AAG, a leading global provider of aviation training, have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Singapore Airshow with FlyBest Flight Academy, that will see them together set up a new Flying Training Organisation (FTO) in Indonesia.

The partnership will transform AAG into an international pilot training institution after their impressive growth and success in the Philippines. The joint venture with FlyBest will involve the replacement of ageing training aircraft, as well as the building of new facilities to support the enlarged business.

FlyBest Flight Academy, an established leading Indonesian ab-initio pilot school, will help AAG to continue their passion for providing localised training. Their belief is that students should not have to relocate at great expense to train as pilots. This new partnership will support the Indonesian aviation sector to flourish.

This FTO is based in the vast Riau Province, an 8270 km2 area to the south of Singapore that offers several satellite operating airfields for long range navigation exercises and a fully equipped airport for instrument training. The region is also exempt from import duty, value-added tax, sales tax, and other concessions and the authorities are very keen to see the archipelago becoming a flying training hub serving the region and beyond.

In another sign of AAG’s mission to ensure the highest level of training standards, they are also today announcing the purchasing of a new A320 Full Flight Simulator for their Philippines training centre. Late last year, they upgraded their Airbus A330 simulator to include Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) – the only training provider in the Philippines to offer this service. These two upgrades firmly position AAG as the leaders in aviation training in the region.

This comes after a record post-Covid year for AAG (Philippines) with pilot cadet enrolments in the market increasing year-on-year by 55% in 2023. AAG has also announced a significant expansion of its operations in India, as they continue to build out their presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

AAG Group COO Cristopher Magdangal said: “At AAG, we take pride in bringing aviation training to the airlines, and the pilots that embark on it. Through a combination of upgrading our Philippines facilities and striking a partnership with FlyBest Flight Academy, we are confident we will be able to better support the aviation industry in both the Philippines and Indonesian regions. This will reduce training costs for airlines and consolidate these nation’s expertise in aviation. This demonstrates our ambition to be the premier aviation training solutions provider in the Asia-Pacific region.”

FlyBest Flight Academy CEO, Karin Item said: “We are delighted to be announcing this partnership with AAG, combining our expertise to produce the next generation of pilots in Indonesia. Our new upgraded fleet and outstanding new facilities will ensure we are able to provide the highest quality training to the cadet passing through our new Flying Training Organisation.”

About AAG
AAG is a leading provider of aviation training solutions, working with airlines across the globe. It specializes in cadet assessment and selection, type ratings and flagship ab-initio cadet programs. All these are tailored and optimized to the operational needs of its partner airlines. The domestic and Southeast Asian markets are served from AAG’s base in the Philippines where they operate an Approved Training Organization (ATO) and a certified Type Rating Training Organization (TRTO) for the Airbus A320. It also has the only EASA-certified Level D Airbus A320 Full Flight Simulator in its Philippine platform. In February 2024, the AAG Centre for Aviation Training in Chennai, announced a joint venture in India with Blue Ray Aviation to provide end-to-end training for commercial pilots, as part of a wider expansion into the Indian region.

Source: Alpha Aviation Group