United Airlines has completed the first phase of its expansion at the Flight Training Center in Denver, adding simulator and classroom capacity that lifts the facility’s training throughput to as many as 860 pilots a day. The site, which United describes as the world’s largest pilot training centre, now spans eight buildings and nearly 700,000 square feet, with 86 CAE training devices in operation.
The expanded campus includes 52 full-motion simulators and 34 fixed training devices, supporting more than 32,000 training events a year. United operates the centre 24 hours a day for 362 days a year, reflecting the pace required to keep its pilot pipeline moving as the carrier grows. The airline has about 18,000 pilots on its current roster.
Phase two is due to break ground next year and is scheduled to become operational around 2030. The additional capacity matters for an airline fleet and staffing plan that depends heavily on simulator availability, with recurrent and type-rating training concentrated in Denver.