Market Intelligence: Africa

South African Flight Training Group Excellentia Airline Academy Adds 15 Aircraft Following Flight School Acquisitions

South Africa – Flight training group Excellentia Airline Academy (EAA) has announced the addition of 15 new aircraft to Excellentia’s flight line in the past 5 months.

In October EAA had announced the acquistion of both Aeronav Academy as well as Skyhawk Aviation, combining 2 long established flight training schools under the EAA umbrella, forming the fastest growing flight school in South Africa. The schools are based in both Lanseria and Grand Central (where EAA Head Office is located), giving excellent flexibility for flight training slots.

EAA combines the existing fleets of each school (primarily Cessna C-172’s, Pipers and Diamond aircraft currently), and then regularly adding new additional Sling 2 NGT aircraft every month, taking the aircraft training fleet from almost 30 currently to over 100 aircraft within the next 18 months, and 200 within 3 years. The Sling 2 NGT has a modern 100hp Rotax engine, spacious wide-view cockpit and a full suite of modern Garmin avionics. EAA’s trainers are ably supported by state-of-the-art flight simulators, allowing its students to obtain their CPL, and then be qualified to fly commercial aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320/321 families.

Source: Excellentia Airline Academy
Photo Credit: Excellentia Airline Academy

Related Posts

Aeroplanned Engages U.S. Flight Schools on Training Efficiency at Flight School Association of North America 2026 Conference

California, USA – Aeroplanned, a flight training resource planning and training timeline forecasting software provider, has participated in the Flight School Association of North America (FSANA) Conference 2026 in Coronado, engaging with flight training organisations across the U.S. pilot training sector to discuss operational challenges and student success in pilot training delivery.

The company highlighted the importance of consistent training scheduling and resource alignment to support student progression and on-time program completion. Aeroplanned CEO Jen Liddle spoke on a conference panel focused on student success in pilot training, addressing how operational planning and pacing of training program’s directly impact student outcomes.

AFM previously reported that Aeroplanned has expanded internationally in its third year of operation and is now working with flight training organisations across 15 countries, including large-scale flight schools and its first airline customer using the platform to manage cadet pilot programme planning.

The company has also expanded its team, with Raphaël Pellissier joining to support business development, bringing experience from Airbus alongside operational insight as an active flight instructor. In addition, Sam Matthews is expected to join as a senior developer in early 2026 to support product development.

Aeroplanned has recently introduced several platform enhancements aimed at improving training visibility and planning accuracy for flight schools.

  • The “3-Month Tracking and Resource Planning Dashboard” provides a rolling forward view of student progress, cohort status and resource utilisation to identify bottlenecks or under-used capacity.

  • Additional features released in 2025 focus on improving data accuracy, including prompts that flag missing or outdated planning inputs, particularly supporting flight schools without dedicated resource planning teams.

Check out the video below to see how it 3 Month Tracking Forecast looks in action.

Source: Aeroplanned

Related Posts

Flight School Association of North America (FSANA) Rebrands to Flight School Association International (FSAI)

USA – The Flight School Association of North America (FSANA) has officially rebranded as the Flight School Association International (FSAI), reflecting its expanding global footprint and growing international membership base within the flight training sector.

  • The name change was approved by members during the Association’s annual meeting held on February 27, 2026, in San Diego.

  • FSAI now represents more than 850 member organizations worldwide

  • Founded in 2009, the Association was the first trade body established specifically to represent flight training organizations focused on early-stage and professional pilot development.

Statements

  • “Our Association remains firmly aligned with its original mission, unchanged since our founding. The fact is, we have supported flight training organizations outside of North America for several years, and this transition reflects a formal acknowledgment of our growing international role and membership.” – Robert Rockmaker, President, FSAI

Source: FSAI

Related Posts

Aviation Distance Learning Provider CPaT Global Appoints Claudia Camejo as EMEA International Sales Director

Global – CPaT Global, a provider of distance learning and aviation training courseware solutions, has appointed Claudia Camejo as International Sales Director for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) regions, strengthening its commercial leadership as demand for digital aviation training solutions expands globally. She brings more than 25 years of aviation industry experience across commercial and defense sectors.

Learn more about CPaT Global or connect with Claudia Camejo via her LinkedIn profile here.

Source: CPaT Global
Photo Credit: CPaT Global

Related Posts

Pilotbase Launches the World’s First Pilot Experience Platform, Uniting Aviation Training Around Student Progress

USA – On February 25, 2026, at the Flight School Association of North America’s Conference & Trade Show (FSANA) 2026, Pilotbase officially launches as the new parent brand behind Flight Schedule Pro and LogTen and introduces the world’s first Pilot Experience Platform. Designed to align flight operations with measurable student progression, performance, and long-term career outcomes, Pilotbase becomes the first of its kind in a new category.

Unveiled at FSANA, Pilotbase marks the strategic evolution of the company long known for powering flight training operations. Flight Schedule Pro, the flight training industry’s most relied on operational software, and LogTen, the premier digital logbook technology for professional pilots, now operate as foundational components of the Pilot Experience Platform.

The company’s name change and rebrand does not reflect a merger or acquisition. It is the same team of pilots and aviation professionals who built Flight Schedule Pro almost 20 years ago, now aligning their products under a broader vision for pilot development and enhanced student progress.

“Flight schools are operating more like institutions of higher education than ever before,” said Bryan Landaburu, Chief Revenue Officer of Pilotbase. “Enrollment, instructional quality, student persistence, on-time completion, and first destination outcomes matter. Schools need tools that support standards-based training with measurable progress and visible performance. Pilotbase brings structure, accountability, and measurable momentum to the pilot journey.”

Why a Pilot Experience Platform Matters Now

Flight training has grown more demanding. Students face financial barriers that can delay or derail progression. Schools are under pressure to deliver stronger completion rates, better instructor alignment, and clearer career pathways. Employers are increasingly focused on merit-based hiring and verified experience.

Yet much of the industry still operates through fragmented systems.

Pilotbase introduces a unifying layer designed to connect flight operations, expand financing access, improve instructor performance visibility, and support career transitions into one coordinated experience.

“Our customers trust us to run mission-critical flight operations,” said Nick Wegner, Chief Executive Officer of Pilotbase and co-founder of Flight Schedule Pro. “They’ve asked us to go further. To help reduce financing friction, provide clearer visibility into instructor and student performance, and connect training directly to career opportunities. We are doubling down on operational excellence while building the next layer of innovation around it.”

What Changes — and What Does Not

Flight Schedule Pro and LogTen remain fully intact. Contracts, workflows, and support relationships are unchanged. What changes is alignment.

Under Pilotbase, flight operations software becomes the foundation of a broader Pilot Experience Platform designed to connect operational workflow with measurable student progression and long-term career outcomes.

Early launch partners include FLT Academy, US Aviation Academy, Spartan Aviation Group, Sierra Charlie Aviation, LIFT Academy, Coast Flight Training, flyADVANCED, Sling Pilot Academy, Middle Georgia State University, Middle Tennessee State University, Nationwide Aviation, Kingsky Flight Academy, Blue Line Aviation, and Crosswinds Aviation, among others. A full list of launch participants is available at pilotbase.com.

Here’s how leading operators describe it:
‍
“Growth in flight training doesn’t happen by accident. It happens with operational discipline and real visibility into student progression,” said Jason Clark, CEO of FLT Academy. “As we expand, we need infrastructure that connects workflow, standards, and outcomes at scale. Pilotbase aligns with how we run — structured, performance-driven, and built for long-term growth.”

“At US Aviation Academy, our goal is to connect the dots from first flight through first officer.” said Scott Sykes, Chief Development Officer of US Aviation Academy. “From enrollment, to check ride, to flight instruction, to airline, US Aviation and Pilotbase strive for seamless transition. “We’ve worked closely with the Pilotbase team because the future of flight training requires deeper integration between operations, standards, and career readiness.”

Live demonstrations are taking place this week at FSANA in San Diego.

About Pilotbase
Pilotbase is the company behind Flight Schedule Pro and LogTen. Trusted by more than 1,400 flight schools and hundreds of thousands of pilots worldwide, Pilotbase is building the world’s first Pilot Experience Platform, uniting flight schools, pilots, instructors, employers, and aviation partners around a shared mission: safely progressing more pilots from first flight to career.

Beginning February 25, 2026, all products will carry the “by Pilotbase” designation, reflecting the company’s unified brand and expanded mission. Learn more at www.pilotbase.com

Source: Pilotbase
Photo Credit: Pilotbase

Related Posts

ATR Reports 60 Orders in 2025, Sets Stage for 2026 Production Ramp-Up

Global – aircraft manufacturer ATR concluded 2025 with a strong commercial performance, recording 60 gross orders and 50 net orders, despite ongoing supply chain disruptions that impacted delivery targets. The manufacturer now enters 2026 with a strengthened industrial foundation and a clear focus on ramping up production to meet rising global demand for turboprop aircraft.

  • 60 aircraft ordered from nine customers across nine countries, including major deals with UNI Air (19 aircraft) and Air Algérie (16 aircraft).

  • Net orders reached 50 aircraft, bringing ATR’s backlog to over 160 aircraft.

  • 32 aircraft delivered in 2025, below initial guidance due to supply chain bottlenecks affecting key components.

  • The manufacturer plans a 20% delivery increase in 2026, backed by internal process enhancements and part availability improvements.

  • Revenues remained stable at $1.2 billion, with customer support services hitting a record $538 million.

  • ATR added 19 new operators in 2025, with particularly strong growth in leasing activity and second-hand market transactions (over 90 recorded).

  • Key milestones included JSX launching ATR 42-600 operations in the U.S. and the first ATR -600 delivery in Canada to Rise Air.

  • ATR’s HighLine premium cabin offering continued gaining traction with regional carriers such as Berjaya Air, Air Tahiti, and Air Cambodia.

  • The company deepened investment in supply chain resilience and final assembly flow improvements, including the reopening of production stations.

  • ATR also entered a new technology phase through Clean Aviation’s HERACLES and DEMETRA R&T programs, aiming to demonstrate a hybrid-electric ATR 72-600 flying testbed by 2029.

Statements

  • “We do not measure the success of a transition year like 2025 on one number. We are determined to raise our delivery rate; and that is why we have worked on concrete steps to address the issues that limited our output. We have strengthened every part of our organisation and laid the groundwork for a safe, sustainable and credible increase in production.” – Nathalie Tarnaud Laude, CEO, ATR

  • “Tangible measures include improvements in Final Assembly Line flow, reopening of stations, a steady decline in part shortages – now down to one-third of early-2025 levels, alongside a close collaboration with our suppliers to get the end-to-end industrial system ready for ramp-up, targeting a 20% increase in deliveries this year compared to 2025.” – Marion Smeyers, SVP Operations & Procurement, ATR

  • “Demand for our aircraft is strong, regional operators want more capacity. Looking into 2026, regional mobility continues to grow, driven by modal shifts from ground to air in developing economies, a need for greater network connectivity in mature markets, and the development of premium passenger experiences. With a need for affordable air travel, and fuel costs set to increase, turboprops are the only economically viable solution to scale regional connectivity profitably.” – Alexis Vidal, SVP Commercial, ATR

Source: ATR
Photo Credit: ATR

Related Posts

Airbus Helicopters Highlights VR-Based H125 Training Simulator in France and South Africa

France & South Africa – Airbus Helicopters has expanded its training capabilities for H125 operators with the launch of a new virtual reality (VR) flight simulator, developed in partnership with Swiss-based Loft Dynamics. The simulator, now operational at the Airbus Helicopters Training Academy in France and newly installed at the company’s Midrand facility in South Africa, represents a leap forward in immersive helicopter pilot training.

  • The VR simulator replicates a full-scale H125 cockpit with 3D, 360° visuals, realistic flight control resistance, motion, and vibration feedback—delivering a fully immersive experience that mimics the physical and cognitive demands of actual flight.

  • The training platform enables pilots to rehearse high-risk scenarios—including emergency procedures, low visibility, and mountain operations—in a safe environment, significantly reducing the “startle effect” during real-world emergencies.

  • This solution is designed for flexible deployment; the simulator is mobile and can be installed near operator sites or existing training facilities.

  • The system supports both initial and recurrent pilot training, with upgraded modules now aligned with Airbus Helicopters’ type rating standards.

  • A second simulator has been installed at Airbus Helicopters’ South African training academy in Johannesburg, further expanding access to the technology for African operators.

  • A similar VR simulator for the H145 is currently under development, as Airbus looks to broaden this next-generation training approach across its product line.

Statements

  • “As I was piloting, I wasn’t thinking about being in a simulator but rather in a real helicopter.” – Matteo Tach, Operations Manager, Elifriulia (Italy)

  • “It requires the same amount of force to operate the flight controls as the helicopter, so it gives a great training.” – Lennox Ntazinda, Chief Pilot, Akagera National Park (Rwanda)

  • “Pilots can repeat all procedures without risks… finding and memorising the best operational solution for future operations.” – Zoltan Horvath, Swiss H125 Pilot

  • “Other pilots have to try it. It’s a good experience and you can improve your safety using the simulator. These are the basics for the future of pilot training.” – Matteo Tach

Source: Airbus Helicopters
Photo Credit: Airbus Helicopters

Related Posts