AELO Swiss Academy Launches New Airline Cadet Intake at Italian Satellite Base in 2026

Italy – AELO Swiss Academy, a Swiss-headquartered flight training group, has commenced training for a new class of 12 airline cadets from a French carrier at its satellite base at Cuneo Airport in Italy, with the cohort beginning their program on 16 March 2026.

• The intake marks the cadets' first direct flight training experience, representing a key milestone in their ab-initio professional pathway. Training is being delivered at AELO's established base at Cuneo Airport, where the academy has operated a satellite facility since 2022 under a partnership with GEAC Cuneo Airport.
• The program forms part of a five-year training agreement providing up to 36 cadets per year, generating a tangible impact on the local airport ecosystem including the development of a dedicated campus residence for students and instructors at Cuneo.
• AELO's Cuneo satellite operation supports the academy's broader multi-base training model, complementing its primary facilities at Locarno Airport (LSZL) in Switzerland and its base in Lugano. AELO originally established its Italian subsidiary, AeLo Italy, to base up to 12 aircraft and a flight simulator training device at Cuneo, employing 20 qualified staff.
• AELO Swiss Academy has undergone significant operational expansion over the past 12 months. In October 2025, the academy inaugurated a new 2,000-square-metre training campus at Locarno Airport, representing a EUR 5 million investment that includes an expansive hangar, advanced simulator bays, modern briefing rooms, classrooms, administrative spaces, and on-site dormitories.
• Fleet expansion has been substantial. AELO placed an order for up to 18 new Diamond DA20 aircraft in October 2025 — one of the largest fleet commitments by a Swiss flight training organisation in recent years — with deliveries at a rate of two per month commencing April 2026. In December 2025, four new Tecnam P2008 aircraft arrived at Locarno, bringing the total training fleet to 27 aircraft. In February 2026, additional Diamond DA40 aircraft equipped with Garmin G1000 glass cockpits were added to reinforce instrument flight training capability.

Source: AELO & Cuneo Airport