Market Intelligence: -Training Aircraft Developments

Netherlands-based Flight School Chooses Tecnam Aircraft for Airline MPL Training Program

Tecnam announced that Zelf Vliegen chose Tecnam’s P-Mentor for its fleet renewal program. The aircraft will be used for both PPL – Private Pilot License – as well as the MPL – Multi Pilot License – courses.

The characteristics of the P-Mentor meet the requirements of Transavia’s Airline Pilot Program and the conditions that Zelf Vliegen sets for its ATO training rules. When renewing the fleet, the flight school takes continuity and sustainability into account, among other things. With a vision for the future, Zelf Vliegen will gradually build a professional and universal fleet of modern aircraft.

The prices of the current aircraft used for the Airline Pilot Program have risen so much compared to 2018 that they no longer fit their vision. In addition, the fact that the aviation sector has to meet sustainability objectives also played a role.

The Tecnam fleet will be modern and affordable and contribute to lower CO2 emissions, which fits in with the overall vision of Zelf Vliegen.

Based on recent data and industry benchmarks, flight training schools operating Tecnam’s single and twin-engine fleets can save as much as 10 tons of CO2 emissions for every single student graduating with a Commercial Pilot License – a 60% reduction compared to legacy fleets using Avgas 100LL fuel. (Based on 155 flight training hours, including 30 hours on the twin.)

The P-Mentor is a two-seat single engine piston aircraft fully IFR – is compliant with the latest CS-23 EASA & FAA requirements, allowing PBN/RNAV/AFCS capabilities. The modern flight school have today one platform to train students from their first flight up to CPL- IR, including Variable Pitch Propeller, Simulated Retractable Landing Gear and UPRT.

The P-Mentor is designed to offer the best human machine interface resulting in the most effective VFR/IFR training while the generous fuel tank allows Flight Schools to fly all day long without refueling, no interruption is equal to improve operational value.

Lowest cost of maintenance, lowest fuel consumption, and the greatest value for money, make this aircraft a unique profit opportunity for any Flight School.

Angelique Buitenhuis, Zelf Vliegen CEO/CFO said “With this new modern fleet, Zelf Vliegen sees that the positive developments of the past year will continue in 2023. A multitude of training flights are already on the agenda for the first quarter and as far as Transavia’s Airline Pilot Program is concerned, there will even be two classes starting the flight phase of their training in 2023.”

Walter Da Costa, Tecnam’s Chief Sales Officer said “Commercial aviation has a huge demand of pilots. Tecnam offers solutions to train pilots in the most efficient and safe way. Our P-Mentor is a unique solution in the market, ensuring reliability, costs control, smart training.”

About Zelf Vliegen

Based at Lelystad Airport, Zelf Vliegen is one of the most experienced GA training institutes in the Netherlands.

About TECNAM “Quality Aircraft since 1948”

TECNAM’s roots go all the way back to the Italian brothers Luigi and Giovanni Pascale who began to develop and produce innovative aircraft soon after the end of WWII. Since those early beginnings, the family has continued to create original models, first gaining worldwide recognition under the name Partenavia, which translates as ” Naples Aviation”. Costruzioni Aeronautiche TECNAM was established in March 1986 and now operates in two production facilities. The Casoria facility is located adjacent to Naples’ Capodichino International Airport while the main factory is next to the “Oreste Salomone” Airport in Capua. New facilities were established in Sebring, Florida, USA and in Australia to serve and support the needs of Tecnam’s local owners and operators.

Source: Tecnam Press Release
Photo Credit: Tecnam (shown as meta image)

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Spanish Flight School Reports 61% Growth in Students in 2022 Announces Aircraft Order and Plans for Second Base

Burgos, Spain headquartered flight school FlyBy has announced that it has recorded a 67% growth in number of integrated students in 2022 (61% growth in number of students in total). This growth, supported by the performance in the first two months of 2023 which has already seen more students planning to start their training than Flyby had in the entire 2020, is driving a FlyBy initiative for a new second base.

FlyBy’s owner Alex Alvarez shared that the team is planning on 30 to 40% organic growth, has placed an order for 6 Tecnam Aircraft to be delivered in the coming months and is evaluating a number of acquisitions.

Source: Alex Alvarez
Photo Credit: FlyBy (shown as meta image)

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Training Aircraft Manufacturer, Elixir Aircraft’s First US Client Receives Training and Confirms Commitment to 10 Plane Order

Elixir Aircraft, the 4th Generation, Type 23 certified, aircraft manufacturer is delighted to announce a successful week of training, with its first North American client Cirrus Aviation. The training took place at the Elixir headquarters in La Rochelle, France.

Renowned professional Flight Training Organization and Certified FAA Maintenance Center based in Sarasota, Florida, the Cirrus Aviation team traveled to La Rochelle in force for a week of flight testing and maintenance training.

CEO and Founder of Cirrus Aviation, David Cattin said: “We have been closely following the evolution of the Elixir. The versatility, safety and extremely low operating cost of this new 4th Generation aircraft is going to be a great training tool and investment for our FAA Part 141 Flight Training. It is for these very reasons we decided to place an initial order for two aircraft at EAA Airventure Oshkosh in 2022.”

A successful training week for our first north american client cirrus aviation

The Cirrus Aviation team that visited La Rochelle consisted of five people, including Management, Pilots and Maintenance. The three full days consisted of 20 hours of test flights, and numerous hours of training on all maintenance aspects including 100, annual, 1000 hour checks, along with manufacturer recommendations.

“The full experience was very professional, extremely informative. It gave us great insight and confidence in the Elixir as a versatile training aircraft, with huge savings in maintenance time and cost,” said David Cattin.

It is due to this time spent at Elixir Aircraft with the whole team, that Cirrus Aviation has confirmed its commitment to order ten aircraft, two new aircraft to be delivered per year for the next five years, the first two being delivered to Sarasota later this year.

Cyril Champenois, CSO, Elixir Aircraft explains: “This time with the Cirrus Aviation team was invaluable. We learnt the pains a flight school faces when operating a sizeable fleet of aircraft flying 1200 hours each per year. Given the ease of maintenance on the Elixir and low cost of mogas fuel, the Elixir will be a game changer for Cirrus Aviation. They will be able to fly more hours due to the Elixirs reduced time in the shop, and inject more to the bottom line”.

About Elixir Aircraft

Elixir Aircraft a company headquartered in La Rochelle, France, with close to 100 employees, was created in 2015 to meet the challenges of global light aviation. The objective of the French company: to make safer, more economical and more versatile aircraft. Complexity is the reason why current aircraft suffer from failures (technical or human), and are expensive to operate (consumption and maintenance). Elixir Aircraft employs a technology from the world of competitive sailing, the Carbon Oneshot, to simplify the structures. More simplicity means less failure, therefore more safety, but also less maintenance, and less costs (estimates of 50$/h of fuel and maintenance). At the end of 2021, Elixir Aircraft opened a new production site in Périgny, Charente Maritime, to internalize the entire production of carbon parts.

About Cirrus Aviation

Cirrus Aviation, Inc. is an FAA Part 141 Flight School located in Sarasota, FL. It was founded in 1994 by former military aviator David Cattin, who remains its President today. The vision guiding the organization has always incorporated the latest technology to better educate and create the aviators of tomorrow. The company offers training for people from many backgrounds including veterans using the GI Bill, university students through the Liberty University Flight Training Affiliates program, international students on approved Visa’s, and the local domestic market learning to fly for fun or for future careers. Cirrus Aviation has a mixed fleet of a dozen Cessna’s and Pipers, as well as two ALSIM Simulators. It employs about 40 people consisting of flight instructors, mechanics, administrators, and dispatchers. It produces about 150 licenses annually, with increased projections. Its transatlantic presence allows it to work with both the FAA and EASA, as well as discover products from abroad and introduce them to the domestic market.

Source: Elixir Aircraft Press Release
Image: Elixir Aircraft

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US Flight School Visits Training Aircraft Manufacturer, Elixir Aircraft, in La Rochelle, France

Elixir Aircraft announced it was delighted in welcoming Cirrus Aviation, an FAA Part 141 flight school, to its premises in La Rochelle, France last week. Elixir Aircraft signed an Operator and Service Partnership agreement and pre-orders with Sarasota Florida-based Cirrus Aviation at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh last July 2022. The agreement consists of an initial order of two 912iS aircraft along with Cirrus Aviation becoming Elixir Aircraft’s first certified maintenance partner in North America.

Source: Elixir Aircraft Announcement
Photo Credit: Elixir Aircraft (shown as meta image)

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