Previous AFTA Pilot Training News – Press Release (AFTA, Nov 2019)

AFTA announce new pilot training partnership with leading Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines

26th November 2019

Speaking at the AFTA – Pegasus Airlines Partnership announcement in Cork, An Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney,
said:

“Ireland is internationally recognised throughout the Aviation industry, with 50% of the world’s leased aircraft fleet managed from this country, which is a remarkable achievement for a small nation.
Equally impressive, is the global ambition of – Cork Airport based Atlantic Flight Training Academy, who next year will celebrate 25 years training Irish and International cadets for their future careers as pilots with leading world airlines. AFTA has put Cork on the map, as a global hub of excellence in Pilot Training through its successful ‘Mentored Pilot Programmes’ with its leading airline partners, including, Ryanair and Stobart Air and cadet training partnerships with airlines such as Air Astana. Today I am delighted to announce AFTA’s new partnership with Turkey’s leading low-Cost Carrier, Pegasus Airlines. I wish every success to the future AFTA trained pilots with Pegasus.”

Mehmet T Nane, Pegasus Airlines CEO, said: “Generating employment in the sector has been among our main goals at Pegasus Airlines in recent years. In this context, pilot training programs are of vital importance to us. As part of the pilot training agreement we signed with AFTA, an academy which has an impressive track record in training international pilots to the highest standards; our Turkish pilot candidates will be trained in Cork for around 18 months, which is a source of great pride for us. We wish the greatest success to our students who have devoted their lives to becoming a pilot, a profession of great responsibility, and we look forward to seeing them on our Pegasus flights.”

Managing Director at AFTA, Mark Casey, said:

“We are proud to have been selected by Pegasus Airlines to train cadets for their future careers as commercial pilots in 2019/2020. Our new partnership with Pegasus Airlines is testament to AFTA’s successful record of helping leading global airlines to train their pilots to the highest possible EASA standards in a training environment designed to challenge and enhance their cadets flying skills. AFTA will celebrate 25 years training commercial pilots in their careers next year and we look forward to a further 25 years expanding the business on the world stage.”

Enda McDonnell, Manager Fintech, BPO, Business and Consumer Services, Enterprise Ireland said:

“Enterprise Ireland has worked closely with Atlantic Flight Training Academy since 2010. This is a company bringing an innovative approach to pilot training, with cadets learning essential piloting skills through training in aircraft, as well as next generation flight Simulator technology. The flight school is renowned in the industry for its highly successful pilot training partnerships with leading airlines, including Ryanair, Stobart Air, Air Astana and most recently today, with Pegasus Airlines. AFTA collaborates with Cork Institute of Technology’s Business with Aviation Studies programme.

“Today’s announcement, marks the start of a significant partnership and Enterprise Ireland will continue to work with AFTA as it grows its international reputation for excellence in training.”

https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/news/pressreleases/2019-press-releases/afta-announce-new-pilot-training-partnership-with-leading-turkish-low-cost-carrier-pegasus-airlines.html

Great story for would-be Pilots – by Ian Molyneaux in AeroTime – How difficult is it to become a commercial pilot?

Training to become a pilot and flying your own jet is one of the enduring ambitions that capture the hearts of many people across the globe.  

Along with becoming an astronaut, training to be a doctor or living the life of a billionaire, flying a plane for a living is a dream job.  

Some airlines have integrated their training into specific flight schools such as #Ryanair which is partnered with Atlantic Flight Training Academy  in Cork, Ireland.  

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/how-difficult-is-it-to-become-a-commercial-pilot

Thanks to Rory Noonan in The Evening Echo for writing our story on Cork Hq’d Atlantic Flight Training Academy AFTA sets flightpath to sustainable future for pilot training

CORK headquartered, Atlantic Flight Training Academy (AFTA), an Enterprise Ireland (HPSU) client company, training commercial pilots in co-operation with MTU for the global airline industry, has set itself on a clear flightpath towards reducing its carbon footprint and implementing further sustainable objectives in pilot training.

AFTA’s ambition is to convert it’s entire fleet to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) alternative power plants in the coming years and is currently exploring funding options to make this happen.

AFTA is already recognised as an industry leader in Europe by being the first EASA approved, flight training academy to introduce ‘Sustainability and Environmental awareness’ in every aspect of the pilots training journey. As a significant independent Irish airline pilot training provider in Europe, AFTA has moved a step closer to reducing its carbon footprint by changing its advanced multi-engined aircraft fleet from high carbon emitting older technology aircraft, to the next generation, Austrian manufactured, Diamond DA 42 NG (next generation) aircraft. The DA 42 NG can run on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) which is plant-based, reducing emissions by over 90% when the power plants additional efficiency is factored in.

AFTA is firmly embedded in the education sector, partnering with MTU, and uses its aircraft to deliver the hands-on practical and theory elements of the airline pilot trading curriculum. While government supports are available for the transport sector to retrofit their equipment to run on alternative fuels, no such supports are currently available for businesses like AFTA that are in the education sector.

https://www.echolive.ie/business/arid-41089432.html

Media Mentor are proud to work with AFTA sharing our news with Alan Healy in The Irish Examiner on the transition to Sustainable Fuel (SAF) and the Green Economy

Cork’s Atlantic Flight Training Academy (AFTA) announced plans yesterday to convert its fleet to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the coming years, and is exploring options to fund this.

 AFTA @atlanticflight trains commercial pilots in co-operation with MTU for the airline industry. Its clients include #Ryanair, #AirAstana, and #GlobeAir.

The company has already moved to reduce its carbon footprint by changing its fleet from high carbon emitting older technology aircraft, to next-generation, Austrian-manufactured, Diamond DA 42 NG aircraft.

“We are committed to achieving the 2030 deadline for a 100% fleet conversion to SAF ahead of schedule and we are in current discussions with manufacturers and airframe retrofit component providers to lock in an achievable timeline to conversion.”

https://www.irishexaminer.com/business/companies/arid-41087803.html

Thanks to pilot and editor Mark Dwyer, for sharing news about AFTA’s contract win with GlobeAir private jets in Flyinginireland.com

AFTA Announce Pilot Training Partnership With GlobeAir 

Atlantic Flight Training Academy (AFTA), has announced a new Pilot Training Partnership with GlobeAir, a private jet charter company, to train cadets for their future careers as commercial pilots in 2023 and 2024. The candidates who will be involved in the pilot training programme as part of the partnership between AFTA and GlobeAir will go on to receive 18 months of extensive training in Cork and Waterford Airports.

AFTA has trained over 2,300 graduates since 1995, who are now employed with the world’s leading airlines, including Ryanair, Air Astana, Pegasus Airlines, Emerald Airlines, Aer Lingus, easyJet, British Airways, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Cathay Pacific and many more.

The new pilot training partnership between GlobeAir and AFTA will see successful student cadets fly AFTA’s next-generation G 1000 NXI Glass cockpit Cessna 172’s for the initial phase of the flight training, followed by the Diamond DA42 NG, B737 NG and 737-8200 simulators for the advanced phases.

Bernhard Fragner, GlobeAir CEO, said: “GlobeAir continues to identify innovative partnerships to help us stay at the forefront in the private aviation sector. We have carefully selected AFTA as our pilot training partner due to their high standards and commitment to excellence. By working with them, we hope to provide a path for a new generation of aviation enthusiasts to join the GlobeAir”.

Managing Director at AFTA, Mark Casey, said: “We are proud to have been selected by GlobeAir to train cadets for their future careers as commercial pilots in 2023/2024. Our new partnership with GlobeAir is testament to AFTA’s successful record of helping leading global airlines to train their pilots to the highest possible EASA standards in a training environment designed to challenge and enhance their cadets flying skills. AFTA will celebrate 28 years training commercial pilots in their careers next year and we look forward to the next 28 years expanding the business on the world stage.”

Continue reading “Media Mentor are proud to work with AFTA sharing our news with Alan Healy in The Irish Examiner on the transition to Sustainable Fuel (SAF) and the Green Economy”

Irish Pilots Fly Towards a Sustainable Future

Thanks to John Kennedy, #ThinkBusiness editor, for writing our story on @AtlanticFlight move to #SAF

John Kennedy March 9, 2023

Atlantic Flight Training Academy (AFTA) has set itself a clear flightpath flight path towards reducing its carbon footprint and implementing further sustainable objectives in pilot training.

Cork-based AFTA’s ambition is to convert its entire aircraft fleet to SAF burning alternative power plants.

Treemetrics with ESA support launch ‘Green’ forest App

(SaaS) forestry pioneers Treemetrics, are definitely a tech disruptor to watch, often speaking at industry events about the digital transformation of Forestry and share a clear vision for a sustainably managed forestry industry. They operate in key markets, from Northern Europe across America to Australia & New Zealand.

We all need new ideas inspiration during lockdown and this story by Alan Sherrard in BioEnergy International (Sweden) is worth a read about Treemetrics new forest certification and verification platform.

‘Treemetrics are a fantastic example of an innovative Irish company using digital space data, made available through Ireland’s membership of ESA, to ensure the sustainability of raw materials on earth’ – commented Damien English, TD, Ireland’s Minister of State for Business, Employment, and Retail.

‘Over the past 15 years Treemetrics, with the support of Enterprise Ireland, has worked in over 35 countries across the planet and we have observed the positive impact of responsible forest management. The global forest industry has a huge challenge to meet the growing demand for wood. We are delighted to be working with global leaders and look forward to delivering a system that makes forest certification easier to adopt and more transparent for auditing’ – said Enda Keane, Founder, and CEO of Treemetrics.

Emmy Award-winning couple draws up plans for animation hub in Dundalk

For animation graduates and those creative guru’s working in the ‘Digital Cartoon’ industry, this story about Futurum Kids plans for a Digital Animation Hub in Dundalk, Ireland, is very interesting, read the article by Elaine O’Regan in the Business Post here.

Denise and Francis Fitzpatrick created the children’s series Jakers. Their latest venture, Futurum, which is planning a hub in Louth, is making a series about a baby polar bear delivered by mistake to Ireland

https://www.businesspost.ie/media-marketing/emmy-award-winning-couple-draws-up-plans-for-animation-hub-in-dundalk-058e9d15

https://www.businesspost.ie/media-marketing/emmy-award-winning-couple-draws-up-plans-for-animation-hub-in-dundalk-058e9d15?utm_campaign=article&utm_source=email&utm_medium=web

Treemetrics Logs Huge Growth Plans –

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/forestry-tech-company-treemetrics-logs-huge-growth-plan-1.3840108

The Media Mentor team are passionate about environmental sustainability and are proud to work with our client, Treemetrics – an innovator in ‘precision forestry’ technology, to help this dynamic company share their vision for the future of sustainable forestry and profitable management utilising Forest HQ data.

Media Mentor facilitated the following interview for Joe O’Carroll, Treemetrics Commercial Director with Charlie Taylor, Irish Times Business journalist.

The Cork-based company, whose clients include Coillte, the World Bank and the European Space Agency, is lining up a multimillion euro funding round over the next 12 months to fund the growth plan, which will see it entering into new markets.

The move comes as the United Nations predicts that demand for forestry products will double by 2040.

Founded in 2005 by Enda Keane and Garret Mullooly, Treemetrics has developed a cloud-based forestry management platform called Forest HQ, which contains a series of tools that effectively replace traditional methods of managing forests, many of which have been in place for hundreds of years.

Profitability

Treemetrics captures and analyses forestry data using satellite communications technology to enable forest owners and managers to maximise sustainable production and profitability. The software is so effective it can provide tracking details of individual forestry products “from the stump to the shop”.

Mobile World Congress #MWC19

Media Mentor was proud to support pioneering Irish Tech companies prepare their PR messaging and news stories for the worlds largest Mobile Tech show, Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona.

A number of companies issued press releases about new deals and significant partnerships, as well as, super fast 5G network demo’s during the week long event.

Dublin Globe interviews ‘The leading Irish in Silicon Valley’ –

Media Mentor’s Declan O’Leary Senior PR Manager has worked with many successful Irish entrepreneurs over the years, many of whom have followed their global business dreams and have now relocated to Silicon Valley, California.

Declan was therefore enthusiastic about supporting the story of the new Irish Exiles in Silicon Valley, when approached by ‘Dublin Globe’ US journalist Kevin Kline. Kevin travelled to San Francisco this summer (2018) to interview both, leading Irish Americans and emerging Irish entrepreneurs who are building great international businesses. Media Mentor (with their consent) was proud to share our California based network of Irish technology entrepreneurs, PR Partners and VC friends, to make sure their story and advice was told in the Dublin Globe.

The Irish in Silicon Valley: How Connecting Cultures Helps Both Countries