The Fiji Airways Aviation Academy (FJAA) is saving Fiji Airways over $US10million ($F22.7m) in training bills annually.
This was revealed by Fiji Airways managing director and chief executive officer Andre Viljoen in the Fiji Airways 2023 annual report tabled in Parliament last week.
“FJAA, equipped with Airbus A330 and Boeing 737 MAX full-flight simulators, has been a game-changer for the company since its inception three years ago,” Mr Viljoen said.
“The academy has significantly enhanced our capabilities in pilot certification, type rating, and career progression, while also providing substantial third-party revenue. All pilot competency and promotional training is now performed locally, saving us more than US$10 million in training costs, shortening training timelines, and raising pilot competency standards.
“This significant cost-saving measure has allowed the airline to reinvest in other critical areas of our operations, further enhancing our overall efficiency and performance.”
Mr Viljoen said phase two of the academy’s expansion was being implemented, with $49m spent on it in 2023.
The expansion is estimated to cost the airline a total of $130m and includes the acquisition of an Airbus A350 full-flight simulator and ATR full-flight simulator.
“FJAA is critical to our current and future national pilot progression plans. Since being granted approval to conduct type ratings, Fiji Airways has completed 62 promotional movements for our national pilot group, with additional courses in progress.”
FJAA has also become a showcase for the national airline’s gender sensitivity agenda with its team of trainers now comprising 15 female pilots.
“We are also proud to highlight that our team now includes 15 accomplished female pilots.
“This milestone reflects our commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion within our workforce. By empowering talented women to pursue and excel in aviation careers, we are not only enriching our team but also setting a positive example for the industry,” Mr Viljoen said.
Before the establishment of the facility, Fiji Airways crew had to travel abroad to countries like Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Thailand for their training.
Three years on, the academy has built a reputation for itself and is now receiving a lot of interest from other international airlines, according to the annual report.
