Market Intelligence: North America

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:

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Air Canada Places Order for 5 Additional A220s

Mirabel, Canada – Air Canada, the national carrier of Canada, has signed a firm order with Airbus for five more latest generation single-aisle A220-300s on the fifth anniversary since taking delivery of its first A220 in December 2019. This follows an initial order in 2016 for 45 A220-300s and a reorder in 2022 for 15 more. Including this latest reorder, Air Canada’s total firm orders for the A220-300 stands at 65 aircraft.

John Di Bert, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Air Canada said: “The A220 has delivered on its promises for Air Canada in its five years in service. It has allowed us to open new routes and better serve existing routes with an aircraft that has the right economics to support our profitable growth strategy. It is also very popular with customers. We are pleased to add an additional five of these aircraft, built in Mirabel, Quebec, right up the road from our Montreal headquarters and to further support Canada’s aerospace sector.”

Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales Commercial Aircraft at Airbus said: “This is Air Canada’s third order for the A220 in a few years. We are committed to working closely with the flag carrier as we support its fleet renewal programme. The A220 is the most efficient aircraft in its size category, offering superior comfort with a spacious cabin and the range to fly numerous destinations on the carrier’s network.”

Air Canada was the A220-300 launch operator in North America in January 2020 and has since operated its A220 fleet to more than 70 destinations. The A220 is assembled in Mirabel, Quebec, being an essential part of the renowned Canadian aerospace sector.

Combining the longest range, lowest fuel consumption and widest cabin in its class, the A220 is the most modern airliner in its size category, carrying between 100 to 150 passengers on flights of up to 3,600 nautical miles (6,700 km).

The aircraft is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation GTF engines and offers a 25% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions per seat. As with all Airbus aircraft, the A220 is already able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Airbus aims for all its aircraft to be capable of operating with up to 100% SAF by 2030.

As of the end of November 2024, Air Canada’s fleet is made of 134 Airbus aircraft, including the A320 Family aircraft, the A330 Family aircraft and the A220-300 aircraft. Air Canada has an order for 26 A321XLRs.

As at the end of November 2024, Airbus had received close to 900 orders from 32 customers for the A220, of which almost 380 have been delivered. The A220 is already in successful service with 23 operators worldwide. The fleet is currently flying on more than 1,500 routes and more than 460 destinations across the globe, confirming its leading position in the small single-aisle market.

Source: Airbus
Photo Credit: Airbus

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Epic Flight Academy Opens New Location in December 2024 and Awards $85,000 in Scholarships

New Smyrna Beach, Florida, USA – headquartered flight and aircraft maintenance training group Epic Flight Academy shared its latest highlights including the opening of a new location:

  • Addison, Texas Special Offer: Domestic students enrolling at Epic’s newest location in Addison, Texas, by December 31, 2024, will receive a $1,000 credit toward their first course.
  • 2024 Scholarship Recipients: Epic awarded $85,000 in scholarships during its 9th Annual Aviation Scholarships ceremony on November 9, 2024. Winners include:
    • Joseph Lavdas: $5,000 Pilot (OCF)
    • Qayla Bailey: $20,000 Captain Judy Rice Pilot (EVB)
    • Russell Shipley: $20,000 Aircraft Mechanic (EVB)
    • Wes Glaser: $5,000 Pilot (TLH)
    • Additional recipients include Brayden Tucker, Anvita Kulkarni, Jack Carda, and Casson Dennison.

Source: Epic Flight Academy
Photo Credit: Epic Flight Academy

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Boeing Resumes Aircraft Production for 737, 767, and 777/777X Programs in December 2024

Seattle, USA – Boeing has announced the resumption of production for its 737, 767, and 777/777X aircraft programs at its factories in the Pacific Northwest. The company implemented a thorough restart process emphasizing safety, training, and operational efficiency.

  • Boeing utilized its Safety Management System to ensure a safe and orderly factory restart.
  • Manufacturing teams were updated on training and certifications to maintain compliance with safety and quality standards.
  • Inventory levels were optimized to enable smooth production operations.
  • Boeing will continue to monitor production health indicators to ensure on-time delivery of aircraft to customers.

Statements:

  • “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of Team Boeing, we have now resumed production across our 737, 767, and 777/777X airplane programs,” said Stephanie Pope, President & CEO, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We have taken time to ensure all manufacturing teammates are current on training and certifications, while positioning inventory at the optimal levels for smooth production.”

Source: Stephanie Pope (Boeing)
Photo Credit: Stephanie Pope (Boeing)

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Aircraft Manufacturer Bye Aerospace Showcases Electric Aviation Innovations at Revolution.Aero 2024

USA – Bye Aerospace, an electric aircraft manufacturer, participated as a presenter at Revolution.Aero. The company highlighted its developments in electric aviation and connected with industry stakeholders.

  • Revolution.Aero brought together aerospace leaders to discuss advancements in technology and industry trends.
  • Bye Aerospace received a strong positive response from attendees for its presentation on electric aircraft innovation.

Unlike other Advanced Air Mobility conferences, Revolution.Aero San Francisco 2024 has a strong focus on finance. A large portion of their audience is VCs/Investors, aircraft lessors, investment banks, and customers.

About Bye Aerospace
Based in Denver, Colorado, Bye Aerospace specializes in the development of electric aircraft for aviation training and personal use. The company is known for its all-electric eFlyer family of aircraft, which aims to reduce operating costs and environmental impact.

Source: Bye Aerospace
Photo Credit: Bye Aerospace

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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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