A Sussex company has completed a contract with US airline jetBlue to design and manufacture an A320 cabin crew training simulator.

Littlehampton-based RP Technologies beat competition from American companies to win the contract.

The high-specification simulator has been delivered to the jetBlue training centre at New York's JFK International Airport.

It will provide the backbone of training required for the airline's growing domestic network.

Further work with jetBlue is expected to follow in the next few months.

The simulator is a half section of fuselage, comprising a main entry door and functional attendant seats and panels.

Stephen Foster, RP Technologies managing director, said: "We have supplied major simulator devices for British Midland A330 aircraft last year and the jetBlue contact was a very positive win for us, particularly as the timing was so tricky after the terrorist attacks in America.

"At a time when many airline contracts are being frozen, we hope this will help to restore market confidence.

"We have worked really hard to create a global market for ourselves and have won many significant UK, European and American contracts.

"Working alongside airlines to develop and manufacture innovative modular training systems for all types of cabin crew training is going to become more important because the market needs to show it is investing in training generally and safety in particular.

"This contract shows companies with the right aptitude and forward thinking can survive and thrive in a world of uncertainty.

"Many airlines were already under increasing cost constraints in a very fragile market and it is unfortunate a few have already fallen by the wayside. I believe those that survive the next year will be far stronger and leaner than in the past and our philosophy puts us in a strong position for the coming years."