Archives: Market Intelligences

TAI’s Hurjet Jet Trainer Moves Into Production Phase

Türkiye – Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is advancing the testing, mass-production setup and export negotiations for the Hurjet, Türkiye’s first domestically developed advanced jet trainer, as the programme transitions from prototype evaluation to serial manufacturing.

  • Two Hurjet prototypes have completed around 340 flights and 260 flight hours, progressing through the aircraft’s full design envelope as development milestones continue.

  • Assembly is underway for the first aircraft destined for the Turkish Air Force’s Turkish Stars aerobatic team, with delivery scheduled for 2026. The next newly produced aircraft is expected to complete its first flight in the first quarter of next year.

  • TAI is establishing a production line capable of manufacturing two aircraft per month, with the Turkish Air Force set to receive an initial batch of 16 units, to be expanded as additional configurations enter production.

  • The Hurjet programme, launched in 2017 with a maiden flight achieved in April 2023, is Türkiye’s first supersonic jet-powered training aircraft and is designed for modern fighter training, armed and unarmed patrol, and aerobatic missions.

  • Key performance specifications include a Mach 1.4 top speed, service ceiling of 45,000 feet, and a payload capacity of three tons across seven external stations.

Source: TAI

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Blackshape Aircraft Signs Saudi Arabia Partnership in 2025

Saudi Arabia – Italian aircraft manufacturer Blackshape Aircraft, part of Angel Holding, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Saudi conglomerate Al-Qahtani during the Italy–Saudi Arabia Business Forum in Riyadh, establishing a new commercial partnership for the promotion of Blackshape Aircraft’s Prime and Gabriel training aircraft in the Kingdom. The agreement represents a strategic step in Blackshape’s expansion into the Middle East and aligns with Saudi Arabia’s growing demand for military and ab-initio training platforms.

  • Under the MoU, Al-Qahtani will serve as Blackshape’s partner for marketing the Prime and Gabriel aircraft across Saudi Arabia, with discussions already underway for potential future local production of Italian-built aircraft in the Kingdom.

  • The agreement was signed by Blackshape CEO Niccolò Chierroni and Abdullah Abdel Hadi Al-Qahtani, Vice President of Al-Qahtani, in the presence of senior leadership from both Angel Holding and Al-Qahtani Group.

  • According to media reports Blackshape Aircraft is also reported to be in active negotiations with the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) regarding the potential supply of more than 30 Gabriel aircraft for basic military pilot training.

  • A preliminary phase of the proposed contract would include initial RSAF pilot training in Italy, conducted at Blackshape’s training base located at Grottaglie Airport.

Source: Italian Media Reporting

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Leading Edge Aviation Hosts Boeing Delegation in the UK to Advance CBTA Collaboration

United Kingdom – Leading Edge Aviation (LEA), the UK-headquartered flight training group with bases in Oxford and Castellón (Spain), hosted more than 20 Boeing team members from the UK, United States and Germany at its Oxford campus last week, further strengthening its collaboration with Boeing on future-focused pilot training initiatives.

  • The visit forms part of LEA’s ongoing engagement with Boeing following its recent contribution to Boeing’s new Competency-Based Training & Assessment (CBTA) suite, a two-year development programme designed to enhance Area 100 Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (KSA) delivery in theoretical knowledge training.

  • LEA served as a development partner by providing feedback from instructors, students and ATO leadership, helping Boeing align CBTA resources with operational requirements and modern airline competency frameworks.

  • Boeing’s CBTA suite includes interactive lessons, media resources and assessment tools to support decision-making, communication, workload management and leadership development—core elements of the EASA Area 100 KSA requirement.

  • The material is now fully integrated into LEA’s theoretical knowledge syllabus, giving cadets exposure to CBTA principles from the earliest stage of training.

Source: Leading Edge Aviation

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European Flight Training Group Opens New Base in Finland in 2026

Denmark & Finland – headquartered GreyBird Pilot Academy, a flight training group in Europe, has confirmed the official opening of its new training base in Helsinki, marking a key expansion step in the academy’s long-term growth strategy across Northern and Western Europe.

  • The first class at the Helsinki base will begin in January 2026, with GreyBird reporting strong demand and only limited remaining seats.

  • The new Finnish campus will be located at VERK | Sörnäistenkatu 1, Antilooppi, a modern training environment intended to support ground school delivery and student services ahead of flight training phases.

  • GreyBird leadership visited the facility this week, including CCO Kasper Bye Lassen, Head of Recruitment Johanna Ekman Klasman, new College and Finnish Base Manager Markus Perttula, and CTO Søren Møller.

  • The expansion into Finland follows GreyBird’s strategic plan announced earlier this year, which outlined upcoming bases in Dublin, Paris, Lyon and Helsinki, supporting rapid growth in student volumes across Europe.

  • AFM previously reported that GreyBird welcomed 40 new students across Denmark and Sweden in January, a 60% year-on-year increase, reflecting rising regional demand for integrated and modular pilot training.

  • GreyBird currently operates bases in Denmark, Sweden and Spain, with Finland now becoming its latest operational market.

Statements

  • “A big milestone for GreyBird Pilot Academy is now becoming a reality: we are officially opening our new base in Finland… Our first class begins in January 2026, and with many students already signed, the last seats are quickly filling up.” – Kasper Bye Lassen, CCO, GreyBird Pilot Academy

In November 2024 GreyBird Aviation Group, the company behind Denmark’s largest and one of the leading pilot schools in the Nordics, GreyBird Pilot Academy, had sold a significant minority stake to the Danish private equity firm, Dansk Ejerkapital. This strategic partnership aims to propel the academy’s ambitious growth plans, including expansion into multiple European markets.

Source: Kasper Bye Lassen (GreyBird Pilot Academy)
Photo Credit: Kasper Bye Lassen (GreyBird Pilot Academy)

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