BAA Training to invest into expansion of global FFS fleet

With the continuous news on airlines dealing with a global pilot shortage BAA Training, one of the TOP 3 biggest independent aviation training centres in Europe and part of Avia Solutions Group, plans to expand its full flight simulators’ fleet with 6 additional units in Europe and Asia. Preliminary investments may reach €60 million.

With more than 100 scheduled airlines, a network of over 400 airports and 60 air navigation service providers, air transport makes a key contributor to the European economy.  Europe holds 34% of the global air traffic and according to Boeing projections it will grow by 113% by 2037. Correspondingly the current fleet size of 4,900 aircraft is to reach 8,800 with the biggest increase in small-medium size airplanes. This means that by that time Europe will need 146,000 new pilots.

According to the strategic expansion plan, BAA Training headquarters is bound to expand its training capabilities with an already fourth training facility and two additional full flight simulators in 2019: Airbus A320ceo and Boeing 737NG. In addition to that BAA Training is actively looking into possibilities to expand its full flight simulator fleet in Europe starting with Rome, Italy, where two full flight simulators – Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737NG – are planned to be added in 2019-2020.

Continuing the expansion to Asia, the last year established BAA Training Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh city is about to open a brand new training centre. BAA Training Vietnam will start operations with the first Airbus A320 full flight simulator at the beginning of autumn and will add the second Airbus A320neo later in 2019, in addition to the soon-to-be signed Joint Venture agreement with Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Company (HNCA) local governmental partner in China marking the beginning of BAA Training China. Operated by the BAA Training franchise license the training centre in Henan province is set to assemble 6 full flight simulators in total starting with Airbus A320 and Boeing 737NG by the second quarter of 2020.