Airbus Flight Academy

[Abbie Pilz]

AirbusFlight Academy Europe (AFAE) marked its commitment to environmental sustainability and cutting-edge aviation training with the recent delivery of four state-of-the-art Elixir planes. These trainers have been tailored for global professional flight training organizations, were delivered to AFAE's Angouleme, France, facility earlier this week.

The recently EASA-certified full glass cockpit comes with a full suite of Garmin avionics, a feature designed to meet the demands of professional aviation training. The design aligns well with the academy's dedication to staying at the forefront of technological advancements in flight training.

AFAE has also ordered an additional four aircraft, scheduled for delivery in early 2024. Compared to the current fleet of older-generation aircraft, the Elixir 100HP, a fourth-generation, two-seat plane that has been certified under EASA CS-23, offers a significant reduction in fuel consumption, by a factor of four, corresponding with a 50 percent decrease in noise emissions.

Some flight schools advertise a "direct path to A320 or B737 f/o after 7 months." Is it a more difficult transition to go to a fly-by-wire aircraft straight out of initial training? Are there tangible benefits from gaining experience on similar aircraft like the 737, that use conventional steel cables and hydraulically actuated flight controls, before transitioning to fly-by-wire?

Yes, it is very possible that after 7 months of training, (under the condition that you prove yourself proficient and obtain Private, Commercial, Instrument, CFI and Multi-engine ratings all within that time frame...) that you may very well enter a "direct path", but there's nothing to say that the direct path won't include a contractual number of years as a CFI at the same school, followed by some other number of years at a regional airline that partners with the school.

Just make sure you understand the specifics of what they are offering, the commitment required, and adjust your expectations accordingly. If you haven't yet started training you are a LONG ways away from choosing between 737 or Airbus!

However, whenever that transition occurs, the challenges a new pilot faces getting comfortable in new equipment will mostly be related to the physical size, complexity of systems, level of automation, plus company and industry policies and procedures. Whether the flight control surfaces are moving as a result of steel cables or electrons is largely transparent to the pilot while actually flying. Side stick vs yoke may be an issue, but by the time you get there you should have the skills to adapt to either.

It took from start of December to early April to get Private pilot license. I had 65 hours (minimum is 40 which is quite low IMHO.) Me and another student finished same day, first in a class of 11. Some students finished a few days later, some a month or two, one barely finished in a year. Mind you some students had full funding, some didn't, which plays a large factor in speed. We all had some weather delays for long flights, etc.

To get Instrument rating next it took me to mid June. I finished with about 85 hours total flight. Instrument weeds out a lot of non-technically minded or lazy studier students. Some more of my class didn't finish this in 1 year.

Then comes Commercial. The material is mostly a rehash of private pilot. Some students finish single-engine in around 130 hours, and figure a couple months. Most international students do multi-engine commercial training, since foreign airlines often/usually hire with just 250 hours for multi (vs the 1500 in USA, which can be reduced). So from there you would go to an airline academy and learn whatever aircraft they have - which may be anything bigger from DHC8 to B737, etc. US students usually do single-engine commercial, then get flight instructor I and II (where you relearn everything from right seat 30-50 hours or so, learn new material, and have difficult check rides), then much later do multi-engine commercial.

Me? I decided to do Part 61 single-engine where you need 250 hours. I rented a plane for 100 hours and flew where I wanted in various weather. I learned a lot more as a pilot than the school would allow in their risk-adverse renting rules. But since doing that, I got off track and haven't finished Commercial since. I would like to get back out there but need money and I have the loans to pay.

It is going to be an opinion base answer if I tell you what I think. Fact is you can go from PPL from scratch to pilot a B737 or A320 within 7 months as only PPL, multi engine endorsement, type rating and multi crew endorsement and something I forget are required. No need even a CPL or ATPL to fly these big planes.

Airbus Flight Academy Europe, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Airbus specialising in civil and military pilot training, has welcomed its initial set of four advanced Elixir training aircraft as a pivotal step in its commitment to sustainable development.

The delivery marks the beginning of an eight-aircraft fleet, with each of the first four equipped with a bespoke cockpit tailored for the Airbus Flight Academy. This includes two electronic flight instrument systems (EFIS), designed to familiarise cadet pilots with the cutting-edge technologies found in today's most sophisticated commercial aircraft.

Established in 2006, Airbus Flight Academy Europe has been a cornerstone in providing comprehensive training facilities and services for civil and military pilot training. The academy, situated in Angoulme, southwest France, boasts state-of-the-art training assets to ensure optimal conditions for cadet pilots.

Since 2019, Airbus Flight Academy Europe has been successfully delivering the Airbus Pilot Cadet Training Programme, which is open to high school graduates worldwide aged 18 and above. The programme involves rigorous online and on-site screening tests, followed by extensive training comprising over 800 hours of ground school and 200 hours of practical (flight and simulator) training. Approximately 80 cadets undergo training annually at the academy.

The training fleet at Airbus Flight Academy Europe now includes Diamond DA42s, Cirrus SR20s, Grob 120 A-Fs and the newly introduced Elixir aircraft, all dedicated to cadet training. Additionally, the academy operates two FNPT II qualified simulators on-site and at customer locations, ensuring the provision of optimal training solutions for student pilots. The acquisition of more fuel-efficient and quieter Elixir aircraft aligns with Airbus Flight Academy Europe's commitment to sustainable practices in aviation training.

Elixir Aircraft delivered the first batch of more fuel efficient, quieter Elixir training aircraft to Airbus Flight Academy Europe, as part of its sustainable development strategy. First four aircraft, out of a total of eight to be delivered, are equipped with a cockpit specially designed for the Airbus Flight Academy, including two Electronic Flight Instrument Systems, to prepare cadet pilots for the technologies in today's most advanced commercial aircraft.

Jean Longobardi, Airbus Flight Academy Europe CEO & Presiden, commented: We are delighted to announce that, following the delivery of our very first Elixir aircraft, our cadets will now be flying this quieter, more fuel-efficient aircraft during the first flight phases of their training. This is a first step towards the gradual modernisation of the training fleet to reduce the environmental impact of our academy."

Airbus Flight Academy Europe was established in 2006 to provide training facilities and services to support the initial, basic and advanced training of civil and military pilots. Airbus Flight Academy Europe has developed its own pilot training capabilities and has been delivering the Airbus Pilot Cadet Training Pme since 2019. Located in Angoulme, south-west France, the training centre offers all the necessary training facilities and assets to provide the best training conditions for our cadets.

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 800+ hours of ground school, and 200 hours of practical (flight and simulator) training. Around 80 cadets are trained at the Airbus Flight Academy Europe each year.

Elixir 100HP is the latest in safety, economy, and technology. Elixir Aircraft offers an aircraft that covers all the needs of a modern flight school while reducing carbon emissions by nearly 70% compared to other old generation aircraft. The standard flight training organization configuration includes a full Garmin avionics suite and are built to withstand the rigors of flight training. Standard safety equipment include: spin resistance; ballistic parachute, AoA indicator; double slotted electric flaps; explosion resistance fuel tank and Reinforced oleo-pneumatic landing gear and combined nose wheel, wide track and low center of gravity minimize bounced landings associated with loss of control accidents and runway excursions. The 912iS is powered by the low noise 100 hp Rotax offers with a fuel consumption of around three gallons per hour.

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Airbus Flight Academy Europe (AFAE) marked its commitment to environmental sustainability and cutting-edge training with the recent delivery of four state-of-the-art Elixir airplanes. These trainers, tailored for global professional flight training organizations, were received at AFAE's Angouleme, France, facility earlier this week.

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