Market Intelligence: North America

Global Aviation Training Solution Provider, CAE, Accelerates Maintenance Training with New Modular Program for Bombardier

Global aviation training leader CAE and Bombardier are collaborating on the development of a modular maintenance training program which will aim to optimize the time required to train Bombardier Service Centre maintenance technicians. The testing phase of this new training program will take place at Bombardier’s service centres in:

  • Wichita, Kansas
  • Tucson, Arizona
  • Opa Locka, Florida.

CAE’s 2023 Aviation Talent Forecast predicts a need for 402,000 new maintenance technicians industry-wide by 2032, more specifically 74,000 in business aviation.

“While there is a need to better promote the career path of an aircraft technician to students around the globe, a big part of the challenge is that it currently takes too long to train new technicians and even longer to train them across several aircraft platforms,” explained CAE Business Aviation Division President Alexandre Prévost. “CAE’s new modular solution developed for Bombardier will reduce training time by consolidating courses for an entire aircraft family since they share many components and features.”

“We are very excited about this potential new program. Given the need for qualified technicians in the marketplace, it is imperative that we maximize their time working on aircraft and optimize the value of their time away for training. The goal of this new modular system is to allow us to better tailor our training to the needs of our technicians, our organization and ultimately our customers,” added Mike Menard, Senior Director Bombardier Aircraft Services Americas. “Providing our customers exceptional service availability and quality continues to be at the center of every initiative we undertake. Expertly trained technicians are core to Bombardier’s continued success.”

About CAE Civil Aviation Training
CAE Civil Aviation Training advances human performance by providing holistic and immersive training solutions for professionals in business and commercial aviation. Whether for pilots, maintenance technicians, cabin crew or air traffic controllers, we help keep aircraft in the skies with exceptionally trained professionals ready to take on any challenge safely. We operate 70+ facilities on five continents, training over 135,000 business and commercial professionals annually.

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 software-based simulation training and critical operations support solutions. Above all else, we empower pilots, cabin crew, maintenance technicians, airlines, business aviation operators, and defence and security forces 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 approximately 13,000 employees in more than 240 sites and training locations in over 40 countries. CAE represents more than 75 years of industry firsts—the highest-fidelity flight and mission simulators as well as training programs powered by digital technologies. We embed sustainability in everything we do. Today and tomorrow, we’ll make sure our customers are ready for the moments that matter.

Source: CAE
Photo Credit: CAE

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Flight Simulator Manufacturer, Flightdeck Solutions, Expands Facility in 2024 to Meet Growing Industry Demand

Newmarket, Ontario, Canada – Flightdeck Solutions (FDS) has completed the expansion of its headquarters, increasing its facility to 10,000 square feet to accommodate growth in both domestic and international markets. The expansion reflects the company’s measured approach to scaling operations after 24 years of serving the aviation training industry.

“While we’ve doubled our facility size approximately every decade, this expansion is different,” explained Peter Cos, President of Flightdeck Solutions. “We’ve implemented purpose-built production areas and enhanced quality control systems that will benefit our customers for years to come.”

The newly configured facility introduces dedicated device assembly bays with upgraded infrastructure, effectively doubling production capacity. A new demonstration area enables customers to experience fully-built aircraft trainers, complete with a 220-degree wrap-around visual display system, able to support a range of aircraft builds, including A320, B737MAX, and Q400 models.

FDS’s steady growth is evidenced by its delivery of 25 flight training devices to Canadian institutions alone over the past two years.

Among these domestic deliveries are devices for:

  • International Test Pilots School (London, Ontario)
  • Conair Aerial Firefighting (Abbotsford, BC)
  • Orizon Aviation (Quebec)
  • Toronto Airways
  • AviaSim
  • Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre (Breslau, Ontario)
  • British Columbia Institute of Technology
  • Kelowna Flight Craft
  • WestJet

This Canadian success runs parallel to FDS’s continued international deliveries.

“The expanded facility allows us to maintain dedicated production lines for our long-term customers while accommodating new projects,” remarked Cos, discussing the strategic importance of the expansion. “This increased capacity, combined with our optimized workflow, helps us better serve the growing needs of the aviation training industry.”

The expansion coincides with recent certifications from Transport Canada, FAA, and KOCA, reinforcing FDS’s position in the flight training hardware sector. While maintaining a strong presence in North America, the company continues to serve clients across international markets. To support this growth, the company plans to strategically expand its teams across sales, production, and technical support roles.

About Flightdeck Solutions
Flightdeck Solutions (FDS) is a global provider to the aerospace and aviation industry for a wide range of flight simulation products and services. Over its 24-year history FDS has gained worldwide trust for producing high quality, immersive and fully tactile FTD trainers, becoming the solution of choice for companies and educational institutions around the world. With devices such as the B737MAX, B737NG, A320, B787, B777, and B747, and trusted by companies like Boeing, Honeywell, and CAE, FDS has built a reputation for providing both custom hardware solutions and turnkey offerings, delivering excellence in quality while maintaining financial responsibility.

Source: Flightdeck Solutions
Photo Credit: Flightdeck Solutions

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Global Pilot Training Solution Provider, CAE, Announces CEO Succession Plan

Montreal, Canada – CAE announced that after 20 years at CAE, including 15 as President and Chief Executive Officer, and after spearheading the making of CAE as a global leader in training for civil aviation and defence and security forces, Marc Parent will be leaving the company at next year’s Annual General Meeting in August 2025, as part of an ongoing succession plan. Until this time, Mr. Parent will continue to lead CAE in his role as CEO and as a member of the Board of Directors, advance CAE’s strategic objectives and ensure an effective transition.

“Under Marc’s leadership, CAE has become a global leader in training for civil aviation and defence and security forces, through which we have furthered our mission to make the world a safer place,” said Alan N. MacGibbon, Chair of the Board of Directors. “During his tenure, CAE’s annual revenue has nearly doubled to $4.3 billion from $2.2 billion. This was driven in large part by the transformation he led from being primarily an industrial products company to becoming the world leader in aviation training solutions, with over two-thirds of annual revenue coming from recurring services. These accomplishments cement his legacy as a high calibre leader in the aerospace industry and create a solid foundation for the future.”

“Marc’s lasting impact on CAE and global aerospace is unanimously recognized by the Board,” said Mr. MacGibbon. “As we continue our succession process for the next CEO of CAE, we are fortunate to benefit from the considerable leadership depth he has built across the organization, placing us in an excellent position for sustainable growth.”

Added Mr. Parent, “It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead this company over the last 15 years. Having been engaged in succession planning discussions for some time, the Board and I are fully aligned on the process and transition to CAE’s next CEO. Over the decades, I have been able to work together with an extraordinary team, reshaping the aerospace industry by creating something truly unique, and prepared thousands of people in critical roles for the moments that matter. I am proud of the numerous awards and overall recognition that CAE has received, of the solid relationships we developed, and I am grateful for everyone who contributed to making our company what it is today.”

“CAE’s innovative technology and outstanding people now set the standard for training and safety worldwide. When I conclude this unique journey next year, it will be with the knowledge that given our unparalleled training and software solutions, the strong secular growth trends in Civil and Defence, and our robust order backlog, the future is bright for CAE.”

Consistent with its ongoing and rigorous succession planning process, the Board of Directors has retained a leading executive search firm to conduct a comprehensive global search, which will include evaluating internal and external candidates, to identify a new CEO to lead the Company into the future. The Human Resources Committee of the Board will oversee the search process with support and assistance from Mr. Parent.

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 software-based simulation training and critical operations support solutions. Above all else, we empower pilots, cabin crew, maintenance technicians, airlines, business aviation operators, and defence and security forces 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 approximately 13,000 employees in more than 240 sites and training locations in over 40 countries. CAE represents more than 75 years of industry firsts—the highest-fidelity flight and mission simulators as well as training programs powered by digital technologies. We embed sustainability in everything we do. Today and tomorrow, we’ll make sure our customers are ready for the moments that matter.

Source: CAE
Photo Credit: CAE

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Online Pilot Training Provider Acquires Course Material Catalog in October 2024

Melrose, Florida, USA — Online pilot training provider AV8 Prep has announced that it has acquired 107 School and its publications. The acquisition closed in October 2024.

John Ellis, co-founder of 107 School, joins AV8 Prep as its Chief of Development, and his role will be to expand the offerings of the online ground school and test prep provider.

AV8 Prep already offers ground training for private pilot, instrument rating, and commercial pilot courses, and others, such as its Private Pilot Diary, and Tower Talk, which is taught by a career air traffic controller.

Also contributing to AV8 Prep’s new offerings are expert flight instructors Meg Godlewski and Dr. Larry Diamond, who will author articles for the company on a regular basis.

The 107 School catalog includes “Launching Your Aviation Career,” by Meg Godlewski, “Aviate & Medicate,” by Dr. Larry Diamond, and “Introduction to Part 107,” by John Ellis. New editions of all three books will be released by AV8 Prep. The company is also proud to announce that they are publishing an expanded 125-page ebook, ”How To Become A Pilot,” which details the roadmap for going from “zero to hero.” It explains the complete aviation training process from novice pilot with zero experience to becoming an airline transport pilot.

AV8 Prep intends to launch several new courses, including one focused on the Fundamentals of Instruction, a key portion of ground training for initial flight instructor certification. AV8 Prep will create mobile apps to allow learners to take its courses anywhere they choose. The new apps are scheduled to launch in Q1 2025.

AV8 Prep utilizes a team-teaching approach: The instructors that deliver training for AV8 Prep have more than 50,000 hours of flight experience, and now with the addition of Godlewski and Diamond, that figure grows to more than 60,000 hours.

“Having a career in aviation is much more than learning rules and regulations and how to manipulate the controls—no matter if it is a drone or a full-sized aircraft,” said Godlewski. “AV8 Prep joining forces with 107 School helps pilots of all genres to achieve their goals. As so many of those folks are looking for professional aviation careers, I am happy that my book, ‘Launching Your Aviation Career,’ will be part of the equation.”

“I’m very excited to be joining the team at AV8 Prep, and continuing to provide aviation training materials that will help aspiring pilots take to the skies,” said Ellis. “With their established manned aviation courses and impressive video course catalog, it will be a great expansion from the Part 107 training that 107 School has offered. I am excited to help add mobile apps to AV8 Prep’s catalog, and to bring the books that were written for 107 School to their new home. It’s an excellent portfolio of courses, and I love the fact the lessons are team-taught by such qualified flight instructors. The combination of our offerings will give new learners a wealth of resources to learn from.”

Ellis co-founded 107 School in 2024, and was the Chief of Curriculum and Director of Video Production for MzeroA.com from 2014 to 2024. “It was a wild ride growing MzeroA from next to nothing to reaching the Inc. 500 list in my third year,” said Ellis. “As employee number one, I really enjoyed the experience of the company when it was still a ‘mom and pop’ organization. With the company’s acquisition by Phoenix East Aviation, I decided it was time to depart. I wish them well in their growth trajectory.

“In my new role, I’m very thankful to experience the excitement of helping new pilots take to the skies with a team of instructors that share my level of enthusiasm.”

About AV8 Prep
AV8 Prep was established in Atlantic Beach, Florida, in 2018 to deliver high-quality pilot training content, delivered by expert instructors through a top-notch user experience. Its exclusive catalog of aviation training materials accessed online sets AV8 Prep apart from other ground-school providers. AV8 Prep stands behind its courseware with a guarantee that users who score 90 percent or higher on their final exam will pass their FAA knowledge exams on the first try.

About 107 School
107 School was founded by Karolina and John Ellis to give remote “pilots in command” the chance to learn from an Advanced Ground Instructor who flies unmanned aircraft commercially. Karolina Ellis is the company’s CEO and an elementary school teacher at a Blue Ribbon school. Both co-founders wanted to improve from the quality of the previous courses and offer a future remote pilots the chance to learn from an educator that regularly flies unmanned aircraft—and doesn’t just keep them on the shelf. For those interested in how remotely piloted aircraft can benefit the industry and are considering adding a Part 107 certificate to a resume, 107 School wants to help them study for and pass the Part 107 test. Learners can take the mobile apps anywhere, and download videos for offline viewing. Prospective pilots can study with 107 School anywhere in the world.

Source: AV8 Prep
Photo Credit: AV8 Prep

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US Aviation and Flight Training Group, Epic Flight Academy, Awards $80,000 in Scholarships in 2024

Florida, United States-headquartered flight and aircraft maintenance training group Epic Flight Academy hosted its 9th Annual Aviation Scholarship Awards in November 2024. Eight high school students received scholarships totaling $80,000 toward pilot training and aircraft mechanic training to use at Epic’s various campuses.

Judges reviewed more than 50 applications from 14 states. The winners are:

  • Qayla Bailey, $20,000 Captain Judy Rice Pilot Scholarship – New Smyrna Beach
  • Jack Carda, $5,000 Pilot Scholarship Tucson
  • Casson Dennison, $5,000 Pilot Scholarship Jacksonville
  • Wes Glaser, $5,000 Pilot Scholarship Tallahassee
  • Anvita Kulkarni, $5,000 Pilot Scholarship New Smyrna Beach
  • Joseph Lavdas, $5,000 Pilot Scholarship Ocala
  • Russell Shipley, $20,000 Aircraft Mechanic Scholarship New Smyrna Beach
  • Brayden Tucker, $20,000 Aircraft Mechanic Scholarship CVG Airport

Dr. Cindy Lovell, Director of Education at Epic said, “Each year our judges praise the high quality of applicants we receive, which makes their job difficult. We congratulate each of these students and look forward to watching them grow at Epic.”

Epic founder and CEO Danny Perna added, “The scholarship event is always exciting because we meet so many talented young aviators who are eager to embark on their careers. We’re proud to support and encourage them.”

Source: Epic Flight Academy
Photo Credit: Epic Flight Academy

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US Pilot Training Organization Aerostar Training Services Announces 2025 Discounted Type Rating Rates

Kissimmee, Florida, USA – Pilot training organisation and full flight simulator training center Aerostar Training Services has announced a limited-time offer for A320 and B737 Type Ratings, allowing trainees to secure discounted rates for training sessions scheduled throughout 2025.

  • AeroStar’s “Lock in Your Rate” offer provides a 20% discount on 2024 pricing, applicable for training sessions held anytime in 2025.
  • The special pricing offer is exclusively available for A320 and B737 Type Rating programs.
  • Interested trainees are encouraged to take advantage of the discount, designed to simplify planning and reduce training costs for the coming year.

Source: AeroStar Training Services
Photo Credit: AeroStar Training Services

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