UNITED KINGDOM: BAA Training For 650 New Pilots

BAA Training, one of the largest aviation training centres in Northern Europe, announces that more than 650 future pilots will enrol on BAA Training’s Ab Initio programmes until the end of 2021.

Recently, BAA Training has launched five new cadet programmes. Partnership agreements to support future talents were signed with Wizz Air, Lao Skyway, Small Planet Airlines, SmartLynx Airlines and Vietnam Airlines.

The list of partners is expected to extend to at least three more as contracts are about to-be-singed soon.

In 2017, the number of students at BAA Training has increased sharply: those enrolling on Ab Initio programmes almost doubled compared to the previous year.

To respond to the increasing demand and growing capacities, we have started delivering practical training at two more locations in Lithuania.

In addition to S. Darius and S. Girenas aerodrome in Kaunas, we provide flight training at Istra and Kyviskes aerodromes located in Panevezys and Vilnius,” comments Egle Vaitkeviciute, CEO of BAA Training.

BAA Training has developed and implemented new standardization, as well as training programmes for instructors.

This novelty assists us in meeting the record-high training demand. Keeping high training standards is our top priority even during times like now, when the demand for flight training is at absolute peak,” adds E. Vaitkeviciute.

Despite the current record figures, the numbers are expected to elevate even stronger in a five-year period.

E. Vaitkeviciute explains that cadet programmes are becoming increasingly popular among carriers because of more flexible training solutions and possibility to select strong, as well as motivated candidates.

Moreover, students willing to become pilots perceive these programmes as an opportunity to enter aviation job market with more ease: in case training is successful, cadet programmes translate into the guaranteed workplace.

BAA Training plays an important role by ensuring both parties receive services that meet expectations.

We are further strengthening our capabilities across cadet programmes by closely cooperating with our clients. The requirements for quality and more advanced training solutions are increasing, therefore, we regularly collect feedback and improve quality, as well as scope of services provided for both airlines and future pilots. We constantly adapt training programmes to the individual needs of both,” marks E. Vaitkeviciute.

Currently, BAA Training offers a total of 11 different Ab Initio training programmes. Three of which are customized cadet programmes that regularly take place when new group of international students is formed.



Tourism Observer

ESTONIA: Nordica Is Estonias Busiest Airline,SmartLynx Airlines Helps VietJet Air

State-owned Estonian carrier Nordica, which was created to take over defunct Estonian Air, managed to right away become the busiest airline in its home airport of Tallinn.

The operator reports that in 2016 it serviced more than 18% of the regular passenger traffic going through the capital’s gateway which in absolute figures means more than 365 thousand people.

Although Nordica has not announced its precise share, the carrier underlines it is going 0.1% ahead of the next contender on the rating list.

Tallinn Airport’s 2016 Report says the second busiest airline is Latvian flag carrier airBaltic followed by Ryanair, Lufthansa and Finnair.

All of the companies are reported to control from 10% to 15% of Tallinn’s overall passenger traffic.

Last year the airport of the Estonian capital serviced more than 2.22 million people, which is 2.5% more than a year before. It operates 23 destinations all year round and 34 destinations within the summer schedule.

Nordica’s website says its regular flight network includes 12 destinations, namely to Vilnius (Lithuania), Kyiv (Ukraine), Stockholm and Örebro (Sweden), Oslo and Trondheim (Norway), Copenhagen (Denmark), Amsterdam and Groningen (the Netherlands), Brussels (Belgium), Munich (Germany) and Vienna (Austria). All flights are performed under the code-sharing agreement with LOT Polish Airlines.

This Warsaw-based carrier is actually looking into a 49% share in the Estonian operator.

It is exactly in the interest of the Polish partner that Nordica serves Warsaw from Tallinn and both Stockholm and Vilnius from Warsaw.

Nordica started operation in November 2015. Its fleet currently consists of two Bombardier CRJ700 regional jets as well as four CRJ900s.

Estonian branch of Latvian carrier SmartLynx Airlines, whose revenue is by about 80% generated through ACMI agreements, has sent its fleet, two Airbus A320, to fly for Vietnamese low-cost carrier VietJet Air.

Both of SmartLynx Estonia's aircraft fitted with 180 seats in single-class configuration will be based at Noibai airport located in 45 km from downtown Hanoi.

The aircraft with tail numbers ES-SAK and ES-SAM were ferried to the capital of Vietnam in mid-January. The Estonian carrier and its Vietnamese partner signed the ACMI agreement in the fall of 2016.

According to Flightradar24 service, the Estonian aircraft are now operated on VietJet Air's flights to Danang, Phu Quoq, Ho Chi Minh and Hue.

Each aircraft operates from five to nine daily flights inside Vietnam. SmartLynx' PR manager Ilva Priedniece told Russian Aviation Insider that both aircraft will fly for VietJet Air until mid-February.

SmartLynx has had similar contracts with Vietnamese operators in the past. Since May 2016 the Latvian airline has been helping another local low-cost carrier, Jetstar Pacific Airlines. According to Priedniece, the agreement will be in effect until mid-May 2017.

SmartLynx Airlines also has experience of providing ACMI services to operators in the UK, Germany, Israel, Spain, the UAE, Poland, Portugal, Tajikistan, Turkey, Czech Republic, Sweden, Equatorial Guinea etc.