Indian Airline, Akasa Air, Announces Internal Upgrade of its First Batch of Pilots

Akasa Air, India’s fastest-growing airline, announced the graduation of its first batch of pilots who have successfully completed their command upgrade training. This milestone, which is the first of many more to come, illustrates Akasa Air’s commitment towards nurturing talent and fostering career advancement opportunities through internal upgrades.

First Officer Shantanu Patil and First Officer Rahul Sinha are the first batch of pilots who have successfully completed their training and graduated to becoming pilots in command. These dedicated and skilled professionals have graduated from First Officers to Captains, marking a significant milestone not just in their careers, but also for Akasa.

The pilot training program at Akasa Air is a comprehensive curriculum that includes mentoring and professional guidance and is committed to cultivating the next generation of pilots who are equipped to meet the dynamic needs of the aviation industry.

Congratulating the first batch of pilots at a ceremony held in Mumbai, Vinay Dube, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Akasa Air said, “We are immensely proud to celebrate our first batch of pilots who have successfully transitioned to the role of Captains through our internal upgrade program. A first of many more to come, this momentous occasion is not just a testament to the rigorous and disciplined training undertaken by our pilots but also demonstrates their dedication and resilience which are integral characteristics for a career in aviation. At Akasa Air, we firmly believe that investing in our people is key to our success and to providing our passengers with a world-class travel experience. Over the next 12 months, we plan to upgrade between 40 – 50 additional Captains. Our goal is to build an aviation workforce fit for the future – by offering sustainable, open and inclusive opportunities for anybody looking for a career in the industry.”

Learning and development are the cornerstones of Akasa’s employee centric culture. Ahead of the start of our operations, the airline invested in the Akasa Air Learning Academy at Gurgaon and have continued to enhance their world class training opportunities with two more centres of excellence, in Gurgaon and Bengaluru respectively. The state-of-the-art facilities have been established to deliver comprehensive training on various aspects across safety, service, and quality. These centres enhance the airline’s capabilities in providing hands-on and experiential training to the fast-growing employee base including pilots, cabin crew, engineers, airport services, security personnel as well as the leadership team.

About Akasa Air

Akasa Air is India’s newest and most dependable airline, offering warm and efficient customer service, reliable operations, and affordable fares – all in the Akasa Way. Akasa’s youthful personality, employee-centric philosophy, tech-led approach, and culture of service will make this commitment a reality for all Indians. The carrier launched its first commercial flight on 07 August 2022 to support the growing demand across India. With a commitment to being socially responsible, Akasa Air has placed a firm order of 76 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes, powered by CFM fuel-efficient, LEAP-1B engines. The 737 MAX family aircraft deliver superior efficiency in reducing fuel use and carbon emissions, fulfilling the airline’s promise of being an environmentally friendly company with the youngest and greenest fleet in the Indian skies.

Source: Akasa Air
Photo Credit: Akasa Air (shown as meta image)

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Airline Owned airBaltic Pilot Academy Celebrates Fifth Anniversary and Students Graduating under Airline Transport Pilot Program

On September 4, 2023, during a special event, the fifth anniversary of the Latvian national airline’s airBaltic Pilot Academy was celebrated. At the same time, six students graduated from the Academy, receiving a commercial pilot license upon completion of the full-time airline transport pilot program. In addition, already the 19th group of 12 students began their professional pilot studies. Moreover, it is important to emphasize, that Mrs. Ilonda Stepanova, State Secretary of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Latvia, complimented the event with her presence.

Pauls Cālītis, Member of the Board at airBaltic: “These five years have flown by, during which we have successfully introduced a new and modern educational program for aspiring commercial pilots. We take pride in the Academy’s established reputation over the years, earning international recognition. This is not only confirmed by the substantial demand from students eager to enrol, but also by the proven success of our graduates, demonstrating excellent professional careers.”

“Also, we are very proud of the most recent graduates of the Pilot Academy. In order to join the team of airBaltic very soon, some of them will start further training this month. Highly-trained personnel is one of the key factors of successful operations at any airline. Also, we congratulate the young and determined students of the 19th group, who started their studies today,” Cālītis added.

The latest graduates represent countries such as Latvia, France, Spain and Italy.

There are 103 active students at the airBaltic Pilot Academy at the moment. Most of them are from Baltic countries, however, there are students also from other EU countries such as Germany, France, Finland, Spain and Italy among others. Overall, more than 10% of airBaltic Pilot Academy students are female. As for now, 89 students, after graduating, have joined airBaltic as First Officers.

Since May 2022, airBaltic Pilot Academy has improved the payment structure for its commercial pilot study program. As of now, after successfully passing the company’s assessment, airBaltic will finance a significant part of the studies.

Students of the airBaltic Pilot Academy will now have to cover the costs of studies until obtaining a private pilot license level, costing approximately EUR 25 000. After passing airBaltic pilot assessment and becoming an employee of the company, the airline will provide financing (loan) for the rest of the studies.

Source: airBaltic Pilot Academy
Photo Credit: airBaltic Pilot Academy

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