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AEGEAN and CAE Partner for 7 Bay Full Flight Simulator Training Center

AEGEAN, Greece’s largest airline, and CAE, the global leader in civil aviation training, announced a joint venture to establish the first advanced flight training center in Greece. With a capacity for up to seven full-flight simulators, the AEGEAN CAE Flight Training Centre will be part of AEGEAN’s new 85,000 m2 technical base at Athens International Airport.

The new centre is expected to begin pilot and cabin crew training by the end of 2023 and will be the most advanced flight training hub in South-East Europe powered by green energy.

The joint venture will initially operate four (4) full-flight simulators including;

  • two Airbus A320neo
  • one Boeing 737NG
  • one ATR 72-600
  • Cabin crew training equipment
  • Space for three (3) additional full-flight simulators.

At full capacity, the centre will be able to train up to 3,500 pilots (42,000 pilot training hours) and many more cabin crew annually. The new Flight Training Centre expands CAE’s global training network and is integral to the creation of AEGEAN’s aviation ecosystem in Greece. This is part of AEGEAN’s € 140 million investment to bolster the local aviation industry and position the airline and Greece as an aviation hub in Southeastern Europe.

The Flight Training Center will be powered by solar energy produced by the 35,000 m2 of photovoltaic panels embedded in AEGEAN’s new “green” hangar, generating 3 MW or 4.4 Gwh of electricity annually, and located at one of Europe’s most sustainable airports.

Dimitris Gerogiannis, CEO of AEGEAN, commented: “It is with great pride that I announce this significant partnership with CAE, the global leader in civil aviation training, to establish the first aviation ecosystem for flight training and technical support services in Greece. AEGEAN and CAE bring their distinct expertise and know-how to the joint venture, but they share common values when it comes to developing people. From the very beginning, AEGEAN’s vision has been to add significant value to our country and the local aviation industry by giving our people the opportunity to sharpen their skills and reach their full potential. I am excited to see how the two teams come together to create a common culture of excellence at our new training centre. This is an investment in the future of aviation. An investment that will grow our business and industry, but more importantly, will give limitless potential to our people.”

“We’re excited to partner with AEGEAN to create the most advanced Flight Training Centre in the region and expand our commercial aviation training network to Athens,” said Nick Leontidis, CAE’s Group President, Civil Aviation. “AEGEAN and CAE have shared values and we look forward to joining forces to elevate human performance and deliver an unrivaled training experience for pilots and cabin crew. As an integral part of Greece’s newly established aviation ecosystem, we look forward to a successful joint venture with AEGEAN and to seeing the aviation industry flourish in Greece and the entire region.”

About the first aviation ecosystem for technical support services and training in Greece

In December 2022, AEGEAN announced an investment of € 140 million to create the country’s first Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Facility (MRO) and the first Simulator Training Facility for pilots and cabin crew members in one of Europe’s first hangars to be powered by solar panels in Europe. An investment that, upon maturity, is expected to create up to 500 new direct jobs and a total of more than 1,100 new direct and indirect high-skilled jobs over a five-to-seven-year period.

With a capacity of 85,000 m2, this project will fill a significant gap in infrastructure at a local level for third party support services through two main parallel activities:

  • The maintenance and support center (MRO), with the development of a technical base of up to 10 maintenance, repair and technical control positions for various types of aircraft.
  • The AEGEAN CAE Flight Training Centre for pilots and cabin crew members, utilizing up to seven state-of-the-art full-flight flight simulators for the main aircraft types, as well as facilities special cabin crew training.

The project also foresees the technological modernization and energy upgrade of the building facilities, through the installation of 35,000 m2 of photovoltaic panels that will create one of the first hangars to be powered by solar panels in Europe.

About AEGEAN
AEGEAN, the airline that knows Greece best, offers a network of 161 destinations (30 domestic and 131 international) to 46 countries, operated with a fleet of 76 Aircraft among which the brand-new AIRBUS A320 and A321 neo. AEGEAN has been honored, for the 11th consecutive year and 12th time in the past 13 years, with the 2022 Skytrax World Airline award, as the Best Regional Airline in Europe.

About CAE
At CAE, we equip people in critical roles with the expertise and solutions to create a safer world. As a technology company, we digitalize the physical world, deploying simulation training and critical operations support solutions. Above all else, we empower pilots, airlines, defence and security forces, and healthcare practitioners to perform at their best every day and when the stakes are the highest. Around the globe, we’re everywhere customers need us to be with more than 13,000 employees in more than 200 sites and training locations in over 40 countries. CAE represents 75 years of industry firsts – the highest-fidelity flight, mission, and medical simulators, and personalized training programs powered by artificial intelligence. We’re investing our time and resources into building the next generation of cutting-edge, digitally immersive training and critical operations solutions while keeping positive environmental, social and governance (ESG) impact at the core of our mission. Today and tomorrow, we’ll make sure our customers are ready for the moments that matter.

Source: CAE
Photo Credit: CAE (shown as meta image)

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North American Airline Welcomes New Aviation Academy in its Aviation Pathways Program

Chorus Aviation Inc. subsidiary, Jazz Aviation LP, is pleased to celebrate the launch of Chorus’s Cygnet Aviation Academy and welcomes Cygnet as the 13th educational institution participating in its Jazz Aviation Pathways Program.

“We’re pleased to congratulate Cygnet and to be working with another Chorus company to provide opportunities for aspiring pilots,” said Steve Linthwaite, Vice President, Flight Operations, Jazz. “By supporting the next generation of pilots, we are not only shaping the future of our business, but also contributing to the growth and sustainability of the aviation industry as a whole.”

Jazz and Cygnet are collaborating to deliver Jazz Approach – a unique pilot training opportunity that offers an accelerated career path for aspiring professional pilots. After an extensive selection process, qualifying applicants receive a conditional letter of employment from Jazz contingent on their successful completion of the program. The program takes an all-in-one practical approach, whereby cadets will earn an Integrated Airline Transport Pilot License from Cygnet, with extensive use of flight simulators, and acquire a CRJ200 type rating, all within 20 months. This represents the fastest path to an airline First Officer position in Canada. Once hired, all candidates are required to successfully complete the same ground school, Transport Canada Pilot Proficiency Check, and safety requirements as all other Jazz First Officers. The first cohort of Jazz Approach cadets is now underway.

“Jazz provides a large number of skilled and competent pilots to Air Canada each year and we’re pleased with the continued innovation shown by our Air Canada Express partner through programs such as the Jazz Approach and Jazz Aviation Pathways Program,” said Murray Strom, Senior Vice President, Flight Operations and Maintenance, Air Canada.

Since 2007, Jazz has been actively involved in shaping the curriculum and training of Canada’s future professional pilots through active engagement with aviation colleges, flight schools, and universities. To-date, the Jazz Aviation Pathways Program has announced agreements with 20 participating industry organizations.

About Chorus Aviation Inc.

Chorus’ vision is to deliver regional aviation to the world. Headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Chorus is an integrated provider of regional aviation solutions, including asset management services. Its principal subsidiaries are: Falko Regional Aircraft, the world’s largest asset manager and aircraft lessor focused solely on the regional aircraft leasing segment; Jazz Aviation, the sole provider of regional air services under the Air Canada Express brand; and Voyageur Aviation, a provider of specialty air charter, aircraft modification, and parts provisioning services to regional aviation customers around the world. Together, Chorus’ subsidiaries provide support services that encompass every stage of a regional aircraft’s lifecycle, including: aircraft acquisition and leasing; aircraft refurbishment, engineering, modification, repurposing and transition; contract flying; aircraft and component maintenance, disassembly, and parts provisioning.

About Jazz

Jazz Aviation LP is the largest regional carrier in Canada and the sole operator of Air Canada Express flights to 80 destinations across North America. Jazz is one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People and a Best Diversity Employer with an award-winning safety culture. These strengths, along with Jazz’s proven track record of industry leadership and exceptional customer service, create and deliver value to stakeholders.

Source: Chorus Aviation Press Release
Photo Credit: Jazz Aviation

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L3Harris Airline Academy Witnesses 73 Graduates Secured Their Jobs at with European Airlines in 2023

United Kingdom headquartered pilot training group L3Harris Airline Academy shared that, in 2023, 73 of their graduates secured their first seat on the flight deck, joining airlines such as easyJet, Wizz Air, Ryanair, Loganair and BA Euroflyer. In 2022, the Academy saw 180 graduates secure their first airline role, so this latest news shows the continued rapid increase in pilot recruitment from airlines across Europe.

Source: L3Harris Airline Academy
Photo Credit: L3Harris Airline Academy (shown as meta image)

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Global Pilot Leaders Unite to Keep Two Pilots on the Flight Deck

Leaders of the world’s largest pilot organizations announced a global coalition to prevent airlines and manufacturers from pushing ahead with plans to remove pilots from the flight deck, a profit-driven scheme that poses a significant safety risk. Pilot representatives from the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA), the European Cockpit Association (ECA), and Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) vowed to take collective action to protect the flying public and counter an aggressive corporate-led lobbying campaign targeting regulators around the world, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

“Whether you depart from New York, San Francisco, or Atlanta bound for London, Paris, or Tokyo, a crew of at least two qualified, experienced, trained, and rested airline pilots is at the controls on the flight deck of your plane. Every aspect of your flight—the aircraft, its systems, the regulations, and standards that apply to the flight, and the procedures that pilots follow—is deliberately designed for a team working together on the flight deck,” wrote ALPA President Capt. Jason Ambrosi, IFALPA President Capt. Jack Netskar, and ECA President Capt. Otjan de Bruijn in a recent opinion piece.

A 2017 study by NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration identified unacceptable safety risks posed by single-pilot flight operations, especially during abnormal events and emergencies. Yet, some airlines and aircraft manufacturers are currently pressuring international aviation bodies to put profits first and introduce an unacceptable level of safety risk to commercial aviation. Professional pilots embrace and support new technology on the flight deck that enhances safety; however, they unanimously agree that removing skilled aviators from the flight deck—so-called reduced-crew operations—will increase risk and compromise safety.

Despite developments in automation and improved technologies on the flight deck, two pilots at the controls remain the most important safety features of an aircraft. Pilots eliminate system-failure scenarios and act as a critical onboard backup for failed systems, bridge technology gaps, and adapt in real-time and in the real environment to unanticipated situations and emergencies. Technology, no matter how sophisticated, is not a replacement for pilots on the flight deck.

The global pilot community, including the Associations of Star Alliance Pilots, the Oneworld Cockpit Crew Coalition, and the SkyTeam Pilots Association, are united in the fight against reduced-crew operations and will do everything in their power to ensure the current standards that have made aviation the safest form of transportation in the world will not be eroded.

About IFALPA
The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations represents more than 150,000 pilots in nearly 100 countries. The mission of IFALPA is to promote the highest level of aviation safety worldwide and to be the global advocate of the piloting profession, providing representation, services, and support to both our members and the aviation industry.

About ECA
The European Cockpit Association is the representative body of over 40,000 pilots from across Europe, striving for the highest levels of aviation safety and fostering social rights and quality employment for pilots in Europe.

About ALPA
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 67,000 pilots at 39 U.S. and Canadian airlines.

Source: ALPA Press Release

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India May Require 31,000 Pilots and 26,000 Mechanics in the Next 20 Years, Says Boeing

Boeing India President Salil Gupte, during the sidelines of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) event, said that India may require 31,000 pilots and 26,000 mechanics in the next twenty years.

“India is going to need over 31,000 pilots and 26,000 mechanics over the next 20 years to take care of the aircraft coming in. This is as important a part of the Indian growth story as the aircraft,” said Gupte.

Boeing in its 2022-2041 Pilot and Technician Outlook forecasts that South Asia, of which India is the largest country, will demand 37,000 pilots and 34,000 technicians in the next twenty years.

Source: Boeing
Photo Credit: Boeing (shown as meta image)

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