Market Intelligence: LATAM

Brazil – EPA Training Center, one of the largest regional aviation training center in Latin America, inaugurated its Cabin Crew Trainer in São José dos Pinhais, in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba, a solution to train, qualify, retrain and raise the performance standard of flight attendants in Brazil and Latin America.

This new area of ​​operation is a response to recent changes in the aviation personnel training market, which has given airlines a more prominent role. However, there are some gaps that need to be filled and that have been identified by EPA in recent months.

The Cabin Crew Trainer is based on three fundamental pillars. The first is the Cabin Crew Emergency course, aimed at newly graduated flight attendants with practical, intense and realistic experience in emergency situations. The second pillar is the excellence courses in in-flight services, focused on high standards, hospitality, and passenger experience. The third is the initial and periodic training of the cabin crew of the Brazilian Federal Police’s Embraer E175 aircraft.

To make the training as realistic as possible, EPA invested in a real Embraer E190 aircraft, which was refurbished and transformed into a mockup equipped with doors, slide, galley, and lighting, allowing for emergency simulations such as fire and smoke on board.

“This space will literally become a bridge between the dream and the professional reality of new flight attendants, while at the same time we will help to nourish the market with more qualified crew members who are more familiar with the reality of the profession and its true purpose on board,” pointed out the CEO of EPA Training Center, Flávio Farias.

In addition to the mockup, EPA is conducting, together with the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), the approval process for a 40-hour course focused exclusively on emergencies. The course content is an excerpt from Doc 10001 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) — the document establishes international guidelines for the training and performance of cabin crew, especially in emergency situations.

“With this, I have no doubt that we will contribute to the excellence of services and, above all, to the reduction of turnover in airlines. We are doing our part so that companies have qualified professionals ready to serve travelers from all over the world,” added Farias.

About EPA Training Center
With over 50 years of experience in the training and development of human resources for civil aviation, EPA Training Center is the largest provider of regional aircraft training in Latin America, with simulators for the ATR 42/72, Embraer ERJ-145/Legacy, 600, Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia and Embraer EMB-110 models. In addition, the EPA offers specific courses for pilots and flight attendants and administers language proficiency exams for crews.

Source: EPA Training Center
Photo Credit: EPA Training Center

Brazil – EPA Training Center, a leading regional full-flight simulator training center in Latin America, has expanded its training offering with the official inauguration of a new Cabin Crew Trainer.

• The trainer utilises a transformed Embraer E190 aircraft mock‑up, fully equipped to simulate real‑world scenarios, including emergency situations such as fire and smoke on board, enhancing experiential learning and operational familiarity.

• The project’s successful delivery was acknowledged with appreciations extended to the Federal Police, Embraer, and the National Civil Aviation Agency, reflecting collaborative support from regulatory and industry stakeholders.

This follows EPA Training Center announcing back in August that it had completed a full-stall Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) upgrade on its ATR 42-500 Full Flight Simulator, enhancing its capability to deliver advanced pilot training.

• The upgrade integrated the StallBox module from Birhle Applied Research, enabling advanced aerodynamic modeling for full-stall and upset recovery scenarios.

• EPA Training Center has received certification from the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) to operate the ATR 42-500 Full Flight Simulator with the new UPRT capabilities.

• This enhancement strengthens the center’s ability to train pilots in critical recovery skills, in line with ICAO recommendations for improved flight safety.

To provide an overview of the EPA Training Center:

• The current facility spans 2,500 square meters.

• EPA Training Center operates four full-flight simulators:

  • Embraer ERJ-145/Legacy 600

  • Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia

  • Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante

  • ATR 42/72

Source: Flávio Farias (EPA Training Center)
Photo Credit: Flávio Farias (EPA Training Center)