Market Intelligence: -Training Aircraft Developments

Indian Flight Training Group Chimes Aviation Academy Grows 2025 Fleet with April C172 Addition

India – Chimes Aviation Academy (CAA), which operates two flight training bases in India, has expanded its training fleet with the addition of a new Cessna 172 aircraft, reinforcing its capacity to meet growing demand for pilot training. The new Cessna 172 has officially arrived at the academy’s base in Dhana, Madhya Pradesh.

Chimes Aviation Academy marked a key operational milestone by surpassing 30,000 flying hours in the 2024–2025 financial year, highlighting consistent training activity and fleet utilisation.

With a fleet of 26 aircraft, two operational airbases (Dhana & Neemuch), and a significant presence in India’s pilot training ecosystem—contributing to 20% of the country’s domestic CPL market—CAA continues to set benchmarks in aviation training.

Source: Chimes Aviation Academy
Photo Credit: Chimes Aviation Academy (shown as meta image)

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French Flight School to Expand 2025 Fleet with 5 New Aircraft and 2 Simulators

France – Mermoz Academy, a France headquartered aviation and pilot training organization, has announced plans to expand its training fleet with the addition of five new aircraft and two new simulators. In 2024 Mermoz Academy placed an order for 10 Tecnam Aircraft.

  • The academy’s existing fleet includes:

    • 11 Tecnam P-Mentor

    • 6 Tecnam P2006

    • 2 Sonaca 200 Trainer Pro

    • 1 Diamond DA42NG

    • 1 Mudry Cap 10

  • As owners of their aircraft, Mermoz Academy manages all maintenance in-house with a dedicated team of mechanics, ensuring thorough aircraft care and reduced downtime.

In February 2023 Canada’s Largest Flight School, Cargair (Cargair Pilot Academy) announced it was partnering with french aviation and pilot training group Mermoz Academy, two institutions with more than 120 years of experience, to offer a new Canadian-European training that will enable future student pilots to obtain the double European and Canadian license.

About Mermoz Academy
Founded in 1957, Mermoz Academy is a French flight training school for airline pilots and cabin crew, renowned for the quality of its teaching. Mermoz Academy is located in Paris (Rungis), and at the airports of Tours and Nîmes, as well as in San Diego, providing students with a full immersion in a realistic airport environment that prepares them for their future careers. With years of experience, rigorous teaching methods, and thanks to its teams and instructors, Mermoz Academy is particularly recognized by its partner airlines for training pilots who are well-prepared for the demands of the sector. To further enhance the quality of our training, we have recently acquired a new state-of-the-art simulator, the ALSIM AL250, designed to offer realistic and immersive training conditions.

Source: Mermoz Academy
Photo Credit: Mermoz Academy

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Flight Training Group Leading Edge Aviation Adds 2nd Elixir Aircraft to Spanish Training Base

Alhama de Murcia, Spain – United Kingdom headquartered pilot training organisation Leading Edge Aviation has announced the arrival of its second Elixir training aircraft at its Alhama campus in Southern Spain, continuing its planned expansion to a fleet of 15 next-generation aircraft as part of its pilot training programme.

  • The latest Elixir arrival follows the first delivery in March 2025, as the academy builds a fleet of cutting-edge, fourth-generation light training aircraft.
  • Designed with a “OneShot” manufacturing process, the Elixir features a simplified structure with fewer parts, resulting in increased safety and a lighter, yet stronger airframe.
  • The two-seater aircraft is equipped with a fuel-efficient Rotax engine, consuming only 10–15 litres per hour, aligning with eco-friendly training operations.

The aircraft is being added in collaboration with manufacturer Elixir Aircraft and leasing partner Green Aerolease.

Green Aerolease will deploy 5 aircraft and previously stated – “These aircraft join the Leading Edge Aviation fleet, marking the launch of our “turnkey” rental offer, with insurance, maintenance and carbon compensation via Aero4Good,” said Green Aerolease. “This collaboration reflects our commitment to sustainable aviation and innovation at the service of flight schools. A big thank you to our partners for their trust.”

Source: Leading Edge Aviation
Photo Credit: Leading Edge Aviation

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Pilot Training Industry Supplier Feature – Cirrus

In this week’s AFM Pilot Training Leadership Interview Series we speak with Zean Nielsen – CEO at Cirrus. Founded in 1984 Cirrus is a global leader in personal aviation, as well as in aviation training, producing one of the industry’s best-selling piston aircraft, the SR Series and the popular TRAC series used by a number of airline owned flight training organisations.

The conversation covers:

  • Remarkable Growth & Innovation: Since taking over as CEO in 2019, Zean Nielsen has led Cirrus to triple its revenue, expand staff, and solidify its position as a leader in personal aviation. The company emphasizes safety, innovation, and customer obsession, as seen in products like Cirrus SR Series and advanced technologies like the Safe Return Emergency Autoland system.
  • Safety-Driven Design Philosophy: Cirrus pioneered the integration of the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), which has saved hundreds of lives and is now a core safety feature in all their aircraft. The company’s strong focus on safety extends to its customer support, training ecosystems, and ongoing maintenance initiatives.
  • Strategic Pilot Training Support: Cirrus, particularly the SR20, are widely used by top global flight training organizations like Emirates Flight Training Academy, Lufthansa Aviation Training, and United Aviate Academy. Their appeal lies in unmatched safety features (like the CAPS parachute system), reliability, low operating costs, high resale value, and user-friendly aircraft like the SR20 and SR22, making them ideal for flight school fleets. The combination of air-conditioning, powerful engines, and ergonomic cockpit design creates a more comfortable and safe learning environment.
  • Technology Focus: The company prioritizes Simplified Vehicle Operation (SVO), aiming to make flying more accessible and intuitive. Cirrus offers its own custom-developed PPL syllabus tailored to its aircraft, providing students with focused and relevant training. Tools like Microsoft Flight Simulator integration, augmented reality modules, and Cirrus IQ and IQ Pro enable pre-flight familiarization and lifelong learning, shifting training from an event to a lifestyle.
  • Training for Proficiency: Cirrus prioritizes quality and depth over simply meeting regulatory minimums. While a private pilot license (PPL) requires only 40 flight hours, Cirrus-trained pilots typically complete 70–80 hours to ensure they’re confident, capable, and safe in real-world flying scenarios. The training goes beyond passing exams—emphasizing skills like cross-country navigation, in-flight decision-making, and operational confidence in diverse conditions.

For more information:

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

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