brussels Airport as a regional aviation-training hub. Federal Transport Minister Georges Gilkinet has asked CAE for a viability review and is exploring temporary payroll subsidies to keep the centre open. Meanwhile, affected pilots are scrambling for available simulator slots elsewhere to maintain licence validity. Should the closure go ahead, mobility managers relocating cockpit crew to Belgium may need to budget extra time and cost for training trips abroad or explore dry-lease simulator options with smaller providers in Charleroi or Liège.
