President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared open SriLankan Airlines' Flight Academy and its first Airbus A 320 Full Flight Simulator at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this morning.

Addressing the gathering, President Rajapaksa said the national airline established in 1952 faced many challenges and today it marked a historic day in the history of aviation in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka today needs viable manpower to supplement the overgrowing demands of the global economy and this academy will enable sections of the youth to increase their professional knowledge and skills.

Our aim should be to go in hand in hand with the rest of the world and it is the vision of the government to empower the youth of this country with required physical and psychological qualifications to move ahead, the President added.

President Rajapaksa today became the first Sri Lankan to experience Simulator flying.

The Simulator opened today with the assistance of SIM Industries of the Netherlands will provide the required flying training for Sri Lankan cadet pilots, First Officers and Captains as well as to pilots from other airlines in the region.

An Airbus A 330 Simulator will be installed at the BIA towards the second quarter of 2012.

Minister of Aviation Piyankara Jayaratne, Parliamentarian Arundika Fernando, SriLankan Airlines' Chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe and Acting Netherlands Ambassador in Sri Lanka Bas Van Noordenne were also present at the ocassion.