Monday, September 9, 2024 Today marked a momentous occasion at airBaltic’s Pilot Academy as 18 students were awarded their commercial pilot licenses after successfully completing the airline transport pilot program. This group of graduates is particularly notable for including the academy’s 100th graduate. Concurrently, the 23rd cohort, comprising 15 aspiring pilots, has commenced their training.
The graduates hail from a diverse range of countries including Austria, Finland, France, Latvia, Lithuania, and Spain. The newest cohort includes individuals from Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Martin Gauss CEO and President of airBaltic : “We are proud to see and congratulate not only the 18 th latest graduates of the Pilot Academy but also to celebrate our 100 th graduate.
This is a remarkable milestone in our journey to develop world-class aviation professionals the latest graduates of the Pilot Academy . Several of the new graduates will begin additional training this month, preparing to join the airBaltic team soon. Having well-trained personnel is a crucial element for the success of any airline.
” “Moreover, we extend our congratulations to the young and motivated students of the 23 rd group, who embarked on their educational journey today. As airBaltic continues its development and works toward operating 100 aircraft by 2023, having such dedicated individuals will be key to achieving our future goals,” Gauss added. Currently, the academy is bustling with 136 active students predominantly from the Baltic nations, though it also hosts a number from other EU member states like Denmark, Germany, France, Finland, Spain, and Italy.
Notably, females comprise over 10% of the student body. To date, 112 alumni have progressed to join airBaltic’s ranks upon graduation. Enrollment at the airBaltic Pilot Academy requires students to fund their initial ATPL theory studies and 45 flight hours, which total EUR 15,000.
Upon passing the airBaltic pilot assessment and joining the airline’s staff, the company provides loans to support the remainder of their training expenses. In a strategic move to bolster its training infrastructure, airBaltic plans to enhance its training facilities with a second Airbus A220 full flight simulator by the end of 2024. This addition will greatly improve the academy’s capacity to train pilots, accommodating the airline’s fleet expansion and supporting ongoing development programs at the Pilot Academy.
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