Market Intelligence: LATAM

Pilot Training Industry Supplier Feature – FTD.aero

In this week’s AFM Pilot Training Leadership Interview Series we speak with Filip Witczak – Product Manager at FTD.aero, a Non-Motion Flight Training Devices Manufacturer based in Poland with expertise in designing and manufacturing flight simulators since 2009.

The conversation covers:

  • Company Background and Growth: FTD.aero, founded in 2009 by Filip Witczak, Cpt. Marcin Ambroziak and Krzysztof (Chris) Kimnes, began as a passion-driven startup in Poland and has grown into a 30-person team specializing in non-motion flight simulators. The company develops Boeing and Airbus-based simulators, offering both type-specific and type-representative devices for global clients, including airlines, flight schools, and universities.
  • Key Products and Innovations: FTD.aero provides EASA and FAA-compliant simulators, including the B737 MAX/NG and A320 models. Devices are tailored to client needs, offering high-fidelity cockpits with many original components for immersive, cost-effective training compared to Level D full-flight simulators. FTD.aero uses ARINC and CANBUS for compatibility with aviation standards and increased reliability. Their in-house engineering allows for full flexibility in configuration and future upgrades of each device built by them.
  • Partnerships and Projects: FTD.aero recently partnered with South Korean airline T’way Air to deliver a B738 simulator convertible to a B73M model to adapt to the airline’s changing fleet. Other successful long-term partnerships include LOT Polish Airlines, Urbe Aero Flight Academy (Italy) and VDL Aviation (Poland), reflecting strong customer satisfaction and trust.
  • Expansion and Market Outlook: The company is targeting international markets, including the booming Indian market, to meet increasing pilot training demands driven by aircraft orders and airline growth. Filip sees opportunities in advanced technologies like AI, VR, and AR to enhance pilot training and address instructor shortages.
  • Challenges and Vision: Filip highlighted regulatory delays as a challenge for adopting advanced training technologies and emphasized the need for updated standards. FTD.aero remains focused on providing tailored, high-quality solutions, emphasizing customer partnerships, long-term support, and cost-effective training for a global market.

For more information:

You can find all of the AFM.aero Pilot Training Industry Interview Episodes here.

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Flight School Management Software Solutions Provider, Private-Radar, Reflects on Growth and Impact in 2024

Madrid, Spain – headquartered Private-Radar, a global provider of aviation training management solutions, marked its 10th anniversary in 2024, showcasing significant achievements in automation, safety, and efficiency within the pilot training industry. The company supports over 120 aviation training institutions globally, with key milestones highlighting its growth, innovation, and social impact.

  • 2024 Highlights:
    • Supported 70,000 users with its Flight School Management System.
    • Managed 820,000 bookings and recorded 510,000 flight hours.
    • Installed 700 Flight-Trackers in aircraft worldwide.
  • Solution Improvements:
    • Launched over 30 new features and updates, including an 80% redesign of the Schedule page for improved user experience and performance.
  • Company Expansion:
    • Partnered with 30+ new training institutions across 12 countries, with new markets in Kazakhstan, Romania, Ireland, and Cyprus.
    • Expanded its team to 18 staff members.
  • Event Participation:
    • Las Vegas FSANA (USA)
    • Berlin Pilot-Expo (Germany)
    • Friedrichshafen AERO (Germany)
    • Cascais EATS (Portugal)
    • Vancouver ATAC (Canada)
  • Social Responsibility:
    • Partnered with UK charity Wings for Warriors to provide its solutions free of charge, supporting wounded service members in professional pilot training.
    • Continued contributions to global charities including UNICEF, Oxfam, and Action Against Hunger.

About Private-Radar
Private-Radar, based in San Sebastián de los Reyes, Community of Madrid, Spain, offers a flexible and user-friendly Flight School Management System and Aircraft Tracking System. Private-Radar enables pilot training centers of all sizes to efficiently manage every aspect of flight and ground training. Our solutions are made for students, instructors, and staff giving your organization full control of all training, administrative, and finance information. Private-Radar will allow you to simplify complex tasks such as scheduling flight and ground lessons, following student progress, reporting, invoicing, and keeping track of aircraft maintenance. You will always be compliant and ready for audits.

Source: Private-Radar
Photo Credit: Private-Radar

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Pilot Training Industry Supplier Feature – Simnest Aviation

In this week’s AFM Pilot Training Leadership Interview Series we speak with Balázs Herendi – CEO of Simnest Aviation – a simulator manufacturer based in Hungary, focused on designing and manufacturing professional FSTDs.

The conversation covers:

  • Company Evolution and Achievements: Simnest Aviation, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Hungary, specializes in designing and manufacturing professional flight simulation training devices (FSTDs). The company has installed multiple simulators globally, achieving milestones such as introducing the first APS MCC training in Romania.
  • Collaborations and Strategic Partnerships: Simnest collaborates with key customers like the Danish Center Air Pilot Academy, Portuguese International Flight Academy, Norwegian Redflight Aviation, fostering long-term partnerships. It recently expanded its global footprint by partnering with Avion as its exclusive sales and service partner for the APAC region, aiming for broader international growth.
  • Innovative Training Solutions: The company integrates its expertise with the Simnest Pilot Academy to enhance understanding of ATO operations. Simnest devices are designed to optimize pilot training by offering cost-effective, high-fidelity, type-representative fixed-base simulators suitable for APS MCC and MPL programs.
  • Industry Trends and Challenges: Balázs highlighted trends such as increased reliance on type-representative devices, the growing adoption of APS MCC courses, and the use of AI, VR, and simulated ATC environments. He emphasized the industry’s challenge of balancing pilot demand with maintaining training quality amid a global pilot shortage.
  • Commitment to Safety: Simnest Aviation prioritizes safety by providing realistic training environments for cadets transitioning to jet-based aircraft. It also supports customers with end-to-end services, from device manufacturing to certification and operational documentation, offering a seamless experience for flight training organizations.

For more information:

You can find all of the AFM.aero Pilot Training Industry Interview Episodes here.

To stay up to date and get notified about all of the latest episodes from AFM you can follow us through the below platforms:

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Pilot Training Industry Supplier Feature – Elite Simulation Solutions

In this week’s AFM Pilot Training Leadership Interview Series we speak with Christopher Reville – Chief Commercial Officer at ELITE Simulation Solutions AG, a global provider of IFR train­ing soft­ware, flight con­trols and flight train­ing devices.

The conversation covers:

  1. Evolution and Product Range: ELITE Simulation Solutions, founded in 1987, began as a simulation software company and evolved into a global solution provider of flight training devices. They offer a wide range of products, from basic desktop simulators to advanced flight simulators for both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, catering to civilian, military, and educational sectors.
  2. Customizable Solutions and Innovation: A key strength of ELITE is its ability to develop tailored solutions for clients, thanks to in-house control over both hardware and software. This agility enables the company to adapt quickly to specific customer needs, such as developing bespoke dual-pilot configurations or integrating unique avionics setups.
  3. Global Reach and Impact: With installations across the world, including in the US, Europe, Africa, and Asia, ELITE’s devices serve various organizations, from universities and flight schools to government aviation authorities. Recent projects include the delivery of an FNPT II simulator to Brno University of Technology in the Czech Republic, a Basic Aviation Training Device (BATD) for Cameroon’s Ministry of Interior Civil Aviation Authority, and an A320 FTD Level 4 simulator in Santiago, Chile.
  4. Commitment to Quality and Safety: ELITE emphasizes Swiss-engineered precision, ensuring high-quality flight models that meet and exceed regulatory standards. Their devices are designed to provide realistic training and enhance safety through accurate simulation of high-risk scenarios, thereby preparing pilots effectively.
  5. Industry Trends and Forward-Thinking Vision: The company is actively tracking trends like VR, mixed reality, and emerging aircraft types such as UAVs and EVTOLs. While cautious about adopting new technology, ELITE prioritizes meaningful advancements that improve training value, focusing on enhancing safety and cost efficiency for flight schools and aviation organizations.

For more information:

You can find all of the AFM.aero Pilot Training Industry Interview Episodes here.

To stay up to date and get notified about all of the latest episodes from AFM you can follow us through the below platforms:

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Brazil’s EPA Training Center Upgrades EMB-110 Bandeirante Simulator in 2024

Curitiba, Brazil – EPA Training Center, a leading regional 2,700 square meter full flight simulator training center in LATAM, has announced the upgrade of its Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante simulator. This development enhances its position as the only Part 142 training organization globally to operate this simulator, aiming to provide comprehensive training for pilots worldwide.
  • The EMB-110 Bandeirante simulator has been updated with a new visual system, allowing for more immersive and complete pilot training.
  • The upgrades were carried out by the EPA Training Center team, showcasing in-house technical expertise.
  • As the sole operator of an EMB-110 simulator under Part 142 standards, the center remains a unique hub for training pilots on this aircraft type.

About EPA Training Center
Headquartered in Curitiba, Brazil, EPA Training Center is the largest provider of regional aircraft training in Latin America, with Full Flight Simulators of the ATR 42/72, ERJ-145/Legacy 600, EMB-120 – Brasilia and EMB-110 – Bandeirante, serving executive operators, airlines and armed forces from over 30 countries. 

Source: EPA Training Center
Photo Credit: EPA Training Center

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Brazilian Airline Adopts Global Pilot Training Solution Provider CAE’s Unified Task Board as South American Launch Customer

São Paulo, Brazil – Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras, one of South America’s leading airlines, has partnered with CAE to become the launch customer for the Unified Task Board in the region. This innovative disruption management solution is designed to optimize airline Operations Control Centres (OCCs).

“This innovation promises to be a game changer, boosting productivity and ensuring consistent application of operational rules,” said Felipe Starling, IT Director of Azul.

“Unified Task Board redefines how airlines manage operations, providing a comprehensive view of alerts and recovery scenarios,” commented Pascal Grenier, Division President, CAE Flight Operations Solutions.

Key Benefits of the product include:

  • Integrated, data-driven scenarios for critical decision-making
  • Boosts operational efficiency during time-critical situations
  • Real-time auto-calculation of disruption scenarios
  • User-friendly dashboard for streamlined solutions

Source: CAE
Photo Credit: Azul

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Aircraft Manufacturer, Airbus, Announces 2025 Appointment for Chief Human Resources Officer

Airbus announced the appointment of Carmen-Maja Rex as Chief Human Resources Officer, effective 1 April 2025. In this role, she will be a member of the Executive Committee and report to Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury. Carmen-Maja Rex is currently Human Resources Group Director at Heidelberg Materials, one of the world’s largest integrated manufacturers of building materials and solutions.

After nearly 22 years with Airbus, the last 12 of which as Chief Human Resources Officer and member of the Airbus Executive Committee, Thierry Baril will leave the Company later in 2025, after having ensured a smooth transition with his successor.

“The bold transformation that Airbus will now undertake to meet its current and future challenges requires a skilled, diverse and motivated global workforce. I’m looking forward to working with Carmen-Maja and further engaging the Airbus teams in pursuit of our inspiring purpose,” said Guillaume Faury. “In doing so, she will build on the great foundations established by Thierry during his 12-year tenure as Chief Human Resources Officer. Thierry has played a pivotal role in the transformation of Airbus over the years, positioning HR as a strategic function in times of deep change. I’m grateful for Thierry’s engagement, drive and resilience which have led to many Company successes. It has always been a pleasure to have him as a close ally, and I wish him well in this next phase of his professional career.”

Carmen-Maja Rex started her career as a consultant with Accenture in 1999, before joining the United Nations in 2003. In 2010, she started at Siemens where she held a number of leadership roles in Human Resources. In 2020, she became HR Group Director at Heidelberg Materials which employs a global workforce of 51,000 employees located in over 50 countries.

Source: Airbus
Photo Credit: Airbus

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