Airline-Owned Flight Academy Transitions Multiple Cadet Squadrons from Online to In-Person Training Phase

Türkiye – Turkish Airlines Flight Academy (TAFA), the ab initio flight training unit of Turkish Airlines, has welcomed four new training squadrons — the 158th, 159th, 160th, and 163rd — as the groups transition from online instruction to in-person training at the academy.

TAFA operates a fleet of 97 training aircraft, 8 flight simulators, and 6 classrooms, supported by a total of 99 instructors comprising 81 Flight Instructors, 14 Theoretical Knowledge Instructors, and 4 Simulator Instructors.

AFM previously reported TAFA's 2025 growth including;

• Active student numbers grew from 456 in January 2025 to 600 by December 2025, reflecting a 32% increase
• TAFA graduated 351 pilots in 2025, a 25% increase over 280 in 2024, while average graduation time slightly decreased from 14.9 months to 14.1 months
• TAFA logged a total of 89,550 flight hours in 2025, marking a 30% increase compared with 68,895 hours in 2024
• The academy expanded its operational fleet to 84 aircraft in 2025, a 71% increase over 49 in 2024
• TAFA doubled its simulator infrastructure, operating 8 simulators in 2025 — up from 4 in 2024
• The number of flying instructors rose modestly from 75 in 2024 to 81 in 2025, reflecting a 9% increase to sustain higher training activity.

Source: Turkish Airlines Flight Academy