Italy headquartered training aircraft manufacturer Tecnam aircraft is attending 15th Flight School of Norther America Conference set to take place from Feb 22 to Feb 23, 2024, at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada.
In July 2023 Tecnam announced the launch of the P-MENTOR aircraft in the US market during the Air Venture 2023.
Source: Tecnam Aircraft
Photo Credit: Tecnam Aircraft
Canadian MRO Provider KF Aerospace is pleased to announce its newly established exclusive dealership arrangement with Grob Aircraft SE— a premier German aerospace manufacturer— for the North American market.
This agreement entrusts KF Aerospace to market, sell, and lease Grob products and pilot training services throughout Canada and the United States.
The Grob 120 is renowned for its use in military pilot training programs globally, including by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) for basic flying training at the Contracted Flying Training and Support (CFTS) Program in Southport, MB. KF Aerospace has managed the CFTS Program with its Allied Wings partners since 2005.
KF’s longstanding maintenance and operational expertise with Grob’s 120A aircraft ensures a seamless and knowledgeable experience for North American customers.
Tracy Medve, President & CEO of KF Aerospace, expressed confidence in the synergy between the two aerospace firms:
“This partnership with Grob is a great fit for us. We have developed a solid relationship with Grob over the last 18 years and we are strong believers in the products that Grob delivers. Our extensive experience with the Grob 120A uniquely positions us to support and expand the presence of these exceptional products and services in Canada and the US.”
Clients interested in Grob Aircraft’s offerings will soon be able to reach out to KF Aerospace directly for expert guidance and support.
About KF Aerospace
A Canadian success story, KF Aerospace was founded as Kelowna Flightcraft in 1970 by Barry Lapointe. It has evolved into a leading aerospace company and the largest commercial Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) provider in Canada.
KF Aerospace excels in aircraft MRO, aerospace engineering, military aircrew training, air cargo operations and aircraft leasing. Industry-recognized for its skilled workforce, KF Aerospace is dedicated to innovative, on-time and cost-effective solutions.
KF Aerospace supports corporate, commercial, and military customers globally, including major aircraft manufacturers and airlines, and provides vital training and in-service support services for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
Source: KF Aerospace
Photo Credit: KF Aerospace
Chosen due to its wide variance of flight capabilities — including speeds, visibility, advanced avionics and innovative interior design, along with the low operating cost — the Tecnam P-92 MkII will be piloted by the Eagles Flight Team, representing Embry‑Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus. The Eagles Flight Team competes at the annual National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s (NIFA) National and Regional Safety and Flight Evaluation Conferences (SAFECON).
The aircraft will be used within the competition to perform message drops, navigation, power-off landings, short-field landings and numerous other competitive events. The Eagles Flight Team boasts a long record of success in Region IX flight competition.
According to Ken Byrnes, Embry-Riddle’s assistant dean and Flight chair, “Our selection of the Tecnam P-92 at Embry-Riddle reflects a step change in the continuation of providing safe, reliable and cost-efficient platforms for our Eagle’s Flight Team to remain competitive in the future.”
“The P92 is a stable, solid and cost-effective platform that has proven to be the go-to aircraft for flight school programs around the world,” added David Copeland, director of sales at Tecnam US. “We are excited to see the Eagles Flight Team piloting Tecnam’s into the future.”
The P92’s short-field performance, excellent climb characteristics and efficiency are now teamed with the MkII’s composite fuselage, granting improved cruise performances. The cabin volume has also been increased, allowing for wider seats, additional fore and aft adjustment and improved ergonomics. Advanced Garmin G3X touch avionics are available with synthetic view and ground proximity warning, providing additional navigation and situational awareness.
Tradition, innovation and vision. These factors are spearheading Tecnam to wider horizons. Based on recent data and industry benchmarks, Tecnam is offering the greenest training fleet in the world. Flight schools operating Tecnam’s single- and twin-engine fleet can save as much as 10 tonnes of CO2 emissions for every single student graduating with a Commercial Pilot License – a 60% reduction compared to fleet using 100LL fuel on a journey of 155 flight hours, 30h of which on twin.
About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Reporters worldwide contact Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for content experts in all aspects of aviation, aviation business, aerospace, engineering and STEM-related fields. Our faculty experts specialize in unmanned and autonomous systems, security and intelligence, air traffic and airport management, astronomy, human factors psychology, meteorology, spaceflight operations, urban air mobility and much more.
Embry-Riddle educates 31,300+ students at its residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott, Arizona, at approximately 110 Worldwide Campus locations and through online degree programs. In 2023, U.S. News & World Report named Embry-Riddle Worldwide the nation’s No. 2 provider of online bachelor’s degree programs. The university has ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 in this category every year since 2016. Our residential campuses hold multiple Top 10 rankings. All of our campuses have been ranked Best for Veterans.
About TECNAM; “Quality Aircraft since 1948”
Tecnam is an Italian aircraft manufacturer and one of the world’s leading piston aircraft manufacturers. Founded in 1948 by brothers Luigi and Giovanni Pascale, the company is headquartered in Capua, Italy, and operates two subsidiaries in Sebring, Florida, USA, and Brisbane, Australia, to serve and support the needs of local Tecnam owners and operators. Tecnam designs and manufactures a wide range of aircraft for personal use, commercial operations, business travel, flight training, surveillance, law enforcement and other specialised applications.
Source: Tecnam
Photo Credit: Tecnam
Training aircraft manufacturer Piper Aircraft delivered a new Pilot 100i to global pilot training group’s Skyborne’s Florida – Vero Beach Campus recently. This delivery signifies the successful acquisition of the second aircraft out of the planned 11 for Skyborne’s growing fleet.
Source: Skyborne
Photo Credit: Skyborne
Cork, Ireland headquartered pilot training organisation Atlantic Flight Training Academy (AFTA), announces the commencement of its transition to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). SAF is an innovative plant-based fuel and can reduce carbon emissions by more than 90%. Through the acquisition of new next generation training aircraft AFTA will ensure an increasing number of its fleet can use SAF.
AFTA trains the next generation of commercial pilots and is the leading English speaking flight school in the EU providing ‘ab inito’ pilot training under European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Regulations. It has a strong partnership with both Munster Technological University and Enterprise Ireland, which is supporting the transition to SAF enabled aircraft.
AFTA’s ambition is to be a global leader in sustainable methods of pilot training for world-leading airlines, and the company has already landed it’s first SAF training aircraft, with plans to convert it’s entire fleet to alternative power plants in the coming years.
This follows on from AFTA’s achievement of being the first EASA approved flight training academy to introduce ‘Sustainability and Environmental Awareness’ in every aspect of a pilot’s training journey.
Speaking at AFTA’s ESG briefing update, Sean Kelly Ireland South MEP and member of the European Parliament Committee for Industry, Research and Energy, commented:
“It is encouraging to see how an Irish-EU based Pilot Education Academy, AFTA, who working with their MTU and airline partners, can strive to lead the global Pilot Training industry in it’s transition to a low-carbon future. Captain Mark Casey and the AFTA team are renowned as being an innovative Aviation Training Academy committed to a low-carbon emissions future and their leadership approach is recognised in Europe, by being the first EASA approved flight training academy to introduce “Sustainability and Environmental awareness” in every aspect of the pilot cadets training.
“I wish the Sustainability team at AFTA continued success in their transition to a low carbon future and further sustainable objectives.”
“I also note the findings of the recent study into the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in Ireland which demonstrates its significant employment potential, up to 1000 jobs. However, as outlined in the reports (Research and Development) recommendations, it is important that Ireland and the EU continue to fund and support the promotion of SAF technologies leveraging Ireland’s third-level institutions and Government entities such as Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and SEAI.”
Commenting on AFTA’s ambitions for sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint, Captain Mark Casey, AFTA CEO and Head of Training, said:
“We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint significantly in line with government policy by 2030. The introduction of the Diamond DA42 NG has already proven to be a ‘game changer’ for the business. These state of the art modern aircraft are quieter, significantly more fuel efficient and most importantly they can run on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) which results in a 90% reduction in carbon emissions for our fleet. The next priority for AFTA is the conversion of 15 Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft to SAF powered engines and today marks the launch of the first converted aircraft with additional aircraft to follow in quick succession. We are committed to achieving the 2030 deadline for a 100% fleet conversion to SAF ahead of schedule and we are in continuous discussions with manufacturers and airframe retrofit component providers to lock in an achievable timeline to conversion.” An acutely focused strategic priority for AFTA is to eliminate our impact on the environment. In an ever changing business environment reducing our environmental impact with SAF will serve to de-risk our business as the airline industry accelerates its transition to alternative fuels.
Devilla Flynn of Enterprise Ireland said, “In a bold stride towards a more sustainable aviation industry, Atlantic Flight Training Academy has set a remarkable example by adopting SAF to reduce their CO2 emissions. This environmentally conscious move is not only changing the way we learn to fly but also shaping the future of the aviation sector, proving that commitment to greener skies is now taking off in the classroom”.
David Crowley, Sustainability Specialist at Cork Airport said:
“Cork Airport is delighted to see this innovation taking place. Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) are a very important part of the aviation industry’s transition to a more sustainable future. Its’s great to see AFTA taking practical steps to demonstrate the viability of this technology on the sustainability journey to net zero.”
Source: Atlantic Flight Training Academy
Photo Credit: Atlantic Flight Training Academy
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