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Flight Training Lender Stratus Financial Reaches USD 20 Million Milestone, Delivering USD 2.7 Million in Returns to Investors

USA – Stratus Financial, a leading provider of aviation-training financing solutions, announced that its investment fund has reached $20 million in assets and has distributed over $2.7 million in returns to investors since its inception in 2021. The milestone underscores Stratus Financial’s continued growth and success in providing financing for aspiring pilots while delivering attractive returns to investors.

Launched in 2021, the Stratus Financial Fund is a 506(c) passive income fund that finances purpose loans for commercial aviation training, serving super-prime borrowers in an underserved $2 billion market. The fund’s success reflects Stratus’s disciplined underwriting, deep industry expertise, and mission-driven approach to helping students pursue careers in aviation.

“Reaching $20 million in the fund is a milestone that represents more than growth—it represents trust,” said Brandon Martini, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Stratus Financial. “Our investors believe in our mission to empower aspiring pilots, and this success proves that strong financial performance and meaningful impact can go hand in hand.”

Since its launch, the Stratus Financial Fund has helped student pilots access the training they need while providing investors with consistent, preferred returns. The fund continues to expand its network of investors and flight school partners to meet the growing demand for pilot training.

“We designed this fund to serve two critical needs: helping students achieve their dreams of flight and giving investors access to a stable, transparent, and high-yield investment opportunity,” said Anthony Geraci, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Stratus Financial. “Crossing $20 million in assets demonstrates that our model works and that our impact continues to grow.”

“What excites me most is the loyalty of our investors,” added Eljona Shkreli, Managing Director of Investor Relations at Stratus Financial. “Many joined us in the early days and have continued to reinvest year after year. Their confidence fuels everything we do as we expand access to flight training and deliver meaningful returns.”

Looking ahead, Stratus Financial plans to continue scaling its lending operations, deepen investor relationships, and expand its impact on the aviation training sector.

Source: Stratus Financial

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Air India Training Academy CEO Visits US Flight Training Group AeroGuard Flight Training Center in October 2025

Arizona, USA – global flight training group AeroGuard Flight Training Center welcomed Sunil Bhaskaran, CEO and Director of the Air India Aviation Academy, to its Phoenix campus, where he met with Air India cadets enrolled in the airline’s Cadet Pilot Program.

  • Mr Bhaskaran addressed the Air India cadets, providing insight into the airline’s training roadmap and encouraging them to maintain a strong focus on safety, professionalism, and consistency throughout their training journey.

  • AeroGuard Flight Trainng Center CEO Joel Davidson also spoke with the cadets, emphasizing AeroGuard’s role in shaping future airline pilots through its structured, safety-first training approach.

  • AeroGuard currently has four Air India cadet batches in training, with a fifth batch having commenced ground school in India earlier this month.

  • AeroGuard has recently surpassed 120 aircraft in its training fleet, continuing to expand with an additional five Piper Archers scheduled for delivery later this month. These aircraft are part of AeroGuard’s 90-aircraft order from Piper Aircraft, which will bring the fleet total to 130 aircraft by the end of 2025.

Source: AeroGuard Flight Training Center

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CAE Delivers New Airbus A350 Full Flight Simulator to KLM in 2025

Netherlands – CAE has successfully delivered a new Airbus A350 Full-Flight Simulator (FFS) to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, enhancing the airline’s pilot training capabilities at its Schiphol-East training centre. The simulator is now fully operational and ready for training.

  • In parallel, KLM is building a new training centre called “The Link” at Schiphol-East, which will house five additional simulators (including one A350 and four A321neo devices) and support both KLM and Transavia pilots. The facility is slated for completion in mid‑2026.

  • The A350 order by KLM (via Air France‑KLM) includes 50 aircraft (firm) with options for 40 more

Source: CAE & KLM

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UAE-Based Fujairah Aviation Academy Wins 3 Awards from Regulator in 2025

United Arab Emirates – Fujairah Aviation Academy has been recognized with three prestigious accolades by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), highlighting its excellence in both flight training and aircraft maintenance education. The awards were presented during a license awards ceremony organized by the GCAA.

  • Fujairah Aviation Academy received three GCAA awards:

    • Best Maintenance Training Center, for the quality of its aircraft maintenance engineering programs.

    • Best Exam Manager (Engineering), acknowledging outstanding oversight in aircraft maintenance licensing exams.

    • Best Flight Instructor, honoring exceptional pilot training delivery.

  • The Academy was the most awarded educational institution at the event.

Source: Fujairah Aviation Academy

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Air India Training Academy CEO Shares Update on 4 Pillars Highlighting India’s Pilot Training Infrastructure Expansion

India – Air India has formally inaugurated the Air India–Airbus Training Center, one of four key pillars of the Air India Aviation Academy, marking a major milestone in the airline’s broader aviation education and training expansion strategy. The inauguration was led by India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, alongside Air India CEO Campbell Wilson and Airbus CEO of Commercial Aircraft Christian Scherer. The ceremony was attended by members of the Global Airbus SE Board, senior officials from India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA, as well as ambassadors from France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, the EU, and the UK.

  • The Air India–Airbus Training Center will serve as an advanced simulator hub for Air India’s Airbus fleet and represents the first operational component of the carrier’s integrated training ecosystem.

  • The inauguration coincided with the Airbus Global Board’s visit to India for its official meeting — a reflection of the growing strategic partnership between Airbus and the Tata Group-owned airline.

  • Air India Training Academy CEO Sunil Bhaskaran confirmed that the airline’s Boeing fleet simulator center is set to open in the coming weeks, completing the dual-platform simulator infrastructure for both aircraft types.

  • Mr Bhaskaran additionally shared the 4 pillars of the Air India Training Academy
    • “The ATOs (Approved Training Organizations) for advanced simulator training for pilots of our Airbus and Boeing fleet (the above facility is part of it)
    • The Air India Training Academy for classroom and mock-up training (for safety and customer service trainings) which is already training ~2000 Air Indians every day at the Gurugram campus
    • The Air India Flying Training Academy (ab-initio Flying Training Organization) – which should be up and running by Q4 FY26 at Amravati, Maharashtra and
    • The ab-initio AME school (Basic Maintenance Training Organization) which will start in FY27 in Bengaluru, Karnataka“

Source: Air India Training Academy (Sunil Bhaskaran)

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