Market Intelligence: -Training Aircraft Developments

Airbus has confirmed that Volotea, the Barcelona-based airline, is to recruit eleven of its Airbus pilot cadets.

The move is an endorsement of the quality of Airbus’ Ab-Initio Training Programme, which opened its doors in 2018. The programme equips cadets with the skills and mindset needed to become an “operationally-ready pilot”, focusing on the development of key pilot competencies.

“This is a very important day for Volotea, as we are taking cadets directly from the Airbus Flight Academy Europe for the first time. We’re all very excited by it as we know the programme quality is of a very high standard, adapting perfectly to Volotea´s training philosophy. Our company keeps on growing year after year our Airbus fleet, and we’re going to be needing many more pilots. We certainly hope this is the beginning of a very successful long-term partnership with the Airbus Flight Academy benefiting many young pilots”, said Carlos Muñoz, CEO Volotea.

On 2 March, Airbus Flight Academy Europe (AFAE), a 100% subsidiary of Airbus, inaugurated a new campus, at its base in Angoulême, South-West France. This addition to its current training facilities means AFAE now has an increased capacity to train up to 200 aspiring pilot cadets at any one time.

By enlarging its ab-initio training base in Europe, Airbus reaffirms its longstanding commitment to support its airline customers in anticipating and preparing for the future, helping to train the pilots of tomorrow, a demand now estimated to be around 550,000 over the next 20 years. Airbus is ensuring the commercial aircraft industry is ready for air traffic recovery in the 2023-2025 timeframe and the years beyond.

The opening of an additional campus is also the opportunity for AFAE to commit to and align with Airbus’ global approach to sustainability. A first step was the achievement of ISO 14001 certification for the site in 2021. AFAE is now focusing its efforts on reducing the CO₂ emissions of its training aircraft fleet and will soon be taking possession of four more fuel-efficient, quieter Elixir light aircraft, to complement the current Cirrus fleet.

Building on the comprehensive and innovative approach to professional training that Airbus has been renowned for the past 50 years, AFAE will regularly introduce the latest technologies and learning concepts, including new environmental education, from Day one. For example, the cadets will be taught how to optimise aircraft trajectories in order to save fuel, and hence reduce CO₂ emissions.

More than just getting a licence, the Airbus Pilot Cadet Training Programme is a philosophy, a mindset, aimed at progressively acquiring key technical and behavioural skills that airlines expect from their pilots. Providing the initial (ab-initio) phases of pilot training allows Airbus to accompany future airline pilots from the beginning throughout their flight training path, to obtain a commercial pilot’s licence and then be certified to fly Airbus aircraft (“type rating” training).

In addition to AFAE, Airbus currently has one other flight school in its training portfolio; the Escuela de Aviacion Mexico in Latin America.

For more information, kindly contact Airbus Flight Academy Europe.

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Airbus Flight Academy Europe (AFAE), a 100% subsidiary of Airbus, has inaugurated a new campus, in Angoulême, South-West France. During the ceremony, Airbus confirmed that Volotea, the Barcelona-based airline, is the first to recruit its Airbus pilot cadets.

The inauguration of the new facility provides AFAE, which is the first flight school to deliver the Airbus Pilot Cadet Training Programme in Europe, with an increased capacity to train up-to 200 pilot cadets at any one time. The site, which spans 4.7 hectares,includes a new building of approx. 3200m² which will be dedicated to the training of aspiring pilots with 14 classrooms and briefing rooms, a simulator hall, an auditorium and a restaurant.

By enlarging its ab-initio training base, Airbus reaffirms its longstanding commitment to support its airline customers in anticipating and preparing for the future. In helping to train the pilots of tomorrow, a demand now estimated to be around 550,000 over the next 20 years*, Airbus is ensuring the commercial aircraft industry is ready for air traffic recovery in the 2023-2025 timeframe and the years beyond.

The move to a new campus is also the opportunity for AFAE to commit to and align with Airbus’ global approach to sustainability. A first step was the achievement of ISO 14001 certification for the site in 2021. AFAE now turns its efforts to focusing on a reduction of CO₂ emissions of its training aircraft fleet -an order for the more fuel efficient, quieter Elixir light aircraft is ongoing to complement the current Cirrus fleet, as well as ensuring a decarbonised environmental footprint in terms of its physical sites and supply chain.

Going forward AFAE stands ready to adapt its operations in line with Airbus’ long term zero-emission ambition, all the while ensuring that it maintains the comprehensive and innovative approach to training that Airbus has been renowned for over the past 50 years, via the regular introduction of the latest technologies and learning concepts, including environmental education from Day1.

The move by Volotea to recruit eleven of Airbus’ newly graduated pilot cadets is an endorsement of the quality of Airbus’ Ab-Initio Training Programme, which opened its doors in 2019. The programme equips cadets with the skills and mind-set required to become an “operationally-ready pilot” focusing on the all-important development of key pilot technical and behavioural competencies. Currently in the final stages of their pilot training, the Airbus cadets will be joining Volotea and flying as commercial airline pilots from April-May this year.

“This is a very important day for Volotea, as we are taking cadets directly from the Airbus Flight Academy Europe for the first time. We’re all very excited by it as we know the programme quality is of a very high standard, adapting perfectly to Volotea´s training philosophy, said Carlos Muñoz, CEO Volotea. Our company keeps on growing year after year our Airbus fleet, and we’re going to be needing many more pilots. We certainly hope this is the beginning of a very successful long-term partnership with the Airbus Flight Academy benefiting many young pilots.”

The Airbus Pilot Cadet Training Programme is open to high school graduates over 18 years old worldwide. Candidates will undergo online and on-site screening tests before being eligible for training which will include 750+ hours of ground school, plus 200 hours of practical (flight and simulator) training.

For more information, kindly contact Airbus Flight Academy Europe.

You may also check our Terms and Conditions for our Content Policy.