<p>When you’re rolling over your fleet and also expanding it at the same time, ensuring that there is a steady stream of new pilots in the pipeline is vital. Even when you have your own pilot academy, meeting the demand can be a challenge.</p>
<p><img alt="airBaltic A220-300 at Paris 2019" src="/getasset/2f96c220-3149-452c-a2b6-2f47fdce558c/" /></p>
<p>airBaltic, which launched its Pilot Academy in April 2018, is in the process of moving towards a fleet of 50 Airbus A220-300s and has therefore opened the application process for two more courses which commence before the year end. The autumn group of candidates will begin their studies in September, while the winter group will take up their places in November.</p>
<p>The airline has been the poster child for the introduction of the Airbus A220-300 (oka Bombardier CS300) into service, regularly attending major air shows with an aircraft in airBaltic colours in the static display. This has often been backed by the presence of CEO Martin Gauss and other executives, who have given testimonials about the aircraft’s performance. The aircraft’s range, for example, has helped the airline to expand its network to more than 70 destinations, now taking in further flung cities in Europe plus destinations in the Middle East and the CIS.</p>
<p>As noted, the airBaltic fleet is changing – thus creating an exciting time to be joining the airline – from its current composition of 39 aircraft (19 A220-300s, eight Boeing 737s and 12 Bombardier Q400s) to that all A220-300 fleet. One more A220-300 is scheduled to arrive from the airline’s original order of 20, then there are a further 30 to come from the follow-up order signed in May 2018.</p>
<p>All of this fleet development – and therefore growth in the pilot pool – forms the backbone of airBaltic’s business plan Destination 2025. This programme was created to build on the success of the Horizon 2021 plan, which laid the foundations for future expansion as well as helping the airline to garner numerous international awards for excellence and innovative services. In particular, airBaltic achieved “the best on-time performance globally” for four consecutive years from 2014 to 2017.</p>
<p>The Pilot Academy comes under the auspices of airBalticTraining, a subsidiary of airBaltic, which is a training facility offering a wide range of aviation training courses and services at its custom-built training centre in Riga, Latvia. This company was created in 2010 and since then it has provided training to approximately 3,000 aviation professionals from across the world each year, including more than 1,500 pilots, almost 1,000 cabin crew members plus several hundred ground handlers, cargo agents, security personnel and staff in other disciplines as well.</p>
<p>With the airline’s need for aviators, students who successfully complete the full-time programme over its period of around two years, will become airBaltic pilots. The airline is keen to stress the unique nature of the programme and the employment opportunity it affords.</p>
<p>Pauls Cālītis, airBaltic’s senior vice-president of flight operations, reinforces the point. “With state-of-the-art Diamond Aircraft that we are continuing to receive, a brand-new simulator, professional instructors and Integrated Airline Transport Pilot course certification, airBaltic Pilot Academy is the go-to programme for aspiring Baltic pilots. This is the only programme to offer high calibre airline pilot standard training, which will lead to employment as an airBaltic pilot. This autumn the first students will be ready to graduate from the programme and join the airline as pilots.”</p>
<p>Currently airBaltic Pilot Academy has seven training aircraft – six Diamond DA40 and one Diamond DA42. However, like the airline the Academy itself is increasing its fleet and a further three Diamond aircraft will be delivered during 2020.</p>
<p>New training aircraft, plus a job lined up flying a new aircraft type after qualifying. That sounds like an opening which could be quite competitive.</p>
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<p><em><a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/pilot/"><u><strong>Why not take a look at our latest Pilot jobs and apply today </strong></u></a></em></p>
<p><img alt="airBaltic A220-300 at Paris 2019" src="/getasset/2f96c220-3149-452c-a2b6-2f47fdce558c/" /></p>
<p>airBaltic, which launched its Pilot Academy in April 2018, is in the process of moving towards a fleet of 50 Airbus A220-300s and has therefore opened the application process for two more courses which commence before the year end. The autumn group of candidates will begin their studies in September, while the winter group will take up their places in November.</p>
<p>The airline has been the poster child for the introduction of the Airbus A220-300 (oka Bombardier CS300) into service, regularly attending major air shows with an aircraft in airBaltic colours in the static display. This has often been backed by the presence of CEO Martin Gauss and other executives, who have given testimonials about the aircraft’s performance. The aircraft’s range, for example, has helped the airline to expand its network to more than 70 destinations, now taking in further flung cities in Europe plus destinations in the Middle East and the CIS.</p>
<p>As noted, the airBaltic fleet is changing – thus creating an exciting time to be joining the airline – from its current composition of 39 aircraft (19 A220-300s, eight Boeing 737s and 12 Bombardier Q400s) to that all A220-300 fleet. One more A220-300 is scheduled to arrive from the airline’s original order of 20, then there are a further 30 to come from the follow-up order signed in May 2018.</p>
<p>All of this fleet development – and therefore growth in the pilot pool – forms the backbone of airBaltic’s business plan Destination 2025. This programme was created to build on the success of the Horizon 2021 plan, which laid the foundations for future expansion as well as helping the airline to garner numerous international awards for excellence and innovative services. In particular, airBaltic achieved “the best on-time performance globally” for four consecutive years from 2014 to 2017.</p>
<p>The Pilot Academy comes under the auspices of airBalticTraining, a subsidiary of airBaltic, which is a training facility offering a wide range of aviation training courses and services at its custom-built training centre in Riga, Latvia. This company was created in 2010 and since then it has provided training to approximately 3,000 aviation professionals from across the world each year, including more than 1,500 pilots, almost 1,000 cabin crew members plus several hundred ground handlers, cargo agents, security personnel and staff in other disciplines as well.</p>
<p>With the airline’s need for aviators, students who successfully complete the full-time programme over its period of around two years, will become airBaltic pilots. The airline is keen to stress the unique nature of the programme and the employment opportunity it affords.</p>
<p>Pauls Cālītis, airBaltic’s senior vice-president of flight operations, reinforces the point. “With state-of-the-art Diamond Aircraft that we are continuing to receive, a brand-new simulator, professional instructors and Integrated Airline Transport Pilot course certification, airBaltic Pilot Academy is the go-to programme for aspiring Baltic pilots. This is the only programme to offer high calibre airline pilot standard training, which will lead to employment as an airBaltic pilot. This autumn the first students will be ready to graduate from the programme and join the airline as pilots.”</p>
<p>Currently airBaltic Pilot Academy has seven training aircraft – six Diamond DA40 and one Diamond DA42. However, like the airline the Academy itself is increasing its fleet and a further three Diamond aircraft will be delivered during 2020.</p>
<p>New training aircraft, plus a job lined up flying a new aircraft type after qualifying. That sounds like an opening which could be quite competitive.</p>
<p><a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/register/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=FJ_job_search"><img alt="Register with Flight Jobs" src="/getasset/a95f9bbd-4d54-40bd-91fb-e090dc9d5295/" /></a></p>
<p><em><a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/pilot/"><u><strong>Why not take a look at our latest Pilot jobs and apply today </strong></u></a></em></p>