Virtual Training Academy

Airways International Ltd has launched Airways Knowledge Online (AKO), a virtual training academy for the aviation sector. AKO is the result of years of investment in online and digital learning technologies for Airways International Ltd (AIL). With the closure of borders and the inability to deliver face-to-face training to international customers as a result of Covid-19, AIL fast-tracked the development of AKO to meet the evolving needs of air navigation service providers (ANSPs) and current industry challenges around training.

AKO has been developed as a flexible digital learning platform, enabling ANSPs and students to engage and learn on their own terms. It brings Airways’ classroom-based teaching into a virtual environment, where instructor and student interaction is maintained even though courses are being delivered from a distance.

“Teaching and learning is at the heart of everything we do. With AKO we wanted to develop a best-in-field learning experience with engaging dynamic content and successful training outcomes,” said AIL CEO Sharon Cooke.

“We challenged ourselves to transform our training business so we can deliver our courses remotely and meet the changing needs of our customers during this time of turmoil for the aviation sector. From our research we know that students learn best when they’re supported outside the classroom with access to on-demand interactive content – and that’s what we’re delivering with AKO,” Ms Cooke said.

AKO offers a full course catalogue including courses for ab-initio air traffic control (ATC), air traffic services (ATS) operations, ATS refresher training, ATC emergencies and Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel (ATSEP) training. Further AKO courses in development include ATC simulator training, and Procedure Design training.

The AKO virtual academy is supported by the AKO Immersive Technologies studio based at AIL’s training facilities in Christchurch New Zealand. The studio has been developed with the latest virtual learning technologies to support virtual hosting of training, events and webinars.