Market Intelligence: -Flight School

Training Aircraft Manufacturer, Piper Aircraft, Announces Fleet Agreement with Spain’s FTEJerez for 20 Piper Archer DX

Vero Beach, Florida, USA – Piper Aircraft announced a new fleet agreement with FTEJerez (Flight Training Europe) for the acquisition of 20 new Piper Archer DX aircraft, delivering the first 10 units in December of 2024. The addition of these aircraft enhances FTE’s training fleet, further solidifying its position as a leader in professional pilot training.

Based in Jerez, Spain, FTEJerez is recognized for its world-class pilot training programs and close partnerships with major airlines, including Aer Lingus, British Airways, Etihad, Iberia, Ryanair, and others. Training cadets from around the globe, the academy consistently delivers industry-ready pilots equipped to meet the demands of commercial aviation.

“Our acquisition of these brand-new Piper Archer DX aircraft is a testament to FTE’s commitment to excellence in aviation training,” said Oscar Sordo, CEO of FTEJerez. “Having successfully operated older Piper Warrior aircraft for many years, we have a proven track record with Piper as a reliable aircraft supplier. The Archer DX will enhance our training capabilities and ensure that our students receive the best possible training in a modern, sustainable, and efficient flying environment.”

The Piper Archer DX is renowned for its reliability, advanced safety features, and modern design, making it a trusted choice for flight schools worldwide. With this expansion, FTEJerez continues to lead in delivering the highest standards of aviation training while embracing more sustainable solutions.

“Expanding into the European market with FTEJerez underscores Piper Aircraft’s commitment to supporting top-tier pilot training,” said Ron Gunnarson, Vice President of Sales, Marketing, Customer Support and Quality at Piper Aircraft. “The Archer DX delivers the reliability, performance, and efficiency required to meet the demands of students and airline partners alike.”

About Piper Aircraft
Piper Aircraft Inc., headquartered in Vero Beach, Fl., offers aviators throughout the world efficient and reliable single and twin-engine aircraft and is the first general aviation aircraft manufacturer in the world to certify Garmin® Emergency Autoland. The single-engine M-Class series – the M700 FURY, M500, and M350 – offers businesses and individuals elegant performance, value and a superior ownership experience. The Personal Class Archer LX and Archer DLX balance proven performance, efficiency, and simplicity in a piston-powered aircraft. The Trainer Class Pilot 100i, Archer TX, Archer DX, and Seminole aircraft form the most complete technically advanced line of pilot training aircraft in the world. Piper is a member of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.

About FTEJerez
With over 30 years at the forefront of flight training and more than 3,000 graduated pilots now flying for the world’s leading airlines, FTEJerez (Flight Training Europe, S.L.) has established itself as one of the most respected and exclusive flight training organization. Specializing in ab initio ATPL and MPL training programs for aspiring pilots and airline cadets, FTEJerez offers a comprehensive range of aviation training services. These include airline pilot training, Air Traffic Control programs, and bespoke solutions tailored to corporate clients, in partnership with some of the most prominent airlines in the world. With a commitment to excellence, FTEJerez ensures that its students receive world-class training in a state-of-the-art environment.

Source: Piper Aircraft
Photo Credit: Piper Aircraft

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US Regional Airline’s Management Team and Aircraft to Visit AeroGuard Flight Training Center in January 2025

Phoenix, United States – headquartered global flight training group AeroGuard Flight Training Center, which operates a number of flight training bases in the United States, will welcome SkyWest Senior Management at its headquarters on January 2028. SkyWest will be flying into campus with one of their aircraft, opening it up for Pilot Pathway Cadets to tour, and their Senior Management will be presenting to cadets – including their SVP Flight Operations, Tracy Gallo.

“We look forward to providing a valuable networking opportunity for AeroGuard Pathway Cadets to connect with SkyWest’s Senior Management and Recruitment team directly and support them as they prepare for their commercial airline pilot careers,” said AeroGuard.

Source: AeroGuard
Photo Credit: AeroGuard

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Global Flight Training Group, AeroGuard Flight Training Center, Welcomes 3rd Class of Air India Cadets

Phoenix, United States headquartered global flight training group AeroGuard Flight Training Center, which operates a number of flight training bases in the United States, has welcomed its third class of Cadets from Air India to its Phoenix, Arizona, USA campus.

AeroGuard announced its selection by Air India to be a flight training provider for the airline in early 2024. Since this time, cadets have gone through a carefully structured screening process and have successfully completed the DGCA Ground School portion of their training in India. These Cadets are now at AeroGuard’s Arizona campus where they will complete their practical flight training, earning the certifications and ratings required for their careers with airline.

With its commitment to safety, student success, and its high-quality training curriculum, AeroGuard is providing initial pilot training for additional leading airlines including Cathay Pacific, China Airlines and Air New Zealand. AeroGuard has expanded its training capacity across all three U.S. campuses with 250+ experienced flight instructors and over 110 aircraft in its rapidly expanding fleet.

Source: AeroGuard Flight Training Center

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Reviewing the Pilot Training Industry’s Largest Training Aircraft Orders

AFM put together this list of 8 notable training aircraft order’s based on its database:

  1. L3 Commercial Aviation (Global)
    • Order size: 240 Piper Aircraft
    • Year: 2019
  2. Fanmei Aviation Technologies (China)
    • Order: 152 Piper Aircraft – included 100 Archer TX trainers, 50 Seminoles, one Seneca, and one M350
    • Year: 2018
  3. ATP Flight School (USA)
  4. Blue Line Aviation (USA)
  5. ATP Flight School (USA)
    • Order: 100 Piper Archers (2013) followed by another 100 Piper Archer TX (2019)
  6. Blue Line Aviation (USA)
    • Order: Order for up to 100 Diamond Aircraft (firm order for 50 with options for 50 more)
    • Year: 2021
  7. Air India Flying Training Academy (India)
  8. AeroGuard Flight Training Center (USA)

Source: AFM and Training Aircraft Manufacturer’s

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airBaltic Pilot Academy Celebrates 7 Graduates and Welcomes 15 New Students

Riga, Latvia – Seven (7) students graduated from the Pilot Academy of the Latvian national airline airBaltic, receiving a commercial pilot license upon completion of the full-time airline transport pilot program. Additionally, the 25th group of 15 students has already begun their professional pilot studies.

Martin Gauss, CEO and President of airBaltic: “We are proud to congratulate the latest graduates of the Pilot Academy. Many of them are now preparing to take the next steps in their training, paving way to join the airBaltic team. The success of any airline relies on having skilled and highly trained professionals, and we are committed to fostering such talent.”

Gauss added, “We are equally excited to welcome the 25th group of students as they begin their journey with us. Their dedication and passion will play a crucial role in supporting airBaltic’s ambitions to expand our fleet to 100 aircraft in the coming years. The addition of our second Airbus A220 simulator further confirms our commitment to providing advanced training resources, enabling to uphold the highest standards of safety and operational excellence as we continue to grow.”

The graduates represent countries such as Latvia, Lithuania, and Germany, while the new group includes students from Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.

There are 148 active students at the airBaltic Pilot Academy at the moment. Most of them are from the Baltic countries, however, there are students also from other EU countries such as Denmark, Germany, France, Finland, Spain and Italy among others. Overall, more than 10% of airBaltic Pilot Academy students are female. As for now, 131 students, after graduating, have joined airBaltic.

Additionally, to further expand its training capabilities, airBaltic has recently received and installed its second Airbus A220 full flight simulator. This state-of-the-art addition will significantly improve the airline’s capacity to train and maintain the qualifications of its growing team of pilots, supporting both the expansion of its fleet and the ongoing development of the Pilot Academy.

With two Airbus A220 full-flight simulators now operating in Northern Europe – both managed by airBaltic – the airline reinforces its position as the region’s premier training hub. The new simulator, offering up to 6 000 hours of availability annually with an optimal utilization target of 5 500 to 6 000 hours, will support both recurrent and initial pilot training while ensuring technical maintenance to maintain peak performance. In addition to meeting the needs of airBaltic’s expanding fleet, it will enhance the airBaltic Pilot Academy’s advanced training programs, such as the Multi-Crew Cooperation (MCC) course, and provide opportunities to rent training slots to other airlines, maximizing its efficiency and impact.

About airBaltic
airBaltic (Air Baltic Corporation AS) is the leading airline in the Baltics and one of Europe’s fastest-growing carriers. As a hybrid airline, it leverages the upsides of both traditional network and low-cost carriers. Through a network of more than 130 routes from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere and, seasonally, Gran Canaria, airBaltic connects the Baltics with over 70 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus. Founded in 1995, today airBaltic operates one of Europe’s youngest fleets, consisting of 49 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, and employs over 2 700 professionals. The company is majority-owned by the Latvian state, which holds a 97.97% stake, with the remaining 2.03% owned by private shareholders.

airBaltic’s commitment to excellence is recognized by numerous prestigious awards including the Best Airline in its region by Skytrax for three consecutive years. In 2022, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recognized airBaltic with the Diversity and Inclusion Team Award. Furthermore, in 2023, APEX awarded the company the Passenger Choice Award for Best Cabin Service in Europe, and in 2024 airBaltic also received the APEX Four Star Major Airline Award, recognizing its commitment to providing a high-quality travel experience. In 2024, the airline was awarded the PROS AI Innovator Award for leveraging AI to drive transformative outcomes and optimize operations. 

airBaltic Training, a subsidiary of airBaltic, is a training facility offering a wide range of aviation training services in its modern and purpose-built training centre in Riga, Latvia. It was established in 2010 and since then each year provides training to approximately 3 000 professionals from across the world – more than 1 500 pilots, almost 1 000 cabin crew members and several hundred of ground handlers, cargo agents, security personnel and others.

Source: airBaltic
Photo Credit: airBaltic

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New Zealand Flight Training Organisation IAANZ to Visit India in January 2025 for Pilot Training Seminars

Christchurch, New Zealand – The International Aviation Academy of New Zealand (IAANZ) has announced its upcoming visit to India to meet aspiring pilots. The IAANZ Admissions Team will host events in three major Indian cities at the end of January and early February.

  • Event details:
    • Chennai: January 31, 2025 (Friday)
    • Bangalore: February 1, 2025 (Saturday)
    • Mumbai: February 2, 2025 (Sunday)

Source: IAANZ
Photo Credit: IAANZ

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