Market Intelligence: -Flight School

Expanding a Global Flight Training Group in 2025 – Airways Aviation

In this week’s AFM Pilot Training Leadership Interview Series we speak with Alexandre Alves – Chief Commercial and Chief Operating Officer at Airways Aviation Group – one of the largest aviation and pilot training group’s in the world operating pilot training academies across Europe, the Middle East, Asia/Australia, India and Africa.

The conversation covers:

  • Global Operations and Services: Mr Alves gives an overview of the history of Airways Aviation and its current global pilot training infrastructure – now operating over 100 aircraft
  • 2025 Acquisitions and Growth: The group recently announced its acquisition of the Patria Pilot Training Unit (now called Airways Aviation Nordic) as well as key strategic partnerships with leading flight training organisations in Portugal and Morocco. In 2024 it acquired an Italian flight school to compliment its existing facilities in Italy.
  • Diverse Offering Mix: The group has focused on ensuring that it cater’s to a wide segment of stakeholders including defense, universities, airlines and individual aspiring pilots.
  • Industry Challenges: a large part of the flight training industry has not been increasing the price of flight training in order to cover the cost of training delivery putting significant risk on the European flight training industry in 2025.
  • Industry Outlook: Airways Aviation Group predicts a temporary slowdown in pilot demand in 2025, due to delayed aircraft deliveries to airline, but is focused on consolidating its recent acquisitions and integrating partnerships to prepare for the next industry growth cycle starting in 2025.

For more information:

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Global Pilot Training Group BAA Training is Seeking to Hire a Chief Flight Instructor for Spain in 2025

LIeida, Spain –  Global pilot training group BAA Training, which operates flight school’s and full flight simulator training center’s, is seeking a Chief Flight Instructor for Ab Initio to oversee training operations and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. This leadership role involves managing flight instructors, developing training programs, and maintaining the highest safety and quality standards.

Key Responsibilities

  • Ensure compliance with EASA or applicable regulatory standards for flight training
  • Oversee training program development, instructor qualification, student progression, and safety management
  • Recruit, onboard, and mentor flight instructors, fostering professional development
  • Develop and update training programs, syllabi, and manuals
  • Conduct quality checks, audits, and represent the ATO in regulatory and client meetings
  • Align training objectives with organizational goals and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives
  • Perform duties as an FI, CRI, and IRI

Candidate Requirements

  • CPL(A) license with valid ratings
  • Instructor certificate with privileges to instruct in at least one phase of Ab Initio training
  • Minimum 2 years of flight instruction experience
  • 1,000+ flight hours as PIC, including 500+ hours of instructor flight time (200 hours may be instrument training)
  • Valid Class 1 medical certificate
  • ICAO English Level 5 or higher
  • Strong knowledge of ATO operations and regulatory compliance
  • Leadership, organizational, and communication skills
  • Experience in curriculum development and operational management

What BAA Training Offers

  • Health insurance after 3 months
  • Additional holiday days for seniority (after 2 years)
  • Wellness and birthday leave
  • Emotional wellbeing support from Mindletic
  • Full-flight simulator entertainment flight
  • International and multicultural work environment
  • Career growth opportunities

To apply, please visit BAA Training’s careers page.

Source: BAA Training

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FMS Training Solution Provider Heading365 to Provide A320 FMS Trainer PRO to Belgian Flight School

Antwerp, Belgium – Skywings Flight Training, a prominent flight training academy in Belgium, has entered a partnership with Heading365, a provider of customized aviation training solutions. The partnership will see the deployment of Heading365’s A320 FMS Trainer PRO, an advanced training tool designed to enhance pilots’ understanding and proficiency with the Airbus A320 Flight Management System.

Source: Heading365
Photo Credit: Heading365

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Intercontinental Aviation Academy Welcomes Partner Cyprus-Based Flying Academy to Headquarters

Beirut, Lebanon – Cyprus Airways Flying Academy’s CEO, Christos Limnatitis, visited the Levant headquarters of the Intercontinental Aviation Academy to discuss expanding their strategic partnership. The collaboration aims to position the academy as a leading aviation training provider in the Levant region.

Since launching operations in Cyprus four months ago, the academy has enrolled 23 students across two intakes, Phoenix CYP 1 & 2.

Plans include two additional intakes for 2024, targeting full operational capacity within the year.

In January 2025 Intercontinental Aviation Enterprise (IAE), a subsidiary of Mehyou Group, which operates flight training organisations in Lebanon and Cyprus, announced the launch of the Intercontinental Aviation Academy.

“After years of establishing Intercontinental Aviation Enterprise’s presence across the Middle East and Eastern Europe, I am proud to announce the birth of our new Phoenix—Intercontinental Aviation Academy (IAA). This exciting transformation marks the dawn of a new era, where our legacy of excellence in aviation training takes flight. IAA represents more than just a name—it’s the embodiment of our unwavering commitment to shaping the future of aviation. With state-of-the-art facilities, a cutting-edge curriculum, and a vision focused on global expansion, IAA is ready to soar to new heights. ” shared Wissam Mehyou, CEO of Intercontinental Aviation Enterprise.

Last year in August 2024 Mr Mehyou shared in an interview that it is aiming on investing up to USD 20 million over the next five years

“We are actively studying multiple geographic locations to identify promising investment opportunities, aiming to invest up to $20 million in the next five years. By prioritising markets with high demand and a lack of adequate training infrastructure, we aim to significantly impact the future of aviation education and the development of skilled professionals across diverse regions,” shared Wissam Mehyou, CEO and Chairman of IAE.

For its new training base in Larnaca, Cyprus IAE is procuring a new and efficient fleet and is “we are actively exploring avenues such as electric aircraft and sustainable aviation fuels,” according to Mr Mehyou.

Source: Wissam Mehyou
Photo Credit: Wissam Mehyou

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