AEGEAN, Greece’s largest airline, and CAE, the global leader in civil aviation training, announced a joint venture to establish the first advanced flight training center in Greece. With a capacity for up to seven full-flight simulators, the AEGEAN CAE Flight Training Centre will be part of AEGEAN’s new 85,000 m2 technical base at Athens International Airport. The new center is expected to begin pilot and cabin crew training by the end of 2023 and will be the most advanced flight training hub in South-East Europe powered by green energy.
The joint venture will initially operate four (4) full-flight simulators, including two Airbus A320neo, one Boeing 737NG, and one ATR 72-600, as well as cabin crew training equipment, and will have space for three (3) additional full-flight simulators. At full capacity, the center will be able to train up to 3,500 pilots (42,000 pilot training hours) and many more cabin crew annually.
The new Flight Training Centre expands CAE’s global training network and is integral to the creation of AEGEAN’s aviation ecosystem in Greece. This is part of AEGEAN’s € 140 million investment to bolster the local aviation industry and position the airline and Greece as an aviation hub in Southeastern Europe.
The Flight Training Center will be powered by solar energy produced by the 35,000 m2 of photovoltaic panels embedded in AEGEAN’s new “green” hangar, generating 3 MW or 4.4 Gwh of electricity annually, and located at one of Europe’s most sustainable airports.
Dimitris Gerogiannis, CEO of AEGEAN, commented: “It is with great pride that I announce this significant partnership with CAE, the global leader in civil aviation training, to establish the first aviation ecosystem for flight training and technical support services in Greece. AEGEAN and CAE bring their distinct expertise and know-how to the joint venture, but they share common values when it comes to developing people. From the very beginning, AEGEAN’s vision has been to add significant value to our country and the local aviation industry by giving our people the opportunity to sharpen their skills and reach their full potential. I am excited to see how the two teams come together to create a common culture of excellence at our new training center. This is an investment in the future of aviation. An investment that will grow our business and industry, but more importantly, will give limitless potential to our people.”
“We’re excited to partner with AEGEAN to create the most advanced Flight Training Centre in the region and expand our commercial aviation training network to Athens,” said Nick Leontidis, CAE’s Group President, Civil Aviation. “AEGEAN and CAE have shared values and we look forward to joining forces to elevate human performance and deliver an unrivaled training experience for pilots and cabin crew. As an integral part of Greece’s newly established aviation ecosystem, we look forward to a successful joint venture with AEGEAN and to seeing the aviation industry flourish in Greece and the entire region.”
