Avion Express and BAA Training partner to expand training capacity with Airbus A320 CEO/NEO full flight simulator

Avion Express, globally leading ACMI operator and BAA Training, leader in aviation training solutions, and members of the world’s largest ACMI provider, Avia Solutions Group, announces a partnership for full flight simulator (FFS) training, meeting the operator’s pilot training needs. The FFS is scheduled to start operations at the beginning of March, with plans to operate more than 6,000 training hours annually for Avion Express, while the remaining time will be offered on the market.

With the expanded training capacity, Avion Express further strengthens its partnership with BAA Training—one of Europe’s leading independent aviation training centres, trusted by the biggest European airlines for their quality education. BAA Training’s newly acquired A320 CEO/NEO full flight simulator, located in Vilnius, will be primarily fully utilized by Avion Express to meet the growing training demand and maintained by BAA Training. 

Darius Kajokas, CEO at Avion Express, highlights the importance of this significant step for the company: 

“Over the past few years, we have experienced exponential growth. Currently, we have more than 600 pilots on our team. As an ACMI service provider, we ensure the highest standards for our clients, starting from safety and highly trained flight crew. I believe that the simulator will play an integral role in further strengthening our crew training process. Using the opportunity, I would like to express sincere gratitude to BAA Training, who are collaborating with us on this project," says Kajokas.

“The new partnership with Avion Express is what we deliver to our clients—tailor-made solutions to meet their specific training demands. Our capacity growth as a pilot training provider is evident. The A320 CEO/NEO full flight simulator is a 2.1 Airbus standard FFS, and the newest addition to our expanding fleet. We are constantly investing in the most up-to-date technologies because we have a long-term perspective—to ensure the highest quality infrastructure for our clients, and we are excited to be partnering with Avion Express on this project,” comments Marijus Ravoitis, CEO at BAA Training.

Having a dedicated FFS will bring several advantages to Avion Express’ pilot training programs. According to Martijn Klein Essink, Head of Training at Avion Express, it ensures availability, reliability, cost efficiency, and the ability to make customized training programs: 

“Firstly, it provides our pilots with consistent access to high-quality training sessions, which is essential for maintaining a standardized and effective curriculum. Additionally, we can schedule training sessions at our convenience, minimizing disruptions and eliminating external dependencies, and tailor training programs to meet the specific needs of our pilots. Lastly, despite the initial substantial investment, in the long run, a dedicated simulator proves to be a cost-effective solution when compared to outsourcing training services, making it a wise investment for our organization," explains Klein Essink and mentions that the company is strongly committed to the development of their training department, now Avion Express has 39 Type Rating Instructors (TRIs) and Type Rating Examiners (TREs) and over a hundred other instructors in the team.

Avion Express is the leading narrow-body ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) and charter operator operating an Airbus A320 family aircraft. Working in the field for over 19 years, Avion Express has established long-term partnerships with clients in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and The Americas. To strengthen its position in the market, in 2019 Avion Express established Avion Express Malta, a subsidiary airline based in Malta which operates Airbus A320 aircraft fleet.  

Avion Express is part of Avia Solutions Group, the world’s largest ACMI provider, operating a fleet of more than 199 aircraft. The group provides a range of aviation services including ACMI, MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul), pilot and crew training, ground handling, as well as a variety of associated services. Supported by 11,700 highly skilled aviation professionals.