FlyIAA Reports 1,500+ Attendees Across 6-Country 2026 Pilot Recruitment Tour

Global – pilot training group Intercontinental Aviation Academy (FlyIAA) has reported more than 1,500 attendees across a 10-event Open Day tour covering Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, Portugal, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq during July and August 2026.

• FlyIAA reported more than 1,500 prospective students and family members across 10 Open Days in six countries. The events were held in:
  • Larnaca, Cyprus, on July 7;
  • Dubai, UAE, on July 12;
  • Lisbon, Portugal, on July 23;
  • Beirut, Lebanon, and Porto, Portugal, on July 24;
  • Faro, Portugal, on July 25;
  • Damascus, Syria, on July 26;
  • Ponta Delgada in the Azores, Portugal, on July 30;
  • Funchal in Madeira, Portugal, on August 6; and
  • Baghdad, Iraq, on August 8.
• Five of the 10 events were held in Portugal as FlyIAA develops a future flight training base at Ponte de Sor. FlyIAA's planned Ponte de Sor operation represents an investment of up to Euro 4 million across a 4,000-square-metre facility at Ponte de Sor Municipal Aerodrome.
• The July 26 Damascus Open Day coincided with the opening of FlyIAA's Syrian office. The academy said it has begun the licensing process for a future aviation academy in Syria covering ground school and practical flight training; until approvals are obtained, Syrian students are being directed into FlyIAA's existing international training network.
• FlyIAA also maintains an Iraq ground-school operation at the American University of Iraq – Baghdad. Its official location information identifies the AUIB campus as an academic and ground-training base, with students subsequently progressing through the wider FlyIAA training pathway.
• The academy's current Lebanon operation is described by FlyIAA as a Regional Recruitment & Student Advisory Office in Dbayeh rather than a practical flight-training base. Students recruited in Lebanon are directed to certified flying locations including Cyprus and Greece.
• The academy stated in February 2026 that it had more than 350 active cadets representing over 40 nationalities and a workforce of more than 75 aviation professionals.

Source: Intercontinental Aviation Academy (FlyIAA)