Atlantic Flight Training Academy has officially opened its new IAA approved, Aircraft Maintenance Hangar this week at its second training base, located at Waterford Airport.
AFTA has trained 2,300 graduates since 1995 who are employed with the world’s leading airlines including, Ryanair, Aer Lingus, easyJet, British Airways, Air Astana, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Cathay Pacific and many more. The new maintenance Hangar will service AFTA’s aircraft training fleet, which includes the Diamond DA42NGs and Twin Stars, Piper PA34 Seneca and C172 fleet. AFTA operate 24 aircraft, 5 flight simulators and employs over 55 people. The addition of the enhanced maintenance facility will add extra high skill jobs for the Waterford region.
Speaking at Waterford Airport, Minister of State with responsibility for Skills and Further Education, Niall Collins TD, said: “Atlantic Flight Training Academy’s new aircraft maintenance facility at Waterford airport is an investment in the future of Irish aviation outside of Dublin, providing the essential infrastructure to support the ever-growing pilot training academy and creating highly skilled jobs for aircraft engineers and pilot instructors. I am delighted that more cadet pilots in the South East and across Munster will now benefit from AFTA’s investment in this new aircraft maintenance facility.
“Making education and training available to people where they are, near to home so they don’t have to leave to learn or to get a job, is a key priority for me and my Department and I’m delighted to see that in action here today. I want to wish every success to the next generation of AFTA – trained airline pilots as they begin their careers here at Waterford Airport.”
Aidan Power, Waterford Airport Manager, said: “Atlantic Flight Training Academy has been utilising Waterford as a training airport for the past 24 years and in 2018 committed to a full-time operational base at the airport. During the last three years pilot training at Waterford has grown exponentially.
